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She was watching his face. “What are you thinking?”
“That I’d love to fool around with you in there again, but that I’m glad our first time didn’t happen in there.”
She laughed. “Me too. I was convinced that deer was my dad coming out.”
“We both were. How is he?”
“He’s happy. He lives in one of those over fifty-five communities. He’s made loads of friends, and he’s involved in all kinds of groups and activities. He has a girlfriend, but he won’t admit that to me.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m happy for him. He deserves some love.” She smiled. “And so do we. Are you going to come in, or are we going to stand out here talking?”
He went back to the car for his bag and followed her into the house. It was different than he remembered. He’d know this was Molly’s place just by stepping through the door. It had her stamp all over it. It was cozy and welcoming. There were lots of little Molly touches everywhere. An elegant chandelier hung over a rustic dining table. The kitchen was sleek and modern, and there were vases of sunflowers dotted around everywhere. “I always loved your house, and I love it even more now.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. It’s so you.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t sure I wanted to stay when Dad left. I’d been thinking about getting a condo in town, but …” She shrugged. “Then he asked me to stay and take care of it, so I did.”
“You’re not a condo in town kind of girl, but is this where you want to stay?”
She shrugged again. “Yes and no. I’d love a bigger house, more land, but this place has been in the family for generations. I couldn’t give it up, and I can’t let my dad down. He wants me to stay and take care of it—so, I do.”
Marcos nodded. He had visions of buying them a beautiful home, maybe a waterfront estate on the river, but if she didn’t want to leave, he’d live here with her—if she’d have him. He didn’t want to just land himself on her, though. He’d rented a house a little farther out from town. He wanted to spend all the time he could with her, but he wanted it to be a choice, not an obligation. He’d love to come into her life and her home tonight and never leave, but he knew she needed time to figure out if that was what she wanted.
She confirmed his thinking when she asked, “Where are you going to stay?”
“I rented a place near the estate.”
She nodded, looking thoughtful.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but if … if we do … if things work out between us, how would you feel about living here?”
He smiled, more at the fact that she was seeing it as a possibility than at the prospect of living here. “You know I’ve always loved this place.”
She laughed. “Yeah, when it was my dad’s house. It’s not exactly somewhere you’d choose to live, is it?”
“Molly, I’d live in a cardboard box under a bridge if it meant I got to be with you. If our time apart has taught me anything, it’s to appreciate what really matters. A big fancy house and all the material things don’t mean anything when you don’t get to share them with someone you love. And by the same token, a house that you wouldn’t choose for yourself can be a happy home, filled with laughter if you share it with the right person.”
She smiled and went through to the kitchen. “Do you want a glass of prosecco? I managed to find the same one we had at the cabin.”
“I’d love one, thanks.”
Instead of bringing their drinks through to the living room, she beckoned for him to follow her out through the dining room and onto the back patio. He loved it out here. There was a little stone pond with a miniature waterfall surrounded by pavers. There were containers of plants overflowing with flowers and a very neat herb garden. Off to one side was a pergola, shading a table and chairs. “Damn. I don’t remember it being like this out here.”
She smiled. “That’s because it wasn’t like this. This is my labor of love. I’ve built my little sanctuary for my time off. I come out here and read and listen to the water, and tinker with my plants.”
“It’s beautiful. And if I know you, you did it all yourself.”
She nodded happily. “You know me. I can’t just sit around when I’m not working. It took me months—and those pavers are damned heavy, but yes, this is all my own work. Oh, except for the pergola. That was a gammy job.”
He raised an eyebrow, not understanding. “Gammy? What does that mean? That it was no fun?”
She laughed. “Sorry, it’s an acronym. I pride myself on being able to do most things all by myself, but I’m not silly about it. I know some things are beyond me. Those jobs are designated as GAMI jobs. It stands for Get A Man In.”
