He put his warm hands on her shoulders. “Adelie. Look at me.”
Blood palpitating, she lifted her head as though it was connected to a weight on the floor. His direct gaze had a mesmerizing effect, but it wasn’t enough to soothe her nervousness about this. She willed herself to feel as comfortable around him now as she’d been on the carousel in the rain. That had been so relaxed. So private.
This was the complete opposite. If only Suzie had been able to come.
Against her will, childhood memories flashed; memories with her father, who’d been far less kind than Maddox was at this moment. She pushed the memories aside.
“I wish I could tell you that you don’t have to do this. I suppose I could find a way to nullify our contract if that’s what you really want. But I need you to ask yourself what you really want.”
She didn’t have to ask herself. She wanted to go home, to cuddle up and forget the world and everyone in it for a while with a good book. Or perhaps to go over the syllabus for her new medical terminology course.
But how much longer would she even have a home? As if reading her thoughts, Maddox said, “Remember your grandparents’ house? I can’t help you save it unless you help me.”
She was touched he remembered, and at his soothing tone, she relaxed.
“Right,” she said on an exhale.
“You’ll be fine,” he said. “More than that, you’ll be amazing.”
In spite of the confidence in his words, her uneasiness grew. “I—whew. Sure.”
His mouth pressed into a line. He shifted his weight. “Want to tell me what’s bothering you about all of this?”
This was mortifying. How could she lay out her insecurities for him? She’d buried them as well as she could for years now, but the more time she spent with Maddox, the more her locked time capsule was becoming more like perforated Styrofoam. Living solo with her sister didn’t help. Maddox was forcing her out of her shell, and she felt more vulnerable than she had in years.
Never mind her difficult childhood. She wouldn’t go into that with him. She decided to stick with a different truth.
“I’ve never been the leading act,” she said. “I’m the supporting role.”
“I see.” He darted a glance in Duncan and Cathy’s direction before shifting as if to shield her from them and mumbled, “What if you’re more than you think you’re meant to be?”
He sounded so sincere. So genuine it scared her. Her eyes widened. He couldn’t know what he was saying. He barely knew her. “What does that mean?”
A shrug. “I mean, sometimes we have to take risks to make amazing things happen.”
He was unbelievable. The conversation was diverting enough she forgot her anxiety for the moment. “And you? What are you risking?”
Without hesitation, he declared, “Nothing.”
That was a football field away from the truth. She thought of this exorbitant home of his. His outlandish but incredible theme park. He had so much to lose. What did he mean he wasn’t risking anything here?
“I—I’m sorry. I’m not sure I understand.”
Hands in his pockets, he never took his attention from her. “Because of you, I know I’m not risking a thing. I’m one-hundred percent sure about you.”
She wasn’t sure if it was because of the intensity of his gaze, the effect of their surroundings, or the promise that losing money on her account wasn’t even a risk. Whatever it was, she was struck by his statement. He was that confident in her?
Her?
Adelie Eleanor Carroll, the small-town wonder who’d never won anything in her life, who’d never been kissed, who’d never stepped out of her comfort zone because fear’s shadow was always bigger than any prospect of victory. She’d always taken the back row at church, and she’d never had enough confidence in herself to try for anything she might fail at.
Her lack of confidence had been why she’d lost her job in retail. Why she’d botched every interview afterward.
Maddox didn’t care about all that. He didn’t know about all that. At this moment, he cared about her. He wanted her, and his confidence was more bolstering than anything she’d ever experienced.
Her body relaxed. Lightness blossomed in her chest. He thought she could do it. And suddenly, she wanted to.
“Okay,” she said with surprising assurance.
What if this was an opportunity in ways other than monetarily? She could become a different version of herself. Test the waters. See what it took and what she might gain, instead of focusing on everything she might lose.
“You’re sure?” he clarified.
Her blood slowed. Clarity settled into her mind. “Yes. I’m sure.”
Maddox’s eyes turned a shade of approval. The warm, reassuring glance sent a trickle of hope and something like intrigue along her spine and into her stomach. His hand found hers. His skin soft, he squeezed just enough. The soothing touch brought a sting of tears to her eyes.
No man had ever shown interest in her before. But just like back at the carousel, she wouldn’t mistake this for something more than it was. This was business. She was nothing more than the face he wanted for his park, and she had to always remember that.
“Thanks,” she said.
Keeping her hand in his, he guided her back to where Duncan and Cathy waited.
“She’s all yours,” Maddox told Cathy.
The bracelets along Cathy’s wrist jangled as she gestured to the leather couch. “Want to sit down?”
Adelie took the offered seat. Cathy sat across from her and gathered Adelie’s hands in hers.
“Our boy Maddox wants you to keep much of what you’ve already got going, but he did ask me to prepare you for the photo shoot. Mind if we sprinkle on some makeup and trim your hair just a bit? I might also add some highlights. Make sure it’s extra blonde. Our girl Alice is blonde in the book.”
“Highlights?” Her breath hitched.
Cathy quirked a brow. “Is that a problem?”
Adelie doubted
