Taking the Fall (29 page)

“Oh, shit! I’m sorry, sweetie.” She wiped down the counter before filling a new cup to the appropriate fill line and snapping the cover on.

“Nervous?” Mason’s twin asked with mischief in his eyes.

Could he know? Does anyone else know?

Molly’s eyes couldn’t help but scan the restaurant, not for waiting customers but to see if anyone could read her thoughts.

“Uh no, sweetie, I’m not nervous. Why would you think so?”

Now with a smile that so very much looked like his doctor brother, he continued with his mirth-filled rebuttal, “Then can I have the cup of coffee?”

Molly looked down and realized she was in fact still holding the cup. She passed it to him, with now deeply stained cheeks.

Seriously, girl?

Casey passed her the money, including a generous tip for a simple cup of coffee before giving a wink and heading out the door to where Molly assumed to be the firehouse—considering he was in his work pants, boots, and a Clearwater Falls FD t-shirt.

Molly tried going through the motions of working the full house, but she still just kept looking at the clock wondering if they returned to town yet.

Sammy came barreling through the restaurant door a little before noon. Thankfully, by this time, the crowd had passed allowing Molly to give her daughter her full attention.

“Hi, Mommy!” the young girl bounced in, gripping her mother around her waist as she gave her a big hug before hopping up at the counter where she asked Kayla for a glass of milk.

Tracey walked through the door a moment later carrying Sammy’s bag and pillow.

“Hey Molly, little Miss left these in the car.”

Molly accepted her daughter’s things, looking behind Tracey for Jess. When she didn’t appear several moments later, she asked, “Where’s Jess?”

“Oh, she asked if she could head to the mall with some friends this morning, so I brought her over there before I dropped Sammy off.”

Molly knew her annoyance shouldn’t be angled toward Tracey, but at the same time, she wanted to remind Tracey who Jessica’s mother was.

“I really wished you hadn’t done that, Tracey, especially without discussing it with me. The girls and I had plans for the afternoon. Now I will have to shuffle everything around so I can go fetch her over in Richardson.” Molly knew there was a contradicting bite to her tone, but she just couldn’t help it.

Bob’s wife looked somewhat ashamed but with her pretty brown hair and big brown eyes, she presented an apology as well as offering to pick Jess up in Richardson later if it would make life easier for Molly.

Reining in her irritation, she told Tracey that wouldn’t be necessary but stressed politely if she could please check with Molly the next time such a request came up.

With a, “Sure thing,” and a wave to Molly, Tracey headed toward the door. Molly walked toward where Sammy sat placing the bundle down next to her daughter when she heard Tracey say, “Oh hey Dr. Dennison, sorry about that.”

Molly turned around and there he was.

All irritation zipped from the air.

He walked in looking completely mouthwatering in the same black long sleeved shirt from earlier and relaxed fit jeans. But for as eye-appealing as her lover was, the young beauty next to him was where Molly’s eye now roamed.

Leah looked so much like her mother. Her long black hair hung in silk curtains shining in the bright sunlight. She wore modern black rimmed square cut glasses that didn’t hinder but rather enhanced the big blue eyes behind them. She stood at just about her father’s chest, so Molly guessed her to be around five feet tall. More shapely as well than the last time she could remember. She wore a popular brand’s logo embossed in pink glitter on a black background with jeans that were a little baggy and black Converse sneakers with rhinestones.

She looked a little nervous.

Molly’s eyes rose to those of her father’s, and he winked as he ushered his daughter in further.

“Moonbeam, do you remember Molly Jenson? She owns the restaurant.”

“No kidding, Dad. After all, it is called
Molly’s,”
Leah said unaware of how much her voice carried.

Molly smiled at the completely normalized remark from a kid nowadays.

They now stood in front of her and the happiness that was on Hunter’s face was completely palpable.

She thought in the last few days that she was the only one who could put such an expression there but how wrong she was. And she had never been happier to be wrong.

“Molly, do you remember my daughter, the wise guy?” Hunter looked down at his daughter, rubbing his hand on her head, ruffling her hair and receiving a preteen gripe for his trouble.

