Levi’s mouth parted as he stared back. Adam’s words whipped through his mind. Maybe this shouldn’t seem like such a curveball, but it did. It seemed so fast. Maybe Adam had kissed Molly a year ago, but they hadn’t gotten together until months later.
“I can see I’ve caught you off guard.”
“No, not—” Who was he kidding? He gave a wry laugh. “Well, yeah, actually. I guess you have.”
“Do you, um, have concerns about me? I guess I wouldn’t blame you. I wasn’t honest with Molly last summer. But that’s not who I am. Molly and I have done a lot of talking, and I’ve been very careful to—”
“It’s not you, Adam. I mean, yes, that was a concern initially, but I can see that’s not who you are.”
“Then what is it? Do you have concerns about the two of us together?”
“No, that’s not—it just seems kind of sudden. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“We’ve been together since August. That was ten months ago.”
“Right, right. But you had a long-distance relationship until January.”
“That’s true. And yet, I feel as though I’ve known Molly forever. I’m wholly devoted to her, Levi—I want you to know that. There’s no one else for me, and I believe she feels the same about me.”
“I don’t doubt that. And as much as I sometimes like to think I can control Molly’s life, she’s made it clear that’s not my place—and she’s right. She’s an adult, and so are you.”
A long, uncomfortable silence hung between them. Levi hated to disappoint Adam, but he didn’t see what the big rush was. Ten months was nothing. And only five months living in the same town. How could they possibly know each other well enough to commit to a life together?
“But you have reservations...” Adam said.
Levi thought about that. What would his dad say if Adam were asking for his blessing? The image of his dad on that gurney in the ambulance was the only thing that came to mind.
Take care of your sisters.
Levi’s headache pulsed in his ears. Adam was patiently waiting for a response. “My only reservation is the length of time you’ve been together. And during that time, Molly’s had a lot to deal with—we all have. The trauma of our parents’ sudden death hasn’t been easy to recover from. Making a go of this inn has been an additional pressure because it’s deeply personal to all of us. Add to that, her previous relationship with Dominic messed her up for a while.”
“I’m aware.” Adam’s brows pinched in a frown. “She has been through a lot.”
“It’s been a lot to process. And falling in love on top of it... I just wonder if a little more time might be in order. This is a lifetime commitment you’re talking about.”
Adam looked crestfallen. “Right.”
Levi hated to burst his bubble, but he had to think of what was best for Molly. And he knew without a doubt that more time would be wise. They had the rest of their lives to be married. On the other hand...
“As I said though, you’re both adults. You have to do what you feel is right.”
Adam seemed to gather the disappointment and shove it somewhere deep. His shoulders straightened, and he gave Levi a brave smile. “I value your opinion. It’s why I came to ask for your blessing. And if you feel Molly needs more time... I’ll respect that.”
Relief flooded through Levi. He couldn’t stand the thought of watching Molly make a huge mistake—not on his watch. He stretched out a hand.
Adam grasped it.
“You’re a good man, Adam. A little extra time never hurt anything.”
eighteen
Mia’s breakfast plate had been cleared for a while. Her foot sat propped in the chair opposite her. Della had fussed over her ankle, bringing a pillow from the living room and tucking the cold pack around it just so. There sure were a lot of caregivers around this place.
She opened up the journal and picked up where she’d left off last night.
August 1957
Dear Diary,
