Page 89 of The Matchmaker and the Marine

“Yeah. Thanks. It would stink to take a tumble down the stairs.” Her voice had a slight quiver to it.

She smiled at him and he exhaled with relief. “You’ll need to be careful tonight in your heels.” He drank in the sight of her heart-shaped face. “I assume you’re wearing high heels?” To his ears the words sounded brusque.

She winked at him. “Ladies typically do wear them when we get all gussied up.” She glanced down. “How is your leg feeling today? Any pain?”

“None. Just a temporary thing.”

He could see the concern appear in her eyes. “Does it have anything to do with your injury from your last tour?”

He wanted to deny it, but since he had come to the decision to tell her everything, he simply said, “Yes.”

Melinda opened her mouth and then closed it. Adam wasn’t going to push her to talk to him. There would be time for lots of questions when they got home on Sunday night. Not Monday or Tuesday, but Sunday. “I’ll tell you about it sometime soon.”

She nodded and perked up when she saw Diana come out of the dining room.

“Good morning, Diana. By chance is there any sort of breakfast or coffee?” Melinda put a real emphasis on coffee.

Diana gestured to an archway off to the left. “Right through there. Help yourself, and if you need more coffee, just let me know. I’ll be at the desk.”

As they crossed the front entrance into the dining room Adam could feel Diana watching him. Did she see his gait wasn’t as smooth as it should be? If she lost a daughter, he guessed it had something to do with the war. He glanced over his shoulder as Diana averted her eyes.

Melinda headed for the buffet that held several covered platters. She picked up the lid on the first one, flipped a look at Adam and said, “Bacon and sausage.” She opened the next one and it was filled with an assortment of warm muffins. The next, a pan with fried potatoes and the last dish was eggs. “They look like they just came off the stove.”

Adam handed her a plate and she made short work of filling it. “This was more than I expected.”

He filled another plate to the edges while Melinda meandered to a table by the window and sat down. There was a daisy in a bud vase on the table. He could hear her say, “This is just lovely.”

Adam brought a carafe of coffee with him and poured her a cup before sitting down. “This is just what we need to start our day.” He looked around and reached for a ketchup bottle from the table behind them. He grinned. “Sorry, ketchup is a must in my book.”

“Of course, the potatoes.” Melinda took the bottle from him.

Adam waited until she was done and then took it back. “No, for the eggs.”

Melinda wrinkled her nose. “Really?”

“I got used to it when I was in basic.” He handed her the bottle. “Try it.”

She held up her hand and shook her head. “No, thank you.”

He laughed and scooped up a forkful. “Your loss.”

Breakfast with Mel was a treat. Conversation was easy. They talked about the wedding and what other fun things they might want to do. She expressed an interest in going to the tennis museum.

“Really, that’s on your to-do list?” Adam asked.

“Where else can you find one, and so close to home?” She drained her coffee. “Do you think Diana has to-go cups? The coffee is delicious.”

As if right on cue, Diana sailed into the dining room. “How was breakfast?”

“Not what we expected,” Adam said. “This exceeded my”— he smiled at Mel — “our expectations.”

With an elbow resting on the table, Melinda propped her chin in her hand. “Is there any chance you have to-go cups so we can take coffee with us? We have a busy morning at Rosecliff helping our friends get ready for their wedding. Your coffee is just what we’ll need for the extra push of energy.

“I do. But you won’t be able to take anything in with you. The rules are pretty strict.” She crossed the room and opened a cabinet door. She pulled out two heavy paper cups and lids and walked back to the table. “Will these work for you?”

Adam took them from her. “Thank you.” He teased, “Mel will be a happy camper.”

She protested, “Come on you thought it was a good idea too.” Melinda stacked their plates and looked around. “Where can I put these?”

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