Unbreak Me (4 page)

“I was surprised to get your call. How did you get my number?”

Gazing at her, Connor swallowed and smiled. “I have my contacts.”

Molly couldn’t help but feel at ease in his company. There was something about him that brought out the simpering girl she thought she’d never be.

“This is a gorgeous place.” She changed the subject. “How did you get a table? Aren’t they normally booked out?”

“Again I have my contacts,” Connor replied, trying his best not to sound too cocksure.

“A man of means, I take it?”

“Sort of, but that’s a whole other story.” He looked down at the menu before sneaking a look over at Molly.

“What made you think you could just jump?” Molly asked. “Sorry, I had to ask.”

“I screwed up.”

“We all screw up. That doesn’t mean your life is invaluable.”

“That’s true,” Connor agreed. “So, why did you stop?”

“Because, like I said, there was a time and place when I was close to death, and I know what it’s like to feel desperate.”

“Then I guess the two of us could share a tale or two,” Connor remarked as he stared at her.

“I bet we could.” Molly smiled as she watched the look of relief spread across Connor’s face. She knew then and there that she had made the right decision. Lunch with the gorgeous stranger was what she’d needed.

It was what Aggie had told her to do all those years ago. Never let go of a chance for happiness.

Chapter Five

Connor couldn’t believe his luck. He found it hard not to stare at her. She was unlike any of the women he’d dated in the past. She was a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day and had an instant impact on his life.

“Can I just say I am so sorry for acting like a total jackass last night,” Connor said. “I was pretty lost and didn’t appreciate you coming along and stepping in. Not that I don’t appreciate it now…”

“It’s okay, like I said, I understand.”

The waitress walked over to their table, interrupting their conversation to take their order.

“What would you like?” Connor asked Molly.

Looking through the menu, Molly bit her lip. “Can I have the
soupe du jour
?”

“What would you like as your main?” the waitress asked.

“Oh, erm, the
poulet rôti
, please,” Molly said as she closed the menu.

“And you, sir?”

“Yeah, I’ll have the
salade Lyonnaise
and the
saumon à la Parisienne
, thank you,” Connor said. “Would you like some wine?”

“No. No wine, water is fine for me,” Molly replied.

“Sure, just water please,” Connor said to the waitress as she took the menus and walked away. “The food is really good in here.”

“This is my first time here, so I’ll let you know.” Molly smiled as she lifted the napkin and set it across her lap.

“So what’s your story, Molly?”

“Mine?” She laughed. “Have you got all night?”

“You have my undivided attention.”

That earned him a bashful look. He couldn’t help but stare at her as she spoke. He was bewildered by her soft voice, the way she bit down on her bottom lip when shy, to the way she brushed her hair behind her ear when it fell over her face.

“I had a troublesome upbringing,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “But I suppose most people aren’t raised in ideal homes, right?”

“That is very true.”

“I had a lot of issues growing up, which led to many bad decisions…and things that nearly destroyed me,” Molly said.

“I’m sorry if talking about your past bothers you.”

“No, not at all,” Molly said, smiling gently. “I mean, I’ve nothing to hide. I am what I am. What you see is what you get.”

“I wish I could say the same.”

“Why’s that?”

“My parents have this incessant need to control everything in my life. From the suits I wear, to the woman they expect me to marry. Basically, they’re control freaks. More so my mother.”

“Ouch!” Molly replied, shaking her head. “Are they the reason you wanted to, you know, kill yourself?”

“No beating about the bush with you, huh?” He laughed. “Well, yeah, basically, plus the fact that I lost my father a merger deal worth a lot of money.”

“Oh, that bad, huh?” Molly said. “Is your father pissed with you?”

Connor shook his head. Sitting forward, he really looked at her hard. He loved how her eyes glistened and how he had her attention. No one else mattered at that moment.

“Yes, they all are. But if I’m being honest, this has been coming on for a long time. The pressures, the constant phone calls, the late-night meetings—the whole shebang, it’s destroyed me in a sense.”

