Page 47 of Prosecco and Peonies

“Selfish reasons. It just dawned on me that this place might not be around forever—in which case, neither would my job and I’ve been thinking of this as long term.”

Marcos smiled. “There’s nothing for you to worry about in that respect. This place is Molly’s life. It’s more important to her than anything else. She’d never close it down or leave.”

They both turned at the sound of Molly’s voice. “One salmon filet coming through.” She edged Grady out of the way and set the plate in front of Marcos.

“Are you two all right?”

“Yes.” They both answered at once.

She eyed them suspiciously—first Grady, then Marcos.

Marcos smiled at her. “We’re good, we’re getting along. I was just reassuring Grady that you and this place will be here forever.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“This place is your purpose in life, your destiny.” He smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back.

“I need to get to my tables.” She turned on her heel and left.

Grady gave Marcos a puzzled look.

Marcos shrugged. He’d thought he was letting her know that he understood how important Molly’s was to her, but somehow, he seemed to have pissed her off instead.

She stayed busy with her own tables for the rest of the evening and only stopped by to check on him a couple of times. She smiled and seemed okay, but she was different. He didn’t know what he’d said wrong, but he knew something was wrong.

Grady was great, coming back to check his salmon was good, topping up his water whenever it needed it. He even came over to stand by his booth when he had a quiet minute. “I’m sorry for whatever happened.”

Marcos smiled. “Don’t be. I don’t think you did anything wrong. I think it was me, but I don’t know what it was.”

Grady chuckled. “It’s funny if you think about it. She was worried about us not getting along, and now we’re teaming up in the face of her getting mad about something.”

Marcos gave a half-hearted laugh. He could see the irony, but he couldn’t wait for the evening to be over, so he could take her home and find out what was wrong.

By the time the last customers had left, it was almost eleven. Marcos had moved to a seat at the bar. He’d tried to make himself useful the first night he was here, but Molly ran a tight ship. Everyone knew what they had to do and got on with it. Having an amateur bumbling around only slowed them down.

Molly gave him a smile as she went behind the bar and started cashing out. Grady came up behind her and winked at Marcos before he spoke. “If you want to take care of the cash, I can handle everything else. Why don’t the two of you get out of here, and I’ll close up.”

She turned to look at him, then at Marcos. “Okay, thanks.”

Marcos wasn’t sure if he was glad Grady had offered. He knew he was only trying to help, but he also knew he was about to find out what Molly’s problem had been this evening.

“Do you want to leave your car here?” he asked as they walked out into the small staff parking lot around back. “I can drop you off in the morning.”

“Okay.”

Once they were in the car, he turned to look at her before he started the engine. “Whatever I did wrong, I’m sorry.”

She sighed and then smiled at him. “You shouldn’t have to be. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been off with you all evening. What you said just caught me wrong.”

“What? What did I say?”

“You told Grady that this place is more important to me than anything else.”

He frowned. “I honestly thought that you’d be pleased that I understand that.”

She sighed again. “I’m not pleased. I’m kind of upset, and I’m kind of mad at myself—and none of it’s your fault.”

Now he was really confused.

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