She stepped up to the counter and ordered an iced latte for herself and a green tea for Skye, making small talk with the baristas. Drinks in hand, she found some comfy chairs on the patio.
The old fire station had been renovated into a coffee shop several years ago. On nice days the old doors were rolled up, creating an open-air environment. It was a popular place for locals and tourists alike.
“You beat me,” Skye said with surprise. She was obviously fresh from her yoga/dance studio, her leggings and snug T-shirt showing off a lithe figure.
“Miracles never cease.” Molly allowed herself a moment’s jealousy of Skye’s toned muscles. Then again, the woman basically worked out all day and subsisted on organic squirrel food. Not worth it. Molly took a sip of her cinnamon roll latte, taking delight in its spicy-sweet flavor.
Skye scooted closer to the table and took a sip of her tea. “Thanks. This hits the spot. What’s it going to cost me?”
Molly gave her a droll look. “A good ten minutes of listening to me whine about Levi.”
“I’m sure you have more than that in you.”
“I have book club in an hour.”
Skye laughed. “So I take it you pitched your idea for the broader menu.”
“If you consider me bringing it up and him shooting it down a ‘pitch.’”
Skye gave her an empathetic look. “He tends to forget the inn belongs to all three of you, doesn’t he?”
“I mean, I know the business stuff is his area of expertise, but he does update us at the monthly snoozefest, and things are going fine.”
Skye’s brows disappeared beneath her mahogany bangs. “And you’re actually awake for these meetings?”
“Maybe my eyes glaze over at the mere mention of a spreadsheet, but I can read the bottom line easily enough. A full-service restaurant was part of our parents’ dream. It would expand the services we offer our guests and maybe even draw in more. I don’t see why he’s being so stubborn about this.”
“What reason does he give for holding off?”
“Just the same old story—the profits, the extra staff, blah, blah, blah. He’s such a penny-pincher. I bought a bunch of new towels so we wouldn’t have to do same-day washings—and I got a good deal on them too. He made me send them back! I wanted to go with a new luxury line of soaps, and he put the nix on that too. It wasn’t even that much more than what we’re using.”
They talked a while longer about the situation. Skye suggested that Molly start with a smaller request, like a made-to-order breakfast, and work up to a dinner menu. Baby steps. Her friend was good with conflict resolution, so Molly took her advice seriously. She wasn’t giving up.
When they’d exhausted the topic, she asked Skye about her love life, which her friend described as deadly dull to nonexistent, so talk turned to the yoga studio. Skye regaled her with stories that had Molly spewing coffee at one point.
Finally, she brought up the real reason she’d asked Skye to meet for coffee today. “So . . . I do have some exciting news to share.”
Skye leaned forward. “Whatever it is has your eyes sparkling like Bluebell Lake on a summer day.”
Molly drained the last of her iced latte, drawing out the moment. Torturing Skye was always fun. “Miss Nonnie had her hair done at the Hair Lair the other day by Patty Burkes.”
Skye gave Molly a searching look. “Aaaand . . .”
“Patty’s daughter, LeeAnne, works at the Crow’s Nest.”
“I know . . . She’s a hostess.”
“Yes, and she takes reservations.” Molly gave her a pointed look. “And someone’s boyfriend made reservations for two, a week from this Friday.”
“Oooh . . . that’ll be nice. You should wear your red sundress. I love that on you.”
Molly quirked a brow. “He asked for the best seat in the house—the corner booth for two right by the window. And he said”—Molly emphasized the words—“that it’s a special occasion.”
Understanding registered in Skye’s expression. Her lips curled coyly. “I take it this is not a birthday celebration.”
“His birthday is in February. But it is the anniversary of a certain first kiss.”
Skye pressed her palm to her heart. “The one in the boat in the pouring rain? Be still my heart. That one still gets me, and I wasn’t even the recipient.”
Molly leaned forward. “I think this is it, Skye. He’s going to propose.”
Skye squealed and grabbed Molly’s hand. “I think you’re right. I’m so excited for you.”
“I know. I can hardly believe it. We haven’t been dating that long, but I’ve never been so sure of anything. And he’s so romantic—of course he’d pick the anniversary of a special moment. It’s just like him.”
“You’re so lucky. He’s wonderful. And he’s good for you too—so level-headed and thoughtful.”
“He is all that and more. He still writes me love notes. I’ve saved every one.”
“You lucky dog. Meanwhile I’m subsisting on a steady diet of ‘Hey’ guys on Instagram.”
Molly laughed. “You should totally go out with Levi. I keep telling you.”
“You also keep telling me what a pain in the rump he is!”
“Oh, you know I love him. He has a lot of good qualities too. I may take those for granted. But he’s solid, dependable, and he has an actual plan for his life.”
“Yes, a plan that puts him squarely back in Denver as soon as possible. No thanks. Besides, I’ve never viewed him as anything but a friend, and I’m pretty sure he feels the same.”
Molly considered that. As much as she’d like her best friend and brother to hook up, it seemed someone else had caught his eye. “I think he’s got the hots for our new guest anyway. It seems like he’s with her all the time.”
“The honeymoon woman?”
