Maybelle plopped down on the bottom step of the grand staircase that led to the exquisite suites, resting her chin in her palm and praying Will wouldn’t drag her off the moment he reappeared. She wasn’t sure where he’d taken Winter or how long it’d be before he figured out her little fib, but she figured she’d better stay put until he emerged.
Her gaze drifted to the hallway leading to the dining hall, excited chatter filling the silence. It was sure to be an entertaining week, but Maybelle’s hope of finding a match was suddenly diminishing, and she couldn’t put a finger on her mood swing. Garreth was handsome and interesting, absolutely adorable to boot, but there was a fear that niggled in the back of her mind that she’d misread their conversations, his hand on her arm, the blush in his cheeks. She’d been wrong so many times before, and Garreth was so shy; maybe that was just how he behaved around women in general.
She shook her head. It was day one. There was an entire week ahead of her.
The sound of Will’s boots echoed down the hall to her right.
Well, hopefully an entire week…
She put on an apologetic smile, twisting her fingers while she waited for her berating.
“Will…” she started when he didn’t say anything.
“Think you shoulda clued me in?” His voice shook, embarrassment clouding his anger. She shrugged, guilt running her blood cold. The new environment was asking enough of her homebound brother; she couldn’t imagine how humiliated he felt, and if they were a hugging family, she’d have tossed her arms around his neck and begged for forgiveness.
As it was, they were more of a sparring duo.
He sighed. “I’m going to bed.”
She gave the giant grandfather clock a glance. “It’s only eight o’clock.”
“Nine where we’re from.”
He has every right to be upset, she told herself as heat trickled up her spine. Frustration pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she shoved from the step, her heels clacking as she marched over. Her defenses were up, and her mind reeled with arguments, with justifications for why she’d lied, no matter how silly they seemed.
“Is our entire stay a murder mystery?” he clipped.
“Yes,” she said firmly. “But don’t look at me like that. It’s fun. You’ll love it.”
His face said otherwise and only made her frustration spike.
“If you’re so confident in me liking it, why didn’t you tell me?”
A snort nearly escaped her. Was he kidding? He’d been Grumpy Gus ever since she’d convinced him to go.
She crossed her arms over the laced bodice of her dress. “You’d thrown such a fit when I asked you to come with me, not to mention all the whining on the drive up here, and you’ve been a party pooper since we walked through those exquisite double doors. So don’t you go accusing me of making things worse when it’s you who needs an attitude adjustment.”
He tossed his hands out. “I just humiliated myse—”
“And another thing!” she shot back, fired up and fighting back tears she prayed he didn’t see. “Stop moping about the weather. We’re inside for pete’s sake.”
He let out a long sigh. “Geez, Bells, I’m not trying to—”
“This could be it, Will.” Her voice fell soft—well, soft for her—and she quickly made sure no one was around. “This could be the place I find the love of my life.” Hope sparked inside her as the words fell from her lips. Please let it be the place I find love.
Will’s jaw slowly relaxed, the anger and embarrassment diminishing from his ocean eyes. She pulled at her hair that was coming loose from the updo she’d spent an hour and ten minutes on.
“I brought you for support,” she said. “So support me.” She donned a cheesy grin. “Put on a smile, even if it’s fake as all get out. You owe me that much.”
He actually didn’t owe her anything. It was a cheap move for her to use, but it worked most of the time. Her brother was the only man in her life who’d stayed, who’d loved her despite her dramatics, her overexcitement, her apparently unappealing qualities that had labeled her the town spinster. She owed him much more than he would ever owe her.
“Kay,” he said. “I’ll smile. I’ll enjoy it, a’right?” His hand ran over his beard, and a small laugh fell from his lips. “But gosh, Bells, try to fill me in on the details before I think someone’s been murdered right in front of me.”
The tension in her shoulders rolled off, and she let out a giggle. “This was way more fun to watch,” she teased, glad they were back on good terms. “You shoulda seen everyone when you dragged the star of the show from the room.”
His giant hand covered his face and muffled a groan. She bit back a laugh at his expense and promised herself that she wouldn’t ask him to do anything else for her.
At least for a while.