Chapter 31
Melinda had been thinking about what she was about to do for weeks. Getting to know Adam and spending time with him made her think and feel things. Emotions she thought she had buried with her sweet husband resurfaced. It wasn’t exactly like it had been with John, but she was happy and living life again. She adjusted the clasp on her pearl necklace and smoothed her hand over the soft deep blue dress. In the mirror she looked at her left hand, her wedding ring. Slowly she slipped the thin gold band from her finger.
She opened the lid on the intricately carved jewelry box sitting on the top of her dresser. It had been a wedding gift from John. There it was, John’s wedding band, nestled in the velvet lining. Exhaling slowly, she placed her matching ring next to his and took one last lingering look before closing it.
She rested her hand on the carved wood. “It’s time for me to move on, my love.”
Toot. Toot. Melinda glanced up toward Adam’s apartment door and wondered who was taking care of Skye while they were gone. She saw Adam wave as he came out and pulled the door closed.
She slid the window down and called out, “What the heck are you doing, pokey?” Maybe the lighthearted approach would calm the butterflies in her stomach.
They had plenty of time to get to Newport before the wedding fun began. But who knew what traffic was going to be like on a Thursday during the holiday season?
Adam came down the steps carrying a black leather satchel and a garment bag slung over his shoulder. She popped the trunk and waited for him to stow his stuff. After a minute, he opened the passenger door.
“Good morning.” He beamed as he buckled up. “I’m ready to hit the open road.”
She backed out of the driveway and gave him a grin. “Are you buying coffee?”
His laughter warmed her heart. “Sure.”
Cruising down his street she asked, “Who’s taking care of your fur baby while you’re gone?”
“Actually, Beth is going to stop in and check on her tomorrow and then on Saturday too.”
“Really?”
“I didn’t know who else to ask since all our friends will be in Newport.” He gave her a quick glance. She liked the sound of that, all our friends.
She flashed him a wide smile. “It sounds like the perfect solution.” She slowed and turned into the café parking lot. “Thank goodness, coffee.”
He unbuckled his seat belt. “I’ll be right back.” Before he got out of the car he asked, “Anything sweet?”
“Surprise me.”
Melinda watched as Adam walked into the café. “I wonder why he’s limping. He must have injured it pretty badly when he got hurt.” She tuned the radio to a country station, good background music, and then plugged her cell phone in to charge. After that she tapped in the driving directions on the navigation system. When the door opened, the smell of cinnamon and sugar made her mouth water.
Taking the bag from Adam, she opened it up and peeked inside. “Muffins?” She pretended to roll her eyes back.
“Not just any muffins, they’re coffeecake.”
Grinning she said, “To go with our coffee.” She held out her hand to take a cup. She set it in the holder between the seats. “Driver gets the front holder.” She teased.
Adam laughed. “Mel, do you have rules for road trips?”
She cocked her head and smiled. “I’d like to think of them more as guidelines.”
“Good to know.”
She loved the easy banter with him. It definitely made her nerves settle down. She tapped the screen on the dashboard and said, “I’ve programmed in the shortest route, unless you’d prefer to take secondary roads.”
“I like the idea of getting there so we can explore. We might not have much free time once we meet up with everyone later tonight.”
Melinda backed out and pulled into the light traffic. “Next stop, Newport.”
Adam broke off a piece of muffin and handed it to her. “Try this.”
She popped it in her mouth and mumbled, “This is really good,” after she took a tiny sip of her coffee. “Hey, I noticed you were limping when you got out of the car. Anything serious?”
The look he gave her was unreadable. “Nah, I just turned funny and my knee is bothering me, but nothing to worry about.”
Melinda wasn’t sure if she believed him, but since he didn’t want to talk about it, she said, “Good. I intend to spend some serious time on the dance floor with you.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
She could feel his gaze linger on her as she maneuvered through the small downtown with ease. It was a short distance before they picked up the highway. After she merged, she noticed Adam had become very quiet. “Everything okay over there?”
