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Marcos nodded. He was eager to see it, but he was even more eager to see it on Molly’s finger. “She did.”
“So once you have the ring, you can ask her,” said Cameron.
“I can.”
They were both looking at him as if they knew something wasn’t right.
He held his hands up. “She might not want me.”
Cameron laughed, but Piper touched his arm. “She does. I know she does. Don’t go tormenting yourself by imagining that this isn’t all you want it to be. You’ve made it, you’re there. Enjoy it.”
Marcos nodded. “I want to …”
“But?” asked Cameron. “Come on. Spit it out. It’s obvious something’s eating at you.”
“I hope you’re both right. I hope I’m just looking for problems where there aren’t any, but I’m worried about Grady.”
“Grady?” asked Cameron. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I know they get along well. I had a hang-up about him before I even met him, and now that little seed of doubt has grown into an uncontrollable weed in my mind that’s threatening to choke off all rational thought. I heard him talking the other night when I got to the restaurant. He was telling someone that they had to tellhimthat they couldn’t stay with him, that he, Grady, wanted her to move in with him.”
Cameron shook his head. “I’m sure you’ve got the wrong end of the stick, I—”
Piper touched Marcos’ arm again. “You have. You’ve got it all wrong. Grady has a niece. His sister’s daughter. His sister died, and their elder brother is raising the niece. Things haven’t been going very well for her, and Grady wants her to come and live with him.”
They both looked at her. “How do you know all of this?” asked Cameron.
Piper chuckled. “Because I eat there when you work early or late, and I get along with the girls who work there. They all adore Grady anyway, and now that he wants to step up and take custody of his little niece, they’re all fighting over him, wanting to offer to be her stepmom.”
Cameron shook his head and gave Marcos a rueful smile. “Just goes to show how clueless we really are.”
Marcos couldn’t hide his smile. The words he’d heard Grady say—the words he’d kept rerunning in his mind ever since now made all kinds of sense to him. Grady hadn’t been asking Molly to leave him. He’d been reassuring his niece that she could leave her other uncle and come live with him. He leaned his head back and blew a big sigh of relief up at the ceiling. “Man, do I feel stupid now.”
“Don’t,” said Cameron. “Getting jittery that you might lose the woman you love isn’t stupid. Acting on those jitters would have been, but now you know the truth.”
Marcos smiled gratefully at Piper. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “I’m happy I could help.”
Marcos checked his watch. “I’m going to go to the restaurant and see her.”
“Okay, we’ll catch up with you soon, and good luck. We want to hear the good news when you ask her.”
Marcos nodded happily. He was more eager than ever to ask her now. He felt stupid, but at least he hadn’t acted on his stupidity. Someday he’d tell her about it, but for now, all he wanted was to see her, to hold her in his arms, and tell her how much he loved her. He couldn’t wait for the weekend when Laura would arrive with the ring, and he’d finally be able to ask Molly to be his wife.
Chapter Sixteen
Molly picked up her phone when it beeped. It was a text from Marcos.
I’m at the restaurant. Are you okay?
She stared at it for a few moments, wondering what she should say. She’d been wondering what she should say ever since she’d left the doctor’s office. It was hard to know what to say when you didn’t know what to think.
I stayed home today.
He didn’t reply. She stared at the display wondering what he’d say when he did. She didn’t get a chance to figure it out before the phone rang.
“Hi.”
