Page 72 of The Matchmaker and the Marine

Adam pulled into the sandwich shop’s parking lot. He turned off the ignition and sat there. What was it about Mel that had him wanting to tell her what happened to him; how he felt lost when he had to retire and of course the part of himself that was ripped away.

He hit the steering wheel with his fist and swore softly to himself. Mel wasn’t Anita. When she learned the truth, she would understand why he hadn’t said anything.

He turned the rearview mirror so he could look at his face. Talking to his reflection, he said, “Is this why you’re not connecting to Beth? You don’t want her to know about your extra hardware? Or is it really because of Mel?”

He didn’t have answers to his questions. Since Anita had walked away from him, Adam had protected his heart from feeling an emotional connection with any woman. Will understood as much as anyone could who hadn’t lived through it, and Stacey was a sweetheart. They kept his secret.

A sharp rap on the window broke his train of thought. Stacey was smiling at him. He pushed the button and the window slid down. “Adam, what are you doing here?”

“I stopped to pick up lunch for me and Will.”

Stacey held up a bag. “Great minds think alike. I’m on my way back to Melinda’s.”

“Really? I was just over there and she didn’t say anything about you.”

Stacey cocked her head. “What were you doing there?”

“I wanted to tell her I have another date with Beth.”

Stacey looked at him but didn’t speak.

“We’re going to listen to music and have a bite to eat.” Silence from Stacey urged him to keep talking. “And if that goes well, we’ll go out again.”

She was still silent. “Aren’t you going to say something?” he asked.

She lifted a shoulder. “I’m going to be honest with you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“When you met Beth, what was your first thought?”

Adam was confused. “I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

“Did you think she was smart, pretty, interesting? You know, what did you think?”

He dropped his head. “I wondered how I’d ever keep up with her. Based on her profile and just her personality, she’s like the Energizer bunny.”

“But did she catch your attention?”

“Well, no.”

“When was the last time you felt that way, totally captivated and like you never wanted the conversation or the moment to end?”

He slumped against the seat cushion. Without answering Stacey, he thought, Every time I’m with Mel.

Chapter 27

Stacey beamed at him while Adam groaned, “What have I done, broken the cardinal rule of working with a matchmaker?”

“My work here is done.” She smirked and tossed her hair. “I’m going back to Melinda’s. Tell Will I’ll be home later.” She poked Adam in the arm. “Don’t be hard on yourself, you two are perfect for each other.”

“Except that she has zero interest in dating me or anyone else.”

Stacey grinned. “You’ve fallen in love with a woman you haven’t even dated. Give it time.” She patted his arm. “She’s a great person.”

He nodded. “I know. She’s the best.”

“Adam…” He could hear the cautionary tone in her voice. “You have to tell her the truth about your injury before she finds out. It’s best for you and her.”

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