Harbour Falls (A Harbour Falls Mystery #1)(115)

Relief washed over his features, and he said softly, “Wherever you want to go, Maddy, just tell me.” A grin formed on his lips. “After all, we have a plane at our disposal…as well as a pilot.”

For all of the places I could choose—exotic locales, world-famous cities—there was only one that called to me. A place that was the antithesis of all that was wet and cold, a place far away from this island. “I want to go to Los Angeles,” I said.

Adam appeared surprised, so I elaborated. “You can see where I live. You can meet my agent, Katie. She’s my best friend out there. I want to share with you what my life is like in California.”



“I’d like that,” Adam replied, smiling.

“Speaking of meeting important people in our lives,” I started. Adam cocked a curious eyebrow, and I continued, “When do I get to meet your parents?”

Back when I’d lived in Harbour Falls, I’d seen Dr. Ward and his elegant wife around town from time to time. But I never really knew them. But now, being involved with their only son, it seemed important to do so.

“I wasn’t aware you were all that interested in meeting my parents,” Adam replied.

I rolled my eyes. “Of course I want to meet them. After all, they did produce you,” I teased.

Now it was Adam’s turn to roll his eyes. “Fair enough,” he said. “Last I spoke with my dad he said they were in San Francisco. We can fly up there from LA.”

I was happy with that, but there was another thing weighing on me. And it had been since the resolution of the mystery. I wondered what was next for us, for our relationship. Where did Adam and I go from here? Though I had an idea for a new book, I wasn’t sure where I’d be writing it. I had one month left on my lease. But I wanted to stay longer, write my next novel here. Adam, though, hadn’t asked me to stay. The thought of leaving Fade Island saddened me beyond words, because I didn’t want a long-distance relationship.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the doorbell interrupted. “Expecting someone?” I asked.

“No,” Adam replied. “You?”

I shook my head as the buzzer sounded again, this time with insistence. Adam dropped my hand and went to answer the door with me trailing behind.

When Adam opened the door, to my surprise, there stood Helena. “Oh, Maddy, I feel so bad,” she said breathlessly as she rushed in, engulfing me in a hug. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been here for you. There’s just been so much… Never mind.”

“It’s fine, Helena,” I said. “And you’re here now.”

Helena stepped back, breaking our embrace, but keeping her hands on my elbows. “Are you OK?” Her blue eyes, looking somewhat troubled, swept my form.



“I’m fine,” I replied. “But is everything all right with you?”

“Uh.” Her hands dropped to her sides, and she glanced meaningfully to Adam. “There was, uh, something I had to look into over in Harbour Falls.” Her eyes darted to Adam’s once more, and she added, “Something to do with my mom.”

The whole exchange was odd, and I turned toward Adam, but his expression quickly morphed from worried to unreadable. Okaaay.

I asked Helena, “You mom’s fine though, right?”

She nodded, and the subject was dropped. Everything went back to normal, and we spoke for a while longer.

After she left, Adam and I went upstairs to begin packing for our trip to California. At first he and I discussed only our plans for the trip, but then, as I tossed a pair of jeans into the open, and very overflowing, suitcase on Adam’s bed, I ventured, “Did Helena seem a little off to you?”

“She seemed fine,” he replied, maybe a little too hastily.

“Why was she looking at you like that?” I asked as I attempted to zip up my too-full suitcase.

Adam gently tugged the zipper from my hand, turning me to face him. “Maddy, you know Helena and her mom have been through a lot. Do you remember her stepdad?”

Of course I did, so I said, “Yes.”

“Helena still worries about her mom,” Adam continued. “Even though everything’s been fine since that man took off.”

I recalled how Helena’s horrible stepdad—her mom’s second husband—had skipped town one day, after years of abusive behavior toward Helena and her mother. Since Adam had been such close friends with Helena, because of Nate, I was sure he’d been privy to even more than what was common knowledge among the Harbour Falls townsfolk. It had probably been worse than everyone imagined.

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” I said quietly, feeling like I’d somehow intruded.

Adam put his hands on my shoulders. “Hey,” he said, “you can ask me anything, you know this, right?” I nodded, but Adam looked sad. “Maddy, there’s so much more I want to share with you, but it’s not my story to tell.”



It made me love Adam even more to see how much he valued his friends. I couldn’t help but smile at him. “What?” he said.

“I just love you,” I replied, wrapping my arms around him.

“I love you too,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss my neck. “So what’s next?”

Something about Adam’s tone of voice, I knew he was asking something important. Could he finally be asking about my staying?