Chapter 32
Melinda woke feeling refreshed. She stretched her arms overhead and got out of bed. Pulling on her bath robe, she tapped lightly on the connecting door to Adam’s room.
“Good morning,” she called out, “are you awake?”
The door opened and Adam was standing there, bare chested and wearing loose-fitting sweatpants and sneakers. His face wore the scruff of a one-day beard and damn it looked good on him. “Good morning, beautiful. You look well rested.”
“I slept great, and you?”
“Me too.” He glanced over his shoulder at the bedside clock. “How much time do you need to get ready? We’ll have to be at the mansion by ten to help the bride and groom get things organized for the big event.”
“I think we’re really providing moral support.” He flashed her a smile. “But give me thirty minutes. That should give us plenty of time for breakfast.” He leaned against the doorjamb. “Dress warm. The weatherman was calling for freezing rain and sleet.”
She gave him thumbs-up and closed the door. She waited to hear if he would flip the lock between them, but it was quiet.
Adam propped himself up against the door with his hand. Thank heavens he’d strapped his leg on before she knocked. There was no way he could have moved quickly and appear calm and cool. He gave a soft chuckle. It would be nice if Mel thought she was the reason he was a little off kilter.
Lying in bed last night, he had decided when they got home he was going to tell her about his leg and the rest of what had happened to him after the IED explosion. He owed it to her, but he also owed it to himself to find the courage to let her into his life and bare all his scars.
Once he was ready Adam tapped on the door from the hallway. He didn’t want Mel to feel like she didn’t have enough privacy by always using the connector door.
When she opened it, she was dressed in a cream turtleneck sweater, a long red vest and black leggings with knee-high boots. Not that he was noticing the particulars, he chided himself.
“Ready?” he said.
“I’m starving. Do you think Diana has something downstairs?”
“I’m sure she does, but if not, I’ll bet there is a good place to eat nearby.” Adam moved to one side and Mel fell in step next to him.
“Do you think we’ll have time to tour Rosecliff after we are done with the rehearsal?”
They strolled down the wide staircase. Mel’s heel caught on a tread. She began to pitch forward, but Adam reached out and grabbed her arm to steady her.
Her eyes were wide. His heart quickened. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks. It would stink to take a tumble down the stairs.” Her voice had a slight quiver to it.
She smiled at him and he exhaled with relief. “You’ll need to be careful tonight in your heels.” He drank in the sight of her heart-shaped face. “I assume you’re wearing high heels?” To his ears the words sounded brusque.
She winked at him. “Ladies typically do wear them when we get all gussied up.” She glanced down. “How is your leg feeling today? Any pain?”
“None. Just a temporary thing.”
He could see the concern appear in her eyes. “Does it have anything to do with your injury from your last tour?”
He wanted to deny it, but since he had come to the decision to tell her everything, he simply said, “Yes.”
Melinda opened her mouth and then closed it. Adam wasn’t going to push her to talk to him. There would be time for lots of questions when they got home on Sunday night. Not Monday or Tuesday, but Sunday. “I’ll tell you about it sometime soon.”
She nodded and perked up when she saw Diana come out of the dining room.
“Good morning, Diana. By chance is there any sort of breakfast or coffee?” Melinda put a real emphasis on coffee.
Diana gestured to an archway off to the left. “Right through there. Help yourself, and if you need more coffee, just let me know. I’ll be at the desk.”
As they crossed the front entrance into the dining room Adam could feel Diana watching him. Did she see his gait wasn’t as smooth as it should be? If she lost a daughter, he guessed it had something to do with the war. He glanced over his shoulder as Diana averted her eyes.
Melinda headed for the buffet that held several covered platters. She picked up the lid on the first one, flipped a look at Adam and said, “Bacon and sausage.” She opened the next one and it was filled with an assortment of warm muffins. The next, a pan with fried potatoes and the last dish was eggs. “They look like they just came off the stove.”
Adam handed her a plate and she made short work of filling it. “This was more than I expected.”
He filled another plate to the edges while Melinda meandered to a table by the window and sat down. There was a daisy in a bud vase on the table. He could hear her say, “This is just lovely.”
Adam brought a carafe of coffee with him and poured her a cup before sitting down. “This is just what we need to start our day.” He looked around and reached for a ketchup bottle from the table behind them. He grinned. “Sorry, ketchup is a must in my book.”
