I laughed. “Better luck next time.”
“Can I have cereal? Please?”
I shook my head in amusement. Iain was so used to having homemade breakfasts, he didn’t recognize how lucky he was to have a hot meal every morning. I reached out to rub his head, but he rolled his eyes and ducked. My little boy was growing up and didn’t always appreciate those motherly gestures. “Sure. Go for it.” I watched him take off for the kitchen where we ate, away from the guests but close enough to keep an eye on things.
Mama came in, leaning heavily on her cane. The cold weather was hard on her leg, but she never complained. “Good morning, baby girl. You seemed restless last night.”
By the time I got home last night, I didn’t say anything to my mom about Zach. I played a game with Iain and got him ready for bed. My mom wasn’t far behind. I’d stayed up, too restless to open up the couch I used for a bed. I tried watching a movie on TV, but I couldn’t focus, so I ended up reorganizing the coat closet. I should have known she’d hear me pacing across the ancient, creaky floorboards. Sleep came hard for her some nights, too.
“I’m sorry if I kept you awake. I had a lot on my mind.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “Want to tell me what’s bothering you?”
I shook my head. I’d have to update her, but with breakfast to serve in a few minutes, now wasn’t the right moment. “Later,” I promised as I double-checked that everything was ready.
By the time the first guests arrived downstairs, they were greeted with silver trays and bowls full of bacon, sausage, fresh biscuits, scrambled eggs, Belgian waffles, cut fruit, and a variety of juices and coffee. Mr. and Mrs. Crawley came in next, followed shortly by a much younger couple who I hadn’t been able to get to know very well. They were obviously honeymooners. Her face was flushed, and his eyes were satisfied as his hand hovered around her waist. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what they’d been up to this morning.
She smiled at me. “This looks so delicious. I’m so glad we stayed here. This place is absolutely wonderful, isn’t it, honey?”
He nodded, but given the loving look he gave her, I had a feeling he’d agree to almost anything she said.
I smiled, pleased with the compliment. “Thank you.”
I spent a few minutes speaking to each guest, wanting to ensure they had a pleasant stay. I suggested sites to see while they were here and listened for ways I could improve their experience.
I kept fussing with things, trying to expend my nervous energy. Four of the five rooms were accounted for in the dining room. That left only one guest to arrive. Maybe I’d get lucky, and he wasn’t a breakfast eater. Maybe he wouldn’t come down until after Mama left to take Iain to school.
Heavy footsteps behind me proved luck wasn’t on my side.
Taking a breath, I turned to face him. Keeping my voice as professional as I could, I greeted him. “Good morning. Breakfast is self-serve, but if there’s anything you need and don’t see, I’ll be happy to help.”
I watched him glance around the tables I’d set with my grandmother’s white dishes and topped with a fanned navy blue napkin. A simple red carnation, courtesy of my cousin Chase’s nursery, was in a glass vase centered at each table. The silverware was laid out along with a pretty juice glass and a coffee cup ready to go. I loved understated yet elegant rooms, and I was proud of what I’d recreated here. I glanced at Zach’s face, trying to gauge his reaction; I hated that I cared what he thought of it.
I dragged myself away before he could say anything and walked across the foyer to the living room. I pulled back the drapes to let in some natural light. The Dogtrot was at the end of town, but through the large bay window, I could see shop owners clearing the sidewalk to their doors and sprinkling salt to keep it from refreezing. I could feel the cold air on the panes and tugged my cardigan a little closer.
“How long have you lived here?”
I jumped at Zach’s words. I hadn’t heard anyone follow me.
“I’m from here.” I guessed he’d forgotten that information. Or he’d never cared enough to remember in the first place. Then again, we’d never really talked about where we were from since we were so focused on the future.
“Mmm.” I could tell he was waiting for me to say more and was disappointed when I didn’t. From the first time we’d met, there had been such an instant connection. I’d felt comfortable with him. Now, there was a pocket of awkwardness between us. I knew why I was nervous, but not him. I’d never seen him anything but confident. Maybe he felt guilty that the last time he’d seen me was naked in his bed, knowing he’d planned to cheat on me as soon as he crawled out of it.
“Is there something you need?” The words came out snippier than I meant, causing the muscle in his jaw to tighten and his forehead to crease.
“Now that you ask, an explanation would be nice.” His tone was equally frosty.
“Excuse me?”
His eyes grew hard, the green hues swirling in the same dark way I’d once seen during a severe thunderstorm. I almost shivered, waiting for the emotional storm that was sure to come. “Is this where you ran off to when you disappeared? When you up and left me confused and wondering what the hell had happened to you?”
“I leftyouconfused?” I fired back. “What about leavingmethat night? I assumed you’d be glad that I wasn’t there to mess up plans with your side piece. Oh wait, I guessIwas the side piece.”
“What are you talking about?”
“As if you don’t know.”
His glare was glacial. “I really don’t. But you have some of your facts backward.”
