More Than Rum (The Maple Leaf Series Book 3) (23 page)

Three full days had gone by.
Three full days and not a word from Hope. Of course, Adam hadn’t tried to
contact her. Hadn’t tried to see her. Hadn’t tried to talk about his goddamned
feelings.

He knew Hope was the best thing
that had ever happened to him. These days away from her proved it even more. He
couldn’t breathe right without her. He couldn’t sleep without her. The old
nightmares had come back even more savage than before. Now he walked the
desert, bloody and half dead, but it wasn’t his fallen squad at his feet.

It was Hope.

He woke up nearly choking every
time.

Adam felt disconnected from
everything, everyone.

He’d finished building Jake’s
chairs though. Tried to make himself feel better by being productive. The shop
was one of his favorite places, but even that space wasn’t as good as it was
when he’d had Hope up on the work bench.

Loading the chairs into his
truck now, he tried to push thoughts of how he’d screwed up out of his mind.
Too bad his mind just loved circling back to exactly that like every thirty
fucking seconds.

At Black Wolf Tavern, he
carried all the chairs into the bar and found Jake in the back room. “The new
chairs are done. Want me to find the crappy ones and replace them?”

Jake stood and stroked his
bushy beard. He squinted at Adam as if studying a rare specimen. “You look like
shit, kid.”

“You said that the last night I
worked.” Adam leaned against the door frame.

“Oh, the night when Hope didn’t
make an appearance in here to see you? That night?” Jake got almost toe-to-toe
with Adam. The older man was a bit shorter but not by much. Adam could see how
Jake might have been rather intimidating in his day.

“She can do better than me,
Jake,” he said.

“Probably, but she must want
you ’cause she looks like shit too.”

“What do you mean?” There was
no way Hope Stannard could look like shit. Never.

Jake folded his arms across his
flannelled chest. “She came in here yesterday to educate me on the new website
she made. Was her usual patient, lovely self, ’specially with an old wolf like
me and my limited understandin’ of technology. However, her spark was gone.”

“Her spark?”

“Yeah, her spark. Her light.
Her sizzle. Gone. Gone. Gone.” Jake rested his hands on Adam’s shoulders. “It’s
’cause of you, kid. You two belong together.”

“We do.”

“You didn’t say that like it
was a question.” Jake grinned.

“It wasn’t. We do belong
together.” Adam knew it. He’d known it when he’d told Hope he loved her. He
loved her then. He loved her now. He’d love her forever.

Why had I been so scared?

He knew why. Having a woman
like Hope had been too good to be true. But it was true. He’d had her. She’d
wanted to be his.

Did she still want to be his?

“Well, what are you doin’ still
standin’ here with me, Adam? Go get her.” Jake turned him around and shoved him
out of the back room. “And don’t come back in here unless she’s with you.”

Adam gave Jake a wave and
ran—yes, ran—out of the bar to his truck. He had some apologizing to do. He had
some promises to make.

He had a woman to win back.

****

Hope half-heartedly tapped keys
on her spare laptop as she sat on the couch in her mother’s living room. She’d
probably never do anything whole-heartedly again. She’d left a piece—a big
piece—of her heart somewhere on the passenger seat of Adam’s truck. It would
stay there until, ignored and unnourished, it shriveled and died.

Ah, hell, she hated dark
thoughts. She’d thought Adam would call her the day after Myah’s recital and
want to talk, tell her what he was thinking, bare his soul to her.

Foolish.

Men like Adam didn’t bare their
souls. She’d been lucky he’d let her in as far as he had.

She felt like she’d been on a
carousel that had started out at a steady, predictable pace. The music had been
a fun, upbeat song. She’d sat on her horse, let go of the pole, and thrown her
arms up in the air. Her hair had fluttered around her face.

Then all of a sudden, the
carousel picked up speed. The true age of the ride became evident as the horses
creaked and wiggled, not as tightly secured as she’d first thought. She’d tried
to hold onto the pole, but the spinning had gotten out of control so quickly
the force of the movement took control of her body. The melody was out of tune,
garbled and tinny.

