Marry Me for Real, Cowboy - Valerie Comer Page 0,61
right?”
“I don’t think so. She took everything with her and left me a note.”
“But... I don’t understand. Just yesterday, she...”
“I know.” Adam swallowed hard. “I have a confession to make.”
When his mom didn’t reply, he glanced up to see her head tipped to one side, an inscrutable expression on her face.
“It was all a sham, Mom. I wanted to push Declan. I thought he’d be more likely to let the twins and me have Running Creek if I were engaged. I wanted to get you out of here, too. I had lots of noble reasons.”
“A... sham?”
“I’d just met Riley. She needed a place to lie low for a bit. I needed... a fake fiancée. We agreed to help each other for a few months.”
“Oh, Adam.”
“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry I lied to you. Lied to everyone.”
“First, let me get one thing clear. I don’t need your help with my husband, son. I have reasons for being here you could not possibly understand.”
“Try me.”
“No. It has nothing to do with you.”
Adam ground his teeth in frustration. “But you’re sad all the time.”
“I don’t need your help.”
How could that possibly be? Was his mom faking depression for some reason all her own? If that were true, and she really loved Declan, why play around? Why not grab happiness with both hands?
That’s what Adam should do. Grab happiness.
“Now that we’ve cleared the air on that topic, back to Riley. You may think it was a pretense, son, but you’re fooling yourself.”
What? Adam’s head came up, and he stared at his mom.
She gave a small smile. “I’ve watched you together for more than two months. If you didn’t love her at the beginning, you do now. And the same is true of Riley. She loves you, Adam.”
“But... no.” Mom couldn’t be right. Could she?
“Listen to me. A mother knows these things. I’ve watched how you can’t take her eyes off of her. I’ve watched the ways your hands reach for hers, and hers for yours. I’ve watched her face soften when she talks about you. Once or twice might be acting, but day in and day out for months? I don’t think so.”
“But it’s too late.” The words in Riley’s note spooled through his mind. Saying goodbye now... Best this way...
“Is she married to someone else?”
Just the thought flailed at Adam’s heart like a riding whip. He shook his head.
“Then tell her.” Mom sighed and relaxed deeper into her chair.
He’d been itching to book a flight to Santa Fe for several hours now, but he’d talked himself down. If Riley wanted to leave him, he couldn’t hold her back. But if her father was seriously injured... and Adam loved her... shouldn’t he be by her side? Did she want him there?
Did she love him back?
There was nothing in her farewell note to say so, other than the little heart over the i in her name, but that didn’t mean anything. Still, there’d been the way he’d caught her looking at him sometimes. The tender way she’d held him when he grieved Ace. So many little things.
“I’ve messed up.” Adam ran his hands through his hair. “And Declan knows everything. I won’t see Running Creek for a decade at least.”
“You did a foolish thing.”
He flinched. “God has been poking at my conscience the whole time. I convinced myself it was for the greater good. For Nathaniel and Noah. For you—”
“We’ve covered that.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” So very sorry.
“You’re forgiven. You say you’ve spoken to your stepfather. But have you confessed your sin to God? Because He is faithful and just to forgive you. Nothing is too big for Him to handle.”
He nodded. “I had a long talk with God this morning. That’s where I was when Riley found out about her dad and left with Nathaniel.”
“Then pray some more until God gives you guidance.”
Adam pulled to his feet. “I’ve lost Running Creek, haven’t I? Declan didn’t say for sure, but he’s quite unhappy with me.”
His mother shook her head. “We’ll talk. But first, I’ll pray. Now go.”
He heaved a big sigh and bent to kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“Tell Riley that.”
Yeah. He’d like to say those words. Could he really follow her to New Mexico? He had her phone number, even though he’d had precious few chances to use it with no cell coverage on Rockstead. Maybe he’d wait until he landed to call her, though, in case she’d tell him no.
He let himself out of his mother’s suite into the darkened