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Marcos hesitated.
“This is me gone.” Smoke grinned and trotted back down the steps.
Marcos stepped through the door at the same time that Molly turned around—no doubt wondering what had happened to Smoke.
Her eyes widened when she saw him. She shook her head as if in disbelief.
He couldn’t believe they were face to face again either, but he wasn’t going to be foolish enough to waste the opportunity.
Chapter Three
Was it really him? Had she totally lost it? Smoke had just held the door open for her, and she’d been on her way to the reception desk. She’d turned around to wait for him, and he was gone. There standing in his place like some sexy Sicilian god was none other than Marcos. She stared at him in disbelief then shook her head, expecting him to be gone and for Smoke to be standing there. But no, apparently, she wasn’t hallucinating. Marcos was still there.
He smiled.
Her insides melted, and she closed her eyes for a moment as a warm rush of happiness bubbled up inside her. He was still there when she opened them, so perhaps it was time to say something. “Marcos.”
“Molly.”
“What are you doing here?”
He smiled again, making it hard to focus on his words. “I have something that belongs to you.”
She bit her bottom lip. Did he mean her heart? He couldn’t know that he still owned it, could he?
He held up her bag.
“Oh.” She let out a little laugh—at her own stupidity more than anything. “Thanks.” She stepped toward him to take it, but he held it away from her.
“I can bring it if you want? I assume you’re checking in, though I don’t understand why.”
“I am. There weren’t enough rooms over at Four Mile Creek, so I volunteered to come and stay over here.”
“Why?” He looked so hopeful.
“We came here a few weeks ago, and I love it. This is much more my style than the fancy new lodge.”
“You haven’t changed, then?”
She shook her head, trying not to remember all the weekends they’d spent in cottages and cabins when they were together—all of them quaint and quirky to suit her taste. She looked over at the reception desk where a girl was sitting watching them. At least she had the good grace to turn away.
“Come on, then.” She made her way to the desk. Whatever they were going to do from here, she needed to get checked in first.
She struggled to focus while the girl took her information and apologized for the overbooking at the new lodge. She was acutely aware of Marcos standing just a few feet away from her. He looked different—in a good way. When she’d seen him at Antonio and Mary Ellen’s wedding, he’d looked older, tense and stressed—understandably so, given his circumstances at the time. It seemed the last six months had been good to him. He was nervous, there was no disguising that, but she knew that was down to her. He had a different air to him. Maybe she just hadn’t had time to notice it at the wedding. Maybe this was the man he’d become. Anyone walking in here, she was sure, wouldn’t notice any nervousness. They’d just see a handsome, obviously wealthy, man who was at home in his own skin.
“Is that all right with you?” The girl was looking at her. Waiting for her to reply—though what the question might be, Molly had no idea.
“I’m sorry?”
The girl smiled. “Will the waterfront cabin be okay for you?”
Molly frowned. Were they trying to make a buck off her? Offering her an upgrade she didn’t need? She shook her head. “I’m fine with just a room.”
The girl looked confused. “I’m sorry, but as I just explained, all the rooms in the lodge are booked up. It’s a very busy weekend. Mr. Walton said we should put you in the waterfront cabin. It’s the nicest accommodation we have.”
Molly stared at her. She had to get it together. “Mr. Walton?”
Marcos stepped forward. “Ben. You know, the guy who owns the place. I think he’s probably trying to make up for the fact that you got bumped from the new lodge.”
