She blinked at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean...” he began in a voice that was low and measured. “You’ve been quiet lately. It seems like you’ve got something on your mind, but every time I ask what’s wrong, you say you’re fine. But you’re not fine, Molly. Something’s wrong, and I need to know what it is. Please.”
He sounded so sad and confused. Just like she was. Maybe Mia had been right. Maybe Molly should just tell him. Just get it out on the table. Whatever was happening between them couldn’t be worse than all this suspicion and speculation.
Her pulse increased until she feared her heart would pound right out of her chest. “I thought you were going to propose,” she blurted.
A beat of silence. “What?”
And then the words tumbled out of her like water down Lone Creek Falls. “Before we went to the Crow’s Nest I heard that you’d made the reservations—quiet table by the window—and it’s a special occasion type place, and we hadn’t been there before, you know? And then a few days later we were at your house, and you were in the kitchen, and your phone was sitting out on the coffee table, and a call came in. The screen said Tiffany & Co., so I thought you must be planning to propose, becauseTiffany!
“And so that night I got all dressed up, and dinner came and went, and you drove me home and left me on the porch—proposal-less! And I was so disappointed because I thought I must’ve done something to change your mind.”
“Oh, Molly.”
“And after that things just seemed weird between us. And then I thought, did the phone actually say Tiffany & Co. or did it maybe just say Tiffany? Maybe I just jumped to conclusions because I was so excited about you asking me to marry you. But then you didn’t. Are you seeing someone else, Adam? Because if you are, I have to know, ’cause I’m just about to go batty!”
“Molly.” Adam slid over into her seat, placing his arm around her. “Why didn’t you tell me all this? Of course I’m not seeing somebody else. I love you and only you.”
She let his words sink in deep. Allowed her lungs to draw another breath. “Then why did—”
He placed his fingers over her lips, looking at her as if he really did mean what he’d just said. “My turn. Iwasplanning to propose that night, Molly. And I don’t know what the screen said, but I do know that call was from the jewelry store, and I did buy your ring there. I don’t even know anyone named Tiffany, and I would never cheat on you, ever.”
“I’m sorry.” She let his words settle all the way into her heart. Okay, so there was no one else. She believed him. But...
“Then why didn’t you propose that night? Did you change your mind?” An ache bloomed in her chest at the thought. She’d never had a single doubt about him since they’d starting dating last fall. Not until this proposal debacle.
“That’s my fault. I jumped the gun a little. I bought the ring back in May when I was in New York visiting my publisher. And since your father wasn’t here to give his blessing I planned to ask Levi instead. But I kept putting it off because... well, you know I’m just not good at that kind of thing.”
Dread squirmed inside.
“By the time I finally got up the nerve to ask him, I already had the ring and already made the dinner reservation. But Levi thought it might be better to wait a little while, so I decided to put it off a bit.”
“Hold up...” She ran his words back through her head, bristling as her gaze focused more intently on Adam. “Levi?Levi thought it might be better towait?”
thirty-nine
Levi had stepped outside for only twenty minutes. Thirty at most.
He was twitchy after his argument with Grace and needed something productive to do. There was no reason to guard the front desk. All the guests were out for the festivities, and the No Vacancy sign was on. The three shrubs out front hadn’t been trimmed in a few weeks, and he could knock that out quickly and burn off his excess energy in one fell swoop.
He turned on the exterior lights and fetched the hedge trimmer from the shed. The physical job didn’t keep his mind from spinning while he worked though. Or keep the headache at the base of his skull from throbbing. It only provided a valid explanation for his tense shoulder muscles and his racing heart.
Where had he gone wrong with Grace? How was he going to change her mind about college? Because he had to. His parents would have found a way to do just that, and since they weren’t here it was his job.
He finished the shrubs too quickly, raked up the trimmings, and dumped them in the compost pile in the backyard. He stored the rake in the shed and entered the inn through the back door, his mind still on Grace.
It was the sound of trickling water that snapped his thoughts to the present. Had someone returned for a shower? He turned the corner to the lobby and stopped, staring in disbelief.
A steady drizzle of water trickled like a waterfall under the railing of the second flight.
He charged up the stairs two at a time. His shoes slipped on the wet wood. He stopped at the top, gaping. The hallway was covered in water.
But where was it coming from? He forced himself to slow down and try and see how the water was moving. The suite. Had Mia left the water running?
He needed the key. He flew back downstairs and grabbed it. Then he ran back upstairs and down the hall. His hands shook as he keyed open the door.
The water was deeper in here. It swirled beside one of the interior walls where water rushed from beneath the baseboard. His stomach filled with lead.