“Of course, the potatoes.” Melinda took the bottle from him.
Adam waited until she was done and then took it back. “No, for the eggs.”
Melinda wrinkled her nose. “Really?”
“I got used to it when I was in basic.” He handed her the bottle. “Try it.”
She held up her hand and shook her head. “No, thank you.”
He laughed and scooped up a forkful. “Your loss.”
Breakfast with Mel was a treat. Conversation was easy. They talked about the wedding and what other fun things they might want to do. She expressed an interest in going to the tennis museum.
“Really, that’s on your to-do list?” Adam asked.
“Where else can you find one, and so close to home?” She drained her coffee. “Do you think Diana has to-go cups? The coffee is delicious.”
As if right on cue, Diana sailed into the dining room. “How was breakfast?”
“Not what we expected,” Adam said. “This exceeded my”— he smiled at Mel — “our expectations.”
With an elbow resting on the table, Melinda propped her chin in her hand. “Is there any chance you have to-go cups so we can take coffee with us? We have a busy morning at Rosecliff helping our friends get ready for their wedding. Your coffee is just what we’ll need for the extra push of energy.
“I do. But you won’t be able to take anything in with you. The rules are pretty strict.” She crossed the room and opened a cabinet door. She pulled out two heavy paper cups and lids and walked back to the table. “Will these work for you?”
Adam took them from her. “Thank you.” He teased, “Mel will be a happy camper.”
She protested, “Come on you thought it was a good idea too.” Melinda stacked their plates and looked around. “Where can I put these?”
“Leave them on the table and I’ll take care of them. You two should run along. Take Ocean Boulevard—it’s the best route to the mansion. It is breathtaking in the morning.” Diana winked. “One might even say romantic.” Before Melinda could blush again, Diana said, “Have a fun day. Will you be back before the wedding?”
“We will.” Adam was already looking forward to seeing Mel in her dress and high heels.
Mel looked around. “Oh shoot, I forgot my handbag upstairs.” She pushed back from the table and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Diana lingered in the dining room while Adam fixed their coffees. Uncertain what she might say, he thanked her again for the cups and wandered into the lobby. He wanted to sit down; his knee was beginning to throb. It was going to be a long day with a lot of standing. Maybe he should sit and wait for Mel.
Just as he did, she dashed down the stairs and deftly avoided the one stair that she had trouble with earlier. “See, I remembered.” She jingled the keys. “Did you think I was going to take forever?”
He looked into her eyes. They were more blue today than green. “Not at all.” Thinking fast he said, “I wanted to sit in a genuine antique chair from an old ship.” Jeez, that sounds lame, even to me. He got up and followed Mel to the front door.
She looked over her shoulder. “I hope we have time to stop at that pretty park we saw near the ocean. You know, the one before the fort?”
“A good spot to enjoy our coffee.” Adam followed her outside. The air was crisp and cool and the sky was a brilliant shade of blue. He took a deep breath. “There is something invigorating about this air, don’t you think?”
Mel stopped and dropped her head back, face toward the sun. She inhaled deeply. A grin spread across her face. “You are right. It is.” She gave him a sly look. “What?”
“I’ve never seen you so carefree.” He swallowed and said, “You’re very pretty.”
A flush rose in her cheeks. “Adam, stop.”
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you. But I wanted to tell you.”
“Once again, I’m at a loss for words. It seems to happen from time to time when I’m with you.” She clicked the button on the key fob and the car locks clicked. “There’s an ocean waiting to be looked at.”
Adam got into the car. Will had been right. The chemistry between them was undeniable. After Sunday, he hoped she would still want to spend time with him. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye in the driver’s seat. She was the only woman for him.
“Hey, you.” She poked him in the arm. “Are you seeing the birds bobbing in the water? How does that cold not bother them? The wind is whipping and there they go, plunging their heads in the frigid water to get a snack.”
He listened as she rattled off two more questions without giving him a chance to answer the first one. He wanted to say something profound, but all he could think to say was, “Mel, it’s how life works. They just keep doing what they know.”
“Life does march forward, doesn’t it?” She flashed him a grin. “This is the best time I’ve had in ages. You’re a pretty good travel partner.”
“You make a good partner too.” He reached over and took her hand from the steering wheel in his. He joked, “Even if we need to get you an insulated mug for our next road trip.”