She’d been hurled off the
carousel like a rag doll and left with a mouthful of dirt as her body skidded
across the ground.

Man, her heart hurt.

Luckily, she’d been hired by
the St. Jamesbury Police Department to revamp their website and that had kept
her busy over these three days.

Three days without a sign of
Adam Rouse. It was as if she’d completely imagined the man. He’d poofed out of
her life when she’d shut the door of his truck.

And he still had her dog.

She’d have to get Sage or Orion
to get Olive and her stuff back from Adam’s apartment if things were over. They
sure smelled like they were over. She’d given him space. She’d put the ball in
his court. She’d hoped he would realize they were perfect together.

Grumbling to herself, Hope
continued working on the police website. She was typing in Diana’s bio when an
engine noise outside made her get up and her look out the kitchen window.

Adam’s truck was in the
driveway.

A few moments later, the
doorbell rang and Olive let out a matching howl outside.

So he was bringing her pup
back. Well, at least she would have a critter companion again. Not exactly the
complete little family she was looking for, but it would have to do.

When the doorbell rang again,
Hope opened the door. Seeing Adam again nearly knocked her off her feet. Every
good emotion she had for him slammed back into her with the force of a
hurricane wind.

Olive galloped into the house
and tried to climb up Hope’s leg. Her tail wagged wildly, prompting Hope to
crouch to her level and accept a stream of doggie kisses.

Hope put her lips against
Olive’s all black ear. “Hiya, baby.” Damn, she’d missed the little furball.
After a complete rubbing, Hope stood and Olive darted into the living room. It
was just Hope and Adam in the mudroom now. Alone.

“Hey,” he said. The green
quilted flannel coat he wore made his eyes look like a lush forest Hope wanted
to get lost in. Damn him.

“Hey,” she managed, though her
throat was tight. So tight.
Do not cry. Do not throw yourself at him. Do not
beg.

He held out a bottle of Captain
Morgan dark rum and two shot glasses. “I really need a drinking buddy.”

“Is Orion busy?” She didn’t
want to be
buddies
with Adam Rouse. She wanted so much more than that,
but was he capable of giving it to her?

“Not the kind of buddy I had in
mind. Hope.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looked down to
his work boots then made eye contact. “God, Hope, I miss you so much.”

Her heart swelled over his admission.
“I miss you too.”

He smiled a little at that, and
she melted watching the curve of his lips, wanting to feel them on hers so
badly.

“I fucked up. Wendie and Orion mentioned
kids and making things official at Myah’s recital. I freaked out.”

“Because having kids and making
things official with me isn’t what you want?” If he said it wasn’t, she was
shutting that door and never opening it again.

“I do want both of those
things. Just not yet though. You know it’s messed up in here.” He pointed to
his head. “Being with you was making it better. Way better, but I think we need
time to let this thing between us grow, you know? I don’t want to rush and have
you feel like you’re stuck with me, defective as I am.”

Hope took a step toward him.
“You’re not defective, Adam. You’ve been through some horrific things, but
you’re healing. I just need to know that whatever you want for your future
includes me.”

Adam stepped into the house. He
set the bottle of rum and the shot glasses on a bench in the mudroom and stood
in front of Hope.

“I can’t picture a future
without you, sweetheart. I feel a million times better when I’m with you because
I love you.” He slowly slid his arms around her waist. “You said you loved me
too. Tell me you still do.”

She brought her hands up to cup
his scruffy jaw. “I do love you. So much that I felt like I was being torn to
confetti-sized bits without you these past three days.”

“Likewise, honey. Likewise.” He
lowered his head and kissed her. Kissed her so there wasn’t a doubt in her mind
about what he felt for her.

She felt the same. Exactly the
same.

When the kiss ended, she looked
at the bottle of rum and the shot glasses. “Shall we toast?”

“Definitely.” He came into the
kitchen and poured them both a shot of the rum. “To not being done with each
other.”

“To never being done.”

They both tossed the rum back,
and Hope knew she wasn’t done with Adam. Not by a long shot.

In fact, she’d only just
started.

