Mary got her opportunity almost a week later when she worked through lunch to make up for some of the time she’d spent staring off into space lately. She had the office to herself and was pushing through her to-do list one item at a time. Charley had asked her to input some new items into the inventory system, and Mary was taking advantage of the quiet to work on a project that required her complete focus.

Patrick was due back next week, but they hadn’t talked about when she might see him. He’d said something about coming to see her, but would he come right away, or would he wait until he had a chance to get away? The not knowing was making her crazy as his gifts continued to arrive every day without fail. Yesterday, he’d sent an obscenely sexy black lingerie set made of the softest silk Mary had ever felt. Thinking about him choosing such a thing for her had her longing for him.

Even when she thought she was concentrating on her work, thoughts of him were never far from her mind.

Footsteps on the stairs that led to the office caught her attention. She looked up to see Molly coming in and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her. Mary had decided earlier that if she didn’t get a chance to talk to Molly today, she would call her tonight.

“Hi there,” Molly said cheerfully as she stopped at Mary’s desk. As usual, her pretty silvery gray hair was contained in a braid that she wore down her back. In deference to the cold, she had on a coat from the store and a knit scarf around her neck.

“Hi, Molly.”

“It’s cold out there today. Here comes another winter in Vermont.” Her face lit up with gleeful pleasure. Molly loved winter in Vermont. “Linc’s not back yet?”

“No, he and Hunter were having a working lunch at the diner.”

“I can catch up to him there.”

“Any new baby pictures?” Mary asked, hoping to keep Molly there long enough to work up the nerve to talk to her about Patrick.

“Of course! What kind of granny would I be if I didn’t have pictures?” She pulled a small photo album from her purse and handed it over to Mary.

“He’s so cute,” Mary declared, “and Max’s smile…”

“I know. I told Linc last night I’ve never seen him smile the way he does when he’s looking at that baby.”

“How are things with the mom?”

“Ugh, not so good. She’s not really engaging with Max or the baby. He’s so stressed out about it all, and so are we. It’s a very difficult situation.”

Mary handed the album back to Molly. “I’m sorry that’s taking some of the joy out of Caden’s arrival.”

“We’ll figure it out. We always do.”

Before she could lose her nerve, Mary forced herself to speak. “Molly…”

“Yes?”

“Could I talk to you about something kind of private?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s go into Linc’s office.”

“Okay…”

Molly followed her into the office and closed the door behind them. “Is everything all right? You’re not ill, are you? Your face is flushed.”

“I’m not ill, and everything is all right. I… I need…” She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. “I need some advice. About Patrick.”

“Ohhhh. I see.” Molly’s face lit up with glee. “Does this mean something has happened with the two of you?”

“Um, you could say that.”

Molly unwrapped her scarf, removed her coat and took a seat. “Do tell. I want to hear every detail.”

An image of Patrick on top of her, his cock in her mouth while he tended to her, chose that moment to pop into her head, leaving her speechless from the wave of desire that overtook her. Dear God, the man was ruining her life!

“Whoa,” Molly said. “I’ve never seen you blush like that in all the years I’ve known you.”

“Because I’ve never had a reason to blush like that in all the years you’ve known me. Until now.”

Molly rubbed her hands together, her eyes dancing with delight. “I knew it! I told Linc that something was going to come of you two. I saw it at Will and Cam’s wedding, and I’ve been dying to ask you if anything had happened, but Linc told me not to ask. I think he’s petrified that you’ll quit.”

“I’m not going to quit.”

“Never say never, Mary.”

“I love it here, you know that. My whole life is here. I can’t just…”

“What? What can’t you do?”

“I can’t let a man upend my entire existence!”

“Why not?”

“Because! I love my life. I love my job and my home and my friends and this delightful little town. I can’t let a man change everything, but that’s exactly what he’s doing.”

Molly laughed her ass off. “I’ve never seen you so undone. This is the best news I’ve heard since I found out about Ella and Gavin.”

“Ella and Gavin Guthrie? Since when?”

“A while now, and they called us last night to tell us they got engaged. I’m so happy for her. She’s crazy about him.”

“I’ve noticed that she seems very happy lately. But Gavin…”

“I know. We feel the same way. That boy has never been the same since he lost his brother. Linc and I are keeping an eye on the situation, or as much of an eye as we can. It’s not as easy as it was when they lived in our barn. We have a good feeling about those two. If anyone can help that boy to heal once and for all, it’s Ella. But we’re not talking about Ella. We’re talking about you—and Patrick.”

“How did this happen, Molly? I was minding my own business when he came into the office with Cameron, and my whole world turned upside down. How does that just happen?”

Smiling, Molly said, “The same way it happened to me the day I met Linc and felt like I’d been struck by lightning. It’s the best feeling ever, isn’t it?”