Adam looked at her and smiled. “I was just wondering how much time we’ll have before dinner tonight.”
“GPS puts us there around two.” She gave him a quick look. “Do you want to do something specific?”
“I wanted to tour the car museum, or how would you feel about a drive near the ocean?”
“Before we check into the inn or after?”
“Let’s check in and get settled. Then we can go for a drive and meet everyone at the Brick Alley Pub for cocktails and dinner.”
She gave him a bright smile. “That sounds like a good idea.”
Adam watched the scenery slip by as Mel’s fingers tapped on the steering wheel in time to the music on the radio. What the hell had he been thinking? His knee was killing him. It was a good thing they were driving around Ocean Boulevard. There was no way an afternoon of walking would have hidden his discomfort.
Inwardly he groaned. Tripping over a duffel bag and twisting his knee was stupid enough, but then add in the macho guy act walking into the diner for coffee, which had caused even more pain.
He glanced at Mel. Did she suspect something? Was it too late to tell her the truth, here and now? Or would she think his omission a lie?
If he wasn’t with Mel, he’d massage his stump, but that was not an option right now. He shifted his position, hoping to alleviate some of his discomfort.
“Do you need an aspirin or something?” She handed him her bag. “There’s some in the inside pocket.”
“Why?”
“You’re fidgeting. I’m guessing your leg hurts more than you’re willing to let on.” She gave him a sympathetic look.
Her voice was so kind he had to wonder how she would feel if she knew the truth. Would she pretend it doesn’t matter when I know it does? Or maybe Mel really wouldn’t care. She isn’t a judgmental person.
“Earth to Adam.”
“Sorry. I was lost in thought.”
She laughed. “I could tell. I was asking you for another piece of muffin. You’re holding onto that bag with a vise grip.”
He looked down and saw the top of the paper was crumpled in his hand. “Oops.” Folding back the top of the bag, he offered it to her and then changed his mind and set it on the console. “Help yourself.”
“Adam, are you sure you’re okay? You’re strangely quiet.”
He could hear the concern in her voice and forced himself to grin. “I was wondering how we can fit everything in before Sunday—the winery, the fort, the cliff walk. You know, all the high spots.” He wondered had he packed enough aspirin to do all of those things.
“Whatever we don’t finish on Saturday, we have Sunday. We can head home later in the afternoon. We’re on our own schedule. Well, other than the nuptials.”
“I need to stop worrying about trying to control everything.” He looked over his sunglasses. “Let’s make a pact that we’ll do our best to do it all.”
Mel’s laughter bubbled up. “You’re incorrigible. And yes, we will do our best.”
He pretended to wipe his brow. “What a relief.” Deciding to stop worrying about everything, he turned up the radio and began to sing off key to a popular country song. Singing always put a smile on his face and in his heart. He glanced at Mel, who was mouthing the words.
“I can’t hear you…” he said in a sing-song voice.
She belted out the next line, and to his astonishment she sang like a professional.
“Oh, we are so finding a karaoke contest and entering.” He beamed. “We’ll enter you and I’m your moral support.”
“Oh no. I don’t sing without backup.” She flicked her hair and grinned. “After all, the greats always have eye candy on stage with them”—she ran her eyes over him—“and you qualify.”
He puffed up his chest a bit and laughed. “Glad you noticed.”
Melinda peered through the windshield as they parked in the small lot. She looked at Adam. “Can you believe this place? It’s like a mini Victorian mansion.”
Adam pushed open the door. “I can’t wait to see inside. Do you think it’s haunted?”
Melinda scoffed at the idea. “Do you believe in ghosts?”
He grinned. “No more than any other average guy. But just look at those tiny windows in the attic. And the widow’s walk.”
She did a one-eighty. “I can’t see the ocean.”
“Most of the houses between this one and the sea were likely built afterward.” He turned back to look at the house. “This grand of a house was built for someone of wealth. Like a sea captain.”
“That would make sense.” She grabbed her bags from the trunk, and after Adam took his out, she closed it and locked the car. “I can’t wait to see our rooms. Do you think we can go out on the widow’s walk?”
