Page 50 of Adam

If only Adam could see me.

Stop. It was just a fling. Like hooking up with the pool boy when you're on vacation.

But I knew it was more than that. At least on my side. Apparently not for Adam.

For weeks, every time my phone rang or pinged with a text message, my heart sped up hoping it was Adam or even Boone, but there'd been nothing but silence from Montana.

"I heard a little rumor you might be interested in," my mother coos.

I have no interest in her gossip but if she's determined to spill there's no stopping her. I might as well play along. "Oh? What's that?"

"Well," she says, leaning toward me with a sly smile, "Peter's mother phoned me yesterday and said he'd asked her to get his grandmother's engagement ring from the safe." She sits back and claps her hands with glee. "I knew you two were meant to be together."

My mother's no great believer in love, but she is a strong proponent of advantageous matches.

I catch my reflection in the mirror. My face has gone ghostly white.

"It's what your father and I have always hoped for you. And Peter's family too. Since you were children." She gets up from the chair and hugs me. Actually hugs me. "I think he's going to propose at the Christmas Eve party. Won't that be romantic?"

What would be romantic is if my mother hadn't spoiled the surprise of a proposal.

And if it was coming from Adam.

"Oh come on, what's thr sad look for? Don't tell me you don't want to marry Peter Brinkman? He's the catch of the year."

I blow out a breath and glance at my phone for the millionth time, hoping against hope to see Adam's name on the caller ID.

"Yes," I finally say. "Peter is a great guy."

* * *

ADAM

Deacon and I get back to the ranch and put our purchases under the big tree filling one corner of the two story living room. The house smells wonderful. Midge has been baking like crazy for weeks: cookies, cakes, pies. She still makes plates of goodies for all the shut-ins and nearly everyone else in town too. But she's always got plenty for the rest of us.

Deacon fills a plate with cookies, grabs a cup of coffee and takes off. Before I can do the same, Midge corners me and I know I'm in for one of her talks.

Not that I couldn't use a kick in the pants, but after the somber stop along the highway followed by my conversation with Deacon, I'm kind of worn out.

"Can this wait, Midge?" I ask. "There's a big storm about to roll in and I need to tend to some things outside first."

She puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head to the side. "Bull-hooey. You've got the best trained staff in the state out there and they know more about what to do than you do, so you're gonna stand there and listen to what I have to say."

"Oh." Boone stops in the doorway. "Sorry," she says, "I-I'll come back later." She turns, but Midge calls her back. Things have been tense between Boone and me for months, though they have improved slightly over time. At this pace she might smile at me in about three years.

I'm not sure if she's exiting because she heard what Midge said or if she simply doesn't want to be in the kitchen with me.

"You need to hear this too, Boone," Midge says in her I'm-not-putting-up-with-any-of-your-baloney voice.

Boone shoots me a look and I shrug. I don't have a clue what Midge has on her mind, but I expect we'll both find out very, very soon.

"I got a call today from Kit."

Boone gasps and I feel myself blush for the first time since I was thirteen.

Midge pins Boone with a look that almost makes me feel sorry for her. "She says she's tried calling you but you blocked her number, so she called the house phone."

Boone stares at her feet. Midge grabs the kitchen towel tucked into her waistband and snaps it at Boone and she looks up. "Now, I understand you got a big shock when you found out about Adam and Kit."

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