Page 33 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay (Spotted Cottage #4)
That morning, Rick wasn’t outside Addy’s door when she opened it. She’d have to get used to that. Get used to not seeing him, not laughing with him. Not making breakfast for him.
Maybe once he got wherever he was going, she could send him an email and see how he was doing. He might still want to talk.
No . She needed to wipe this silly fantasy from her mind and leave him alone. As kind as he was, as gracious as he’d been, this had been nothing more than a job to him.
It wasn’t his fault her heart raced every time he walked in the room. He couldn’t help that her dreams were haunted by his smiles.
It was just a crush. She’d get over it.
Okay, there was a chance it was more than a crush for her. He’d awakened something in the depths of her soul. For the first time, she thought her future could hold something more than loneliness. There was more to her than her past, and she actually wanted to keep going to see what that was.
Still, it was something to keep to herself. Not every revelation needed to be shared.
Rick was set to catch the morning ferry, and Addy wanted him to have one last egg sandwich before he left. She snuck
down to the kitchen and melted clarified butter in the pan. She sliced the bread, not too thick, and popped it in the toaster. The coffee machine started its bubbling song, the aroma of roasted beans filling the air.
It had been nice, cooking for two. That was one thing that kept her from leaving the island.
Russell and Sheila weren’t always around, but it was good to have company.
After so many years of marriage, being alone in an apartment was jarring.
At night, she jumped at every sound. Addy left the TV on so it felt like someone else was there.
She wasn’t ready to return to that life yet.
Rick came down the stairs just as she was putting his sandwich together.
“Good morning,” she said, keeping her eyes on the cheese. Best to get it on there while the egg was hot. Melted cheese was key. “I’m not sure if you have time to eat this here, or if you’d prefer to take it with you. I wanted you to have something for the road, for old time’s sake.”
Old time’s sake ? Don’t spoil what you’ve had by being a weirdo.
“I’m not going.”
She looked up. He was wearing a black T-shirt, his muscles staring at her.
She looked back down. “I thought you had to return the car?”
Rick shook his head. “I had to do something else first.”
He pulled an envelope from his back pocket and slid it across the kitchen counter.
“For me?” she joked, pulling up the flap.
Inside were two sheets of paper, both folded into thirds. Addy opened the first slowly, trying to process the words on the page.
A plane ticket to Naples. “Wow,” she said softly, folding the paper back up. “You’re going to Italy. You’re going to love it.”
“I hope so.” He sucked in a breath. “There’s another one there, actually.”
Her eyes flashed to him, then to the second page. Another ticket, this one for Adelaide Ashbourne. Spots danced in her vision. The paper crinkled in her grip.
“I don’t understand,” Addy finally said.
Rick cleared his throat. “I have a confession. Last night, before I got to the tea party, your mom paid me a visit.”
“My mom?” She shut her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told her you found her money.”
“I’m glad you did. She gave me the wine bottle you had the first day we met. I’m not proud of this, but she said some things that led me to look inside. At the, ah, message. In the bottle.”
Addy’s hand flew to her mouth. How had she forgotten about that note? “That was a whole thing about this book I was reading, and it’s really embarrassing –”
“It’s not embarrassing. Nothing about it is embarrassing.” He smiled that adorable half smile. “You kept talking about how amazing I am. What about how amazing you are? You’re intelligent, beautiful. Brave.”
She laughed. “Brave, or –”
“Brave,” he said firmly. “You spent so many years not being seen by your ex-husband. Well, Addy, I see you. All of you, and I’m crazy about every part.
I don’t ever want to be away from you, and not in the bodyguard way.
In the you-make-me-happy-to-wake-up way.
In the you-inspire-me-to-become-a-better-person way.
” He paused. “The you-make-life-worth-living way.”
Her vision clouded with tears. “I feel like I’m hallucinating.”
He laughed, and Addy did too, tears spilling down her cheeks.
“I get that. I can’t feel my limbs,” Rick said. “I would guess it’s a panic attack, but I know it isn’t, because you’re here.”
She grabbed his hand. “Rick…”
“It doesn’t have to be Italy. It can be anywhere. Anywhere with you.”
A ball formed in her throat and she could barely speak past it. “I’d like that very much.”
A smile spread across his face. “Really?”
She jumped, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Yes!”
He caught her, lifting her up, pulling back to look at her face. “I’m so glad I asked.”
Then he kissed her. She closed her eyes, and she wasn’t sure if it was the lack of oxygen to her brain, or if there really were stars exploding in every inch of her chest.