Molly sat forward, reached across the table and touched his wrist. “Never feel like taking your own life is the only way out. You are the master of your own destiny. Don’t allow anyone else to control that.”

In that very moment, Connor knew there was a glint of hope. Something finally worth living for. The burdens of the past twenty-four hours began to lift and he was thankful for Molly’s interference. She had redeemed him.

Lunch went smoothly, both of them relaxing to the point that they forgot all their woes until it came time for them to part.

As they stood outside the bistro, Connor stood a good two inches above Molly as he contemplated asking her out on a proper date.

“So, that was lovely. Thank you so much,” Molly said as she held on to her bag with both hands.

“No, you deserve way better than this, but it’s a start,” he said and cringed at the line. He didn’t want to appear as if he were coming on to her.

“Nah, this kind of fancy does me just fine. Besides, I don’t do this kind of thing often, so count yourself lucky that I said yes.” She laughed. “That was a joke by the way.”

Connor chuckled and stepped in close to her, bent down and kissed her on her cheek. “Thank you for saving my life.”

Molly stood there, fidgeting, and remained silent, only smiling as she turned her back on him and walked away. She looked around once and waved goodbye before stepping off the curb, crossing the road and making her way to wherever she was going.

Connor watched as Molly disappeared among the pedestrians and soon lost sight of her. The swarming in his stomach intensified to the point that he thought he’d faint, but was happy in knowing he’d be seeing her again. He was now on a mission.

* * * *

“Where’ve you been hiding?” a voice said from the door to his office. “It’s near four.”

Not looking up from his desk, Connor continued typing. Pretending he was doing something important, anything to avoid the conversation with Bruce, his partner in assets.

“Lying low,” Connor remarked.

“Your father has been on my back the entire day. He said you’re not returning his calls.”

“Yeah, it seems that I’m no longer the golden child.”

“Connor, it’s all over the news. Have you seen the papers?”

“We both know I’m not into the whole rumor thing,” Connor refuted his comments.

“Connor, you tried jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. I mean, that’s fucked up, man,” Bruce whispered.

“Technically speaking, I didn’t attempt anything, I just climbed over onto the parapet to take in the view,” Connor replied.

“Your father is doing a lot of damage control.”

“Unfortunate, isn’t it?”

“Is that all you’re going to say?” Bruce asked, looking pissed.

“For now, yes,” Connor replied before beginning typing again. “Close the door on your way out.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you’d better straighten yourself out. It’s both our heads on that failed merger. I have a wife and kids. You’ve your daddy’s bank balance,” Bruce vexed as he pulled the door closed behind.

As the door closed, Connor sat with his head in his hands and felt as if he were going to burst. The anger was something that was beginning to control every inch of his life. He was losing it fast and didn’t know what to do.

If Molly saw me now, she’d run
, he thought to himself as he stood from his desk and walked to the window. The view from the multistory building was spectacular. The view itself made him feel as if he were up among the clouds, but the nagging pain in his chest brought out the inner torment and he didn’t realize what he was doing until it was too late.

Connor lifted the computer monitor from his desk and smashed it against the wall. The noise alone was enough to make his PA run into the office, gasping as she saw him flip the desk, demolishing everything in sight.

“Someone call security!” his PA, Anita, shouted as she ran from the room. Glass shattered into the corridor as Connor threw his chair through the transparent wall, causing fellow colleagues to hide under their desks, some even running for the emergency stairwell.

This was it, the moment Connor broke—and from the looks on everyone’s faces, there was no way he’d be back any time soon.

Chapter Six

Molly had just finished filling out the last of the paperwork when her phone rang. It was close to midnight and she was tired, certainly not in the mood for any prank callers or late-night telemarketing. She put the phone on silent and continued filing the paperwork then turned off the light to the small office in the shelter for the homeless.

Grabbing her bag from the staff room, she called down the corridor to a small woman. “That’s me done, Regina. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

“Okay, sweetie, you get yourself on home and get lost in one of those love books of yours. I’ll not be too much longer.”