“Probably not. Hopefully we’ll have a great view from our rooms.” Adam held the front door open. “After you.”
She swept through the door and stopped mid-step. Her mouth formed an O. He was sure she was transfixed by the beauty of the foyer and side parlor. The deep rich mahogany wood gleamed in the sunlight. Maroon velvet cushions graced the antique side chair and small sofa. The old polished floors were covered with oriental rugs that seemed to be old but well maintained.
“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed. There was a small bell on the desk and she tapped it. She grinned at Adam.
A woman’s voice drifted down the staircase. “No need to whisper.”
Melinda looked up and smiled.
They watched as a woman descended the stairs. She appeared to be in her late sixties based on the crinkles around her eyes and the subtle gray strands in her hair.
Melinda said, “It’s just so beautiful in here and old, it makes me want to talk in hushed tones.”
Adam teased, “You’ll have to excuse her. Before we came in, she was speculating if the inn would be haunted.”
“Adam,” Melinda admonished. She smiled at the innkeeper. “Don’t listen to him, he was the one thinking about ghosts.”
The woman’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “You never know. But welcome—I’m Diana and I own this little slice of heaven. It’s been in my family for generations.”
“Did you grow up here?” Melinda asked.
“I did.” She stepped behind the desk. “Are you checking in?”
“Yes,” Adam set down his bag and reached for his wallet. “Adam Bell and this is Melinda Phillips. We’re here through Sunday.”
Diana consulted a large, old-fashioned leather bound book. “Here you are.”
Melinda dug into her bag and pulled out her credit card. “You’re old school.”
Diana smiled. “We have the online system, but I think this adds to the ambience. When our guests check in, they see we still have the same kind of book that has been here since my grandparents were the innkeepers.”
Adam handed her his credit card. “Oh wait, that’s my military ID.”
She handed it back to him. “My daughter was in the Army.”
Melinda noticed the slight downturn of her mouth. She lightly touched Adam’s sleeve and swept her eyes toward Diana.
He said, “You must be very proud of her.”
“We are. Were.”
In that instant, Melinda knew they had lost their daughter.
Very softly Adam said, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” Her smile was bright but didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ve put you in adjoining rooms. You can keep the door locked or not, your preference.”
He signed the slip and then Melinda did the same as she felt herself blush. “Thank you,” she stammered.
Adam picked up his bag. Quick to lighten the mood, he said, “Come on, toots, let’s find our rooms so we can take a drive before dinner.”
Diana handed them keys. “Rooms Twelve and Fourteen. At the top of the stairs, take a left. Your rooms overlook the harbor.”
“Thank you, Diana.” Melinda nudged Adam. “I get the room with the best view.”
She laughed quietly. “They have the same view, so you won’t need to fight over one or the other.”
Melinda smiled at her before walking up the grand stairwell ahead of Adam. She could hear by his steps he was still favoring one leg. Teasing him she said, “Are you going to make it, Hopalong Cassidy?”
She noticed a flash of pain in his eyes before he said, “Just waiting on you, slowpoke.”
With that, Melinda gave a laugh and ran up the last two steps. “Come on, I want to get outside and smell the sea air.”
Good-naturedly he grumbled, “Can we at least get a snack for the road?”
Melinda patted her shoulder bag. “I’m way ahead of you. I have granola bars right here and bottled water in the car. No need to waste time.”
“Lady, I’m going to need to teach you about being away and relaxing.” He shook his head as he took the last step toward Room Fourteen. “And if for any reason you don’t like your view, we can switch.”
“Ya know, you’re a pretty sweet guy.” Melinda pushed open the door and stopped in her tracks.
Adam stepped over the threshold and stood beside her. The sweeping view through the triple windows was nothing less than spectacular. Boats were gently dancing on the waves and the sun glistening off the surface of the ocean were sparks of light. Mel crossed to the window and opened it halfway. She leaned forward, her nose almost touching the screen, and inhaled deeply.
“Adam, no need to switch. It’s perfect.”