“That’s the one.” It was killing her to keep quiet about Mia’s identity, but she’d promised.
“Isn’t she fresh off a heartbreak?”
Molly shrugged. “I think the wedding was canceled a while back.”
Skye’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Before long you’ll be planning your wedding.”
Molly squealed. “I know! I can hardly believe it. Do you think he’s gotten the ring yet?”
“I’m sure he has. It’s probably a zillion carats!”
“I don’t care about that. I just want to be his.”
“Spoken like a true romantic. You guys are perfect for each other.”
Molly squeezed her hand. “I’m hoping both you and Grace will agree to be my maids of honor . . . ?”
Skye’s eyes went glossy. “I’d be honored. You’re the best friend ever, Molly. This is going to be so amazing. I can give the two of you dance classes so your first dance is like a dream.”
“I’d love that!” Molly would have to do some real talking to get Adam to agree, but she thought she could pull it off. “I don’t how I’m going to wait more than a week. This is going to be torture.”
“One day at a time.”
Molly checked her watch. “I’ve got to run. Hey, didn’t you read Where the Crawdads Sing? I don’t suppose I can talk you into book club?”
Skye laughed. “You’re still calling it that? You’re the only one who reads the books.”
“The others read the books. Sometimes.” Molly made a face. Mostly the hour consisted of the ladies gossiping while Molly tried to drag them back on subject.
Skye pushed back from the table. “Yeah, I think I’ll pass this time. But good luck with that.”
seventeen
The dull throbbing in Mia’s ankle awakened her. The sun had shifted, giving way to indirect lighting. She peeked at her foot. The cold pack was gone, and someone had covered her with a quilt.
Levi. Her lips softened into a smile as a warm, fuzzy feeling flooded through her.
A phone rang in the lobby, and she heard Levi’s low voice as he answered the call, even though the pocket doors between the rooms were closed. She
recalled the way he’d carried her down the trail this morning. It seemed almost like a dream now. But the throbbing in her ankle assured her it was not.
What was she going to do if it didn’t heal in time for filming? There was no way she was passing up this role.
She reached for her own phone, checking the texts that had come in. She responded to Ana Maria’s first, then others from Brooke and Nolan. There was apparently a Where’s Mia? meme going around that mimicked the old Where’s Waldo game. They were also having a little fun with the acronym for “missing in action.” #MIA was apparently trending. These people needed to get lives.
She ignored the other texts, mostly from seemingly concerned acquaintances. It was hard to know which of them were genuine and which were prodding for gossip they could share with their friends or, worse, the media. The world she came from wasn’t exactly an authentic one. Was it any wonder she had trust issues? This place she’d landed in, Bluebell, seemed to have authentic people in spades—and she’d only met a few of them.
She closed her eyes and focused on Levi’s deep voice. He was apparently still on that phone call. A customer or something more personal? He hadn’t said anything about a current girlfriend, but then she’d only asked if he’d left one behind in Denver.
That was the last thing she should be dwelling on. She needed something else to keep her occupied, or the next few days were going to drag. There was always her grandmother’s journal. And if she had to lie low for a while, she had the ideal situation for it: a quiet inn, a flexible schedule, and abundant help.
The door slid open, and Levi appeared. “You’re awake. Let me get that cold pack for you.”
He returned in a couple minutes with a fresh glass of lemonade as well. “How’s the ankle feeling?”
“Better. The painkillers helped.”
He set the cold pack on her ankle and met her gaze. “How’s that?”
The soft lighting made the most of his features, deepening his eyes to the color of the ocean. She’d seen worse-looking men in starring roles. “You have a face for film, you know.”
He gave a half smile that only proved her point. “No thanks.”
She’d been thinking that since they’d met, but she hadn’t meant to tell him. “Painkillers make me a little loopy.”
He tucked the blanket around her foot, then sat on the coffee table opposite her. “And sleepy, apparently.”
“That too. Have you ever done any acting?”
“Not unless you count my third-grade portrayal of Abraham Lincoln.”
Her lips twitched as she envisioned him in a tall black hat with a fake beard. “I’ll bet you were a real cutie. You probably had all the little girls wrapped around your finger.”
“Nah,” he said. “They were most impressed with my mad math skills.”
“What were you like as a kid? Was your upbringing as wonderful as I’m imagining?”
“Sure, it was pretty great. What was I like? I don’t know, I guess a lot like I am now. Just shorter and with less body hair.”
She smiled lazily. “The oldest child is often a natural leader. They tend to be independent achievers. I study these things for roles I play.”
“I’d say that’s a pretty accurate assessment. My sisters would add ‘uptight’ and ‘bossy.’”
“See, that’s what wrong with being an only child—no one to boss around.”
“Was it lonely, being an only—when you weren’t playing with make-believe siblings?”
“Sometimes. Yes, often, actually.”
“No neighborhood kids to pal around with?”
She gave a wry laugh, thinking of the gated community and the rolling acres surrounded by high brick walls. “It wasn’t really that type of neighborhood.”
“What about your parents? Did they play with you?”
“My mom really wasn’t like that. My dad left when I was five.”
“Must’ve been hard.”