“I guess…”

“You guess?” She raised a brow. “What does that mean?”

“It is the best feeling. Don’t get me wrong. It’s just that he’s him, and I’m me, and… I lack the imagination to picture what could happen with him. And he’s so…”

“Charming? Magnetic? Sexy?”

Mary stared at her. “Yes, all those things.”

“Just because I’m crazy about my husband doesn’t mean I can’t see those qualities in another man. I’ve always thought Patrick was incredibly handsome, and in the years since he lost his Ali, I’ve so hoped that he would find someone special. I love the idea of the two of you together. He couldn’t have found anyone better than you.”

“You’re very sweet to say so, but what can possibly come of it? I’ve never even been to New York where he lives, and he’s been everywhere. He’s in the Orient right now on business. Imagine having business in the Orient!”

“Have you heard from him since he’s been there?”

“Every day. And he’s sent presents. Lots of them.” Mary gestured to the pink cashmere sweater that she’d worn to work.

“That is gorgeous.”

She pulled back her sleeve to show Molly the elaborate sterling silver bracelet he’d sent two days ago.

“He’s wooing you.”

“He’s driving me crazy!”

Molly laughed. “So I see.”

“Let me ask you something…”

“Anything you want.”

“You know Patrick, and you know me. Where do you see this going?”

“I don’t know. Only you and he can know that.”

“That doesn’t help,” Mary said, making a face. “How will we ever make his life fit mine or mine fit his?”

“That’s another thing I can’t tell you, but I’ll point you in the direction of Will and Cameron and Colton and Lucy as examples of two instances in which separate worlds were melded with great success.”

“Because Cameron and Lucy moved here, or Lucy is here most of the time, I should say. I can’t, for the life of me, imagine Patrick living here.”

“Maybe he’ll surprise you. His daughter is here. You’re here. His old pal Linc is here. I’m sure Butler is looking better to him all the time.”

“Come on, Molly. This is Patrick Murphy we’re talking about. He’d go mad here!”

“If I could offer one piece of advice where he’s concerned…”

“Yes, please.”

“Try not to think of him in terms of who he is to the rest of the world or what he has in the way of wealth. Focus on who he is to you.”

“He… He says he loves me.”

“Oh, Mary,” Molly said with a sigh. “That’s amazing. Do you feel the same way?”

“If the way I’ve missed him since I last saw him is any indication, I think maybe I do.”

“So, you’ve seen him since the wedding?”

Mary eyed her guiltily. “Um, maybe?”

“When?”

“I might’ve met him at your place in Burlington for a weekend.”

“No way! I had no idea!”

“This is mortifying. He worked the whole thing out with Linc, and I had no idea where I was meeting him until I got there. When I found out who owned the house, I flipped out.”

Molly rocked with laughter. “I would’ve liked to have seen your reaction.”

“I’m sure you would’ve been highly entertained.”

“Mary,” she said, grasping Mary’s forearm, “I hope you know that our home is your home. Here or in Burlington. You’re family to Linc and me and the kids. I hope you’d never feel awkward spending time in a house we own.”

Moved by Molly’s kind words, Mary said, “Now you’re making me feel silly for freaking out.”

Molly smiled. “This whole thing has you unsure of which end is up.”

“Yes.” Mary sighed. “It does.”

“Do you like being with him?”

“Um, yes?”

“Do you like the way he treats you?”

Mary thought of the gifts, the weekend he’d arranged, the driver he’d sent, the meals he’d made for them and the daily phone calls that came without fail. “No man has ever treated me better than he does.”

“I think you know the answers to your own questions, so it becomes about whether you’re going to allow yourself to give in and enjoy what’s happening between you.”

“That’s the part I’m struggling with.”

“I have another question… If you never heard from him again, would you be sad?”

“Gutted,” she whispered.

“Mary…”

Mary blinked back tears. “I’m such a fool.”

“No, you’re not. You’re a cautious, practical woman who’s taken care of herself her entire adult life and who doesn’t need a man to make her complete. So it’s a big deal to admit that you have real feelings for a man and that those feelings could upend your orderly, practical life.”

“Thank you for understanding something I don’t get myself.”

“It’s not all that complicated from the outside looking in. From your perspective, I’m sure it looks extremely complicated.”

“It does. I just keep getting in deeper, which I never intended to do, but he’s so hard to resist. I feel like I’ve been taken over by aliens or something.”

“You’ve fallen in love with an extraordinary man, and it sounds like he’s fallen, too. I have no doubt that you’ll figure it out.”

“What if we don’t and it doesn’t work out? What’ll I do then?” Mary ached from head to toe at the thought of never seeing him again or having something come between them.

“I’m going to predict that you aren’t going to have to worry about it ending. If you ask me, your much bigger issue is going to be what to do about it not ending.”