Molly giggled, knowing her little secret was out there for all to hear. “Yeah, I’ll do that, while you flirt with Al.” Molly winked at Regina as she left the shelter and walked outside into the blissful breeze of the spring night.

The phone vibrated in her bag and she rolled her eyes as she lifted it out. No caller ID flashed and she contemplated ignoring the call, but something changed her mind.

“Hello!” she answered.

“Molly, it’s Connor.”

“Oh!”

“I know it’s late, it’s just… I messed up.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what’s happening to me… I feel so confused.”

“Connor, where are you?” she asked, her voice demanding and hard. This wasn’t a time for being sweet and gentle.

“Lands End.”

“Jesus, what the hell are you doing there?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay, just stay there. Can you do that? I’m on my way,” she said as she ran to her car. “Promise me you will just stay there… Connor?”

“Yeah… I’ll stay.”

Molly drove fast, breaking a few traffic rules along the way. It took her less than fifteen minutes to get there, and as she pulled into the lot, she scoured the area for Connor. Turning off the ignition, she was overcome by nerves. It was dark, and she didn’t do well with being out in the dark, alone and completely at the mercy of a man she’d just met.

Locking her door, she sat in the car as she dialed the last number. As it rang, she saw someone through the windshield, sitting on the ground next to a tree. Peering out through the glass, she saw the movement of the person, the light flashing on his phone, and knew instantly that it was Connor.

Getting out of the car, she ran up the small path toward him. “Connor!” she yelled as she knelt down on the ground where he sat. “What’s wrong, Connor?”

“I fucked up…”

He’d been crying. He wasn’t the confident man she’d met earlier that day. The man she saw now was broken, completely torn, and she didn’t know if it was in her best interest to intervene again. But if she were to ignore him, it would have gone against everything she stood for.

“Come on, I’m taking you home.”

“I can’t go back there. I know they’ll be there waiting for me, probably some court order to have me sectioned. I don’t know what to do,” he muttered as he held his head in his hands.

“You’re coming home with me, okay?” Molly coaxed him to his feet. “I promise you there won’t be any surprises when you get there. It might not be up to the standards you’re accustomed to, but it’s home to me.”

Connor stood and avoided looking at her. His face was red. His cheeks were wet from his tears. He was a shadow of the man Molly had seen in the restaurant.

“Why do you care?” he asked.

“Because if I don’t, who will?”

Connor gazed at her. He didn’t ask any more and allowed Molly to take over. Molly never thought she’d be any good in a crisis, but right at the moment, she realized how much she was willing to do to help the handsome stranger from the bridge.

* * * *

Molly finished stirring the milk in the pan as Connor walked into the small kitchen. He’d showered and wore some clothes that Molly had found stored away in the hall closet—old clothes belonging to Aggie’s nephew, whom she helped raise when her sister had passed away.

“A little more presentable, huh?” Connor joked as Molly handed him a cup of hot chocolate.

“You scrub up just fine,” she replied, not realizing how silly she sounded.

“That’s what they all say,” he tried a joke, but it fell flat.

“So, what happened?” she asked as she saw the marks on the backs of his hands.

“I flipped out today.”

“I can see that. But why?”

“I suppose you’ve seen all the press coverage,” he remarked, assuming Molly was like everyone else.

“Nope. I don’t do papers, magazines or social networking of any kind. It’s not my thing, so I am quite out of the loop.”

“Wow, well, you’re probably the only one in the Bay Area who hasn’t a clue about who or what I am,” Connor said, looking timid and tired.

“Connor, I don’t care who or what you are. I am not here to pass judgment on you,” Molly said.

“Then you are the first person to not give a shit.”

Molly slid in the seat next to him at the small table. She rested her chin on the backs of her hands as she stared at him. “You know, if you were to spend less time caring what others thought of you, and more time on the amazing person you are, then you’d be a whole lot happier.”