Her dad had left so easily, it had seemed. And here was Levi, staying with his sisters, putting his own dreams on hold until they’d settled into adulthood. She could only admire such loyalty and devotion. Not only that, but Levi was clearly a hard worker, steady and dependable. When a person’s childhood lacked those traits, they came to mean a lot.
“I barely remember my dad,” she said. “If I asked my mom about him she’d give me the silent treatment, so after a while I stopped asking. She was angry with him for leaving, I guess.” Man, she was like a bubbling fountain today.
Levi gave her an empathetic smile. “That’s too bad.”
“I’ve never told anyone that—not even the counselor my mom sent me to as a teenager.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I guess I can be a pretty private person. It’s hard to know who to trust in this business.”
“I’m sure it is. I’m glad you feel you can trust me.”
She gave him a long, steady look. She did, she realized. At least, more than she usually trusted people. She wasn’t sure why. Or even if it was smart. But she couldn’t seem to help opening up to him. It was like this place had cast some kind of spell on her.
She grasped the quilt, feeling snug despite her throbbing ankle. “Thanks for covering me up earlier.”
His voice was rough as his eyes pierced hers. “You’re welcome.”
Her honesty seemed to have deepened the intimacy between them. A pleasant fluttery sensation bubbled in her stomach.
She pulled the quilt up to her chin. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about my career.”
“What does your agent say?”
“He thinks we should wait it out a bit.”
“Why not do an interview like Jax did? You have the truth on your side—surely that’ll come through on camera.”
“It’ll also feed the beast. Nolan thinks it would be better to let it die down. Also, going public would further pit me against Jax, and he has a lot of fans. More than I do. Nolan knows what he’s doing. He’s been in the business a long time.”
Levi leaned forward, elbows on knees. There was something about his eyes that drew her. They had so many looks: calm as the deep blue sea; twinkling with humor and crinkled at the corners; and as she’d seen him up at the falls, filled with concern.
They talked about the business a bit, and he shared about running the inn. He entertained her with guest stories. Some of them funny, others, like the couple who’d come to the lake to spread their son’s ashes, more poignant.
Her ice pack had long since warmed to room temperature when a knock came at the front door. Grace was still upstairs, and Molly had left a while ago, so Levi jumped up to answer it.
* * *
Levi opened the door, prepared to turn away a potential guest. The vacancy sign wasn’t always enough. He blinked at the sight of Adam standing on the porch, then remembered he’d asked to come by this evening.
“Adam, come on in.” He glanced at his watch, surprised to see it was almost six.
“Hi, Levi.” Adam spotted Mia on the couch. “Hello.”
“Hi there,” she said.
Levi diverted his attention. “I’ll grab us some drinks and meet you out back?”
“Sure.”
Levi grabbed the cold pack, returning it to the freezer, and promised he’d go for takeout in a while. He made sure Mia was comfortable before joining Adam on the back lawn.
Molly’s boyfriend came by every so often just to chat. He was new to the area and didn’t have any siblings. His best friend—and agent—Jordan lived in New York, so Levi was probably the closest thing he had to a friend in Bluebell. They didn’t have much in common, but what Adam lacked in conversational skills he more than made up for with his sincerity and intellect.
The day was winding down, only one boat out on the lake, the sun low in the sky. A squirrel nattered from a nearby tree, and the smell of freshly cut grass hung heavily in the air, reminding Levi that it was time to mow again.
He handed Adam one
of the cans and sank into the Adirondack chair. “Molly at book club?”
“Yes. They were reading Where the Crawdads Sing, though in all fairness, Molly’s probably the only one who finished it.”
“It’s not really about the book, you know,” Levi said.
“I gathered as much. She keeps begging me to go with her.”
Levi chuckled. He’d bet the old biddies would love that.
“Yeah, that’s not happening. Even if I have already read the book.”
“Did you mention that to Molly?”
“She didn’t ask.”
Levi laughed again. He liked to read, but his sister was a total book nerd. Stood to reason she’d hook up with another one, an author no less.
A moment of silence passed as they enjoyed their cold drinks. A breeze came off the lake, fluttering the leaves overhead and cooling his skin. His headache lingered, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been earlier.
Adam shifted in his seat.
Levi was starting to sense he had something on his mind. Adam was always a little awkward, but he seemed even more so today. Levi wondered if everything was all right between him and Molly. His sister didn’t really talk to him about guy stuff—for which he was grateful.
Or maybe it had to do with his family. Adam hadn’t really opened up about that, but Levi knew he was close to his mom and gathered he hadn’t had the best relationship with his dad.
Adam cleared his throat. “So, um, listen, Levi . . . I wanted to talk to you about something.”
His intuition had been spot-on. He held back a smug grin. “Sure, what is it?”
“Well . . . it’s about Molly.” He shoved his glasses up with a finger.
“Everything all right?”
“What? Oh, yes. Everything’s good. Great, actually.” A flush crawled up his neck and into his cheeks. “We’re coming up on an anniversary in a couple weeks.”
Levi gave him a questioning look. “You didn’t get together till August or September, right?”
“August, yes, but this is more—it’s an anniversary of, well, our first kiss.”
“Say no more.” Please. Say no more.
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