October

“Kiss that bride!” Jake, minister
for the day, said.

Adam whistled and Hope clapped
her hands raw as Orion and Sage kissed. As best man at their wedding, Adam had
enjoyed a prime view of Hope standing on the other side of the couple in a
harvest orange dress that packaged her oh-so-nicely.

Still, he couldn’t wait to
un-
package
her once this shindig was over.

Husband and wife, Orion and
Sage marched, arm-in-arm, back down an aisle sprinkled with maple leaves. Joy
escorted Ian, Orion’s father, down the aisle after them, Myah clinging to her
grandfather’s arm. Everyone climbed the steps on the elaborate deck at the back
of Hinsdale Inn where Lily, also in a harvest orange dress, ushered them inside
her grandmother’s house-turned-inn.

The ceremony had been outdoors
and, if Adam could put his manhood aside for a minute, he could admit the whole
event had been lovely. Yes, lovely. His best friend had worn a huge smile
throughout the vow exchange, and the way Sage had looked at his buddy said it
all.

They were in for the happiest
of happily ever afters. Even Myah had been beaming a smile from ear to ear in
her own version of the orange dress, her dark curls piled atop her head and
bouncing adorably. When she’d called Sage “Mommy” after delivering the rings
during the ceremony, there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.

What a wonderful family.

His buddy deserved this
happiness, this beautiful bride, this fantastic future. Adam was finally
realizing he deserved the same. Even better, he could have it.

“Take a walk with me?” He took
Hope’s hand.

“Now?” Hope pointed to the inn.
“We’re supposed to follow Orion and Sage in there for the reception.”

“We will,” he said. “I just
want a minute alone with you.” He dropped a light kiss on her cheek, nuzzling a
bit into her soft, blonde hair. She’d curled it again and he wanted to play in
those waves.

“Well, how can I refuse a
request like that?” She grinned and tightened her grip on his hand.

After grabbing two shot glasses
off the tray a waiter had left specifically for him, he tugged her to the small
pond on the property, away from the other guests. He looked back to the inn. Joy
had stepped out onto the porch. She cradled Olive in her arms, and Orion’s dog,
Ranger, sat by her side looking fancy in his orange bowtie. Rick’s coyote, Poe,
nosed around the hem of her dress. That was the beauty of a Vermont
wedding—animals got invites too.

Jake came out onto the patio with
Wendie following as Joy caught Adam’s eye, and all three of them gave him a
thumbs up. Suddenly, his palms grew sweaty, so he let go of Hope’s hand and
passed her one of the glasses.

Hope sniffed the dark liquid
inside. “A little rum to get us started?”

“Get us started. Exactly.” He
clinked his glass to hers and they both drank, though it didn’t do anything to
settle him. His palms were even sweatier.

Shit, why am I so nervous?
He’d made this decision weeks ago. He’d been so sure of himself then. Hell,
he’d been sure of himself this morning.

But now? Now he might pass out.

No.

He knew this was the right
decision, the right time. He and Hope were made to be together. Forever. He
wanted to make it official. He wanted children. Children with Hope.  

“It’s so beautiful here.” She
had turned to face the pond.

She was right. The autumn
leaves trimmed the water in red and gold and the sky was a bright, clear blue. And
that pond only looked more amazing with Hope standing by it. A perfect day.

Time to make it more
perfect.

Adam reached into his pocket.

“Hope, will you marry me?” he
asked.

At the same time she said, “I
want to marry you, Adam.”

They both laughed, and Hope
said, “I’ll marry you as long as there will be no celery at our wedding.”

“None. I wouldn’t offend you in
such a fashion, my dear.” Adam kissed her. “We shall live a celery-free
existence, you and I.”

“And there will always be rum
available for toasting happy occasions?” She ran a finger around the rim of her
empty shot glass.

“Always. Tons of rum.” Adam
took their glasses and put them in the pocket of his suit jacket. “For tons of
happy occasions.”  

With a smile, Hope plucked the
emerald-cut diamond ring from the box he held and slid it onto her finger.
“Perfect fit.”

Adam pulled her into a hug. “In
so many ways.”