AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lizzie waited, but he didn’t say anything more, so she risked a question. “I guess you didn’t get that letter?”
“Nope. I asked her if she thought Dad might have kept it from me, and she said it was highly likely.” He paused. “The thing is, she didn’t say it like she hated him or anything, more that it was simply something he would do.”
“Is she right?”
“Yeah. It’s totally something he would do.” Adam sighed. “After she left, he had a big bonfire out back. He literally burned everything she hadn’t taken away with her—bedsheets, towels, rugs, clothes. Anything she’d touched went up in flames.”
Lizzie winced. She could just imagine Jeff Miller doing that.
“Leanne said that she’d also written to Carlos and Ines.” Adam continued talking. “I said they’d never mentioned it, but after I dropped her off—just before I came here, I checked in with Ines and she confirmed that they’d had a lovely letter of condolence from her.” He shrugged. “So if she was right about that, maybe she did write to me after all.”
“You could always ask your dad,” Lizzie suggested.
“Maybe I will.” Adam met her gaze, his own conflicted. “But maybe I’ll wait to see how he and Leanne get on with each other when we all meet for dinner tonight.”
Lizzie jumped up to refill his coffee, pausing to admire Roman’s latest drawing, and offer him more milk.
When she returned, Adam was checking his phone.
“Is everything okay?” Lizzie asked as she set the mug in front of him.
“Yeah, I’m just making sure everyone turns up at the hotel at seven for dinner with Leanne.”
“That should be an interesting evening,” Lizzie said tactfully.
“Which is why I suggested we hold it at the hotel. Hopefully, if anyone starts fighting, we’ll only have to pay damages to the Hayes family,” Adam replied. “I’m hoping everyone will be on their best behavior.”
“Good luck with that.” Lizzie toasted him with her mug.
“Maybe I should hire some security.” His swift smile took her by surprise. He rarely made the gesture, which was a shame because it really was a thing of beauty. “I bet you wish you could be there.”
“Not really,” Lizzie confessed. “I’ve never got my head around the dynamics of big families. There are so many unknown pitfalls to fall into.”
“True. I suspect you’ll see Leanne at the café if she stays around.” He checked his cell again. “I’d better get back home. I need to change.”
She waited as he drank his second cup of coffee in three gulps. “Let me know how it goes, okay?”
He took his mug through to the kitchen and then returned to crouch beside Roman at the table.
“Thanks for the picture, little buddy. It’s awesome.” He ruffled Roman’s hair. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
Roman leaned forward, grabbed Adam’s ears, stared into his eyes, and kissed him smack on the mouth. “Bye, Adam.”
Lizzie went to open the front door as Adam put on his Stetson and followed her out onto the landing.
“Thanks for the coffee.”
“You’re welcome,” Lizzie said, glad that the awkwardness between them had disappeared, and that she’d avoided getting into a deep conversation about anything. He had enough on his plate with his mom right now, and she . . . well, she wasn’t sure what she was doing kissing him in the first place.
He angled his head and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Thanks for listening to me.”
She smiled. He kissed her again as if he couldn’t quite help himself, before straightening up, his intent gaze on her face.
“I’ll be in touch.”
“Okay.”
She shut the door behind him and leaned against it, her gaze fixed on Roman who was busy drawing and humming to himself. She really should tell Adam to stop kissing her. But she didn’t want to. It was as simple and as complicated as that.
Chapter Ten
Adam put his hand on his father’s shoulder and held him back as his other siblings walked into the Hayes Hotel chattering like a bunch of starlings.
