The Letter(42)
“Seriously? Your beloved sister is the last person to know in the whole town?”
“Does that sound like a list of the whole town?”
“Maybe not,” his sister admitted grudgingly. “You still should have told me.”
“Well, you know now.”
“You like her, don’t you?” His sister could always read him like a book, which he loved and hated at the same time.
“I do like her. A lot.”
“She from around here?”
“No. She’s from St. Louis.”
“Oh, that’s convenient.” Bella grinned at him.
“I didn’t plan it, it just happened.”
“You never do things the easy way, do you?”
Gil sighed. “It appears I don’t.”
“Well, at least she’s better than Crystal-Bell. Never did know what you saw in her.”
“Thanks for always be so supportive, sis.” His voice dripped with dry sarcasm.
“I live to be your favorite sister.” Bella slipped off the counter and put her empty mug in the sink. “I don’t think I need a shower after all. You two carry on. Sorry I interrupted.”
“Good idea. Run along. They’ve invented this thing called a telephone. Maybe call next time.” Gil knew his sister didn’t really believe he was aggravated with her.
“Sure thing, bro. The telephone. I’ll try that sometime.”
With that Bella slipped out the back door and Gil went to check on Maddy.
~ * ~
Madeline felt like a teenager sneaking back into the Sweet Tea around noon. After recovering from the awkwardness of meeting Gil’s sister, they’d had a wonderful lazy morning and she was still basking in the glow of their lovemaking. Gil was an expert lover, that was for sure. Giving, gentle, passionate. But those thoughts only made her cheeks blush red as she entered the inn.
“There you are, Madeline.” Rebecca greeted her as she stepped inside.
Madeline stood there like a deer in the headlights.
Rebecca laughed. “Don’t look so scared. You’re a grown woman. You can come in whenever you want.”
Madeline almost scuffled her foot like a toddler caught with her hand in the cookie jar and wished her cheeks weren’t flushed so hot. “I hope you didn’t worry about me.”
“Not a bit. You were with Gil. I knew he’d take care of you. Did you have a good time?”
“I did.”
“You like him, don’t you?” Rebecca put down the cloth she was using to dust the furniture. “Come, sit down.”
Madeline sank onto the couch and slipped off her coat. “I do like him. But I just met him. I hardly know him… only I feel like I know him better than anyone I’ve ever dated. We talk about everything. He seems to get me.”
“A heart keeps its own time. Sometimes it falls quickly. Sometimes it just simmers along until it can’t stand the heat. I think I fell in love with my Larry the first time I met him. I mean, we were young, really young. But something told me that he was the one man for me. He has been ever since.”
“I just wasn’t looking for… anything. Well, I was looking to find out about the letter, but I sure wasn’t looking to fall for a handsome man who lives halfway across the country. It is just all so complicated.”
“Or, maybe it’s all so simple. You’ll just need to sort it out and figure out what you want.” Rebecca stood and picked up the dust cloth.
“And if I don’t know what I want?”
“Only you can figure out what you truly want. My only advice would be to listen to your heart. If you really, genuinely listen to your heart, you won’t make the wrong decision.”
Madeline stood up and gave Rebecca a hug. The woman circled her arms around Madeline and hugged her back. “You’ve become a good friend, Rebecca. I appreciate you listening to me.”
“Anytime.”
“I’ll let you get back to work, then.” Madeline slowly climbed the stairs to her room, her mind whirling with thoughts, her heart swirling with emotions.
~ * ~
That evening Madeline heard a knock at the door to her room. “Madeline. You have a visitor downstairs. He’s in the front room.” Larry’s voice came through the door.
Madeline smiled. Gil. She couldn’t wait to see him. “I’ll be right down. Thanks, Larry.”
She did a quick look in the mirror, ran a brush through her hair, and hurried downstairs. She paused dead in her tracks when she saw who was standing there.
“Justin.” What the heck was her ex doing there standing in the front room of the inn?
“Madeline, you look great.” Justin crossed over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.