“Hi Leah, it is very nice to see you again.” Molly’s eyes went wide at the nervousness that could easily be heard in her voice.

Leah, unnoticing, now gave Molly her full attention and Molly watched as the girl showed a glimpse of uncomfortableness before stoically changing and graciously and respectfully greeting Molly.

“Cool Chucks!” Sammy said from behind Molly still sitting on her stool.

The trio all turned their attention to Sammy.

Leah’s face lit up, and without hesitation, left her father’s side and walked past Molly to stand next Sammy.

“Thanks! They were a birthday present from my dad,” she said happily as both girls looked down at the fashionable footwear.

Hunter and Molly watched as the girls introduced themselves.

“Cool. I’m Sammy! You’re Leah. I remember you from before.”

But Leah’s face changed a little frowning almost, but just as Molly was to intervene, Sammy did it in true Sammy fashion.

“Hey, don’t be upset if you don’t remember me. Like how many people do you know? Not remembering one person that you haven’t talked to before is hardly bad.”

Sudden relief played across Leah’s face, so much so that she sat down next to her new friend.

“My mom says not greeting someone correctly is a sign of bad manners.”

Jovially and with pure adolescent understanding, Sammy said, “Manners shmanners,” as she raised her hand and snapped her wrist downward.

“Is Sammy short for Samantha? I have a friend named Samantha back at home.”

Sammy nodded her head, confirming Leah’s assumption before saying, “Everyone calls me Sammy except for my mom. When she calls me ‘Samantha,’ I’m usually in big trouble,” the eight-year-old explained, emphasizing the descriptive adjective with her eyes going wide.

Soon, both girls were completely unaware of the on looking adults.

Hunter seized the moment, whispering quietly and lightly placing his hand at her waist before letting go just as quickly, “Hey, beautiful. I’ve missed you.”

Molly suddenly felt very restricted in her clothes.

“Hey . . .” She reached out and touched his chest causing his eyes to close at the sensation before dropping her hand with as much detestation as he.

“Hey, Mom!” Sammy said, jumping down from the stool. “Can Leah and Dr. Dennison come to the park with us?”

Both girls now stood next to each other, looking at their parents with excitement and eagerness.

Molly turned to Hunter asking without words, which he happily responded, “We’d be happy to.”

Hunter and Molly watched as the girls had a marvelous time out in the beautiful spring day. From their vantage point on the picnic blanket, they watched as the girls explored the different paths looking at all the gorgeous in bloom flowers before running off to the playground.

Hunter’s eyes now shifted to Molly’s turned face. Even in profile, she was nothing short of stunning. With the bright sun streaming down, her blonde hair looked like another extension of the sun’s reach.

“They are having the time of their lives,” he spoke of the silence and intimacy of the black and white checkered blanket.

With one finally look at the playground, she finally turned her eyes toward him and he couldn’t refrain any longer. He hooked his hand around the back of her neck bringing her over to him and placing a kiss on her lips.

“Are you sure we aren’t pushing Leah to spend time with Sammy? Not to mention, I didn’t even ask you what your plans were for today with her.”

“I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to spend the day. But, then again, I guess there is one other way, but how selfish can a man be. After all, it is my daughter’s first day home.” He winked at her and was rewarded with a megawatt smile and a glorious blush.

“I just don’t want Leah to feel any kind of pressure . . .”

Sitting up a little taller, he looked at the girls once more and said, “Will you relax, please. Trust me, if Leah didn’t want to, she wouldn’t.” He reached for where her hand rested on the worn blanket and covered it with his larger one. “Besides, she tends to like younger kids. Mothering is what her therapist calls it. It helps Leah adapt to situations.”

He knew her well enough to know that even though she seemed to accept his explanation, her mind was moving a mile a minute even through her silence.

“Look, you are going to fret regardless so let’s talk about something else. My mother is having a welcome home party at the house for the family tomorrow and I want you to come with the girls.”

She searched his face.

“You are not going to find any duress, beautiful, so stop looking. I want you there.”

“Are you sure? Do you think that we should?”

“I’m done hiding what I feel for you.”

“Hunter . . .”

“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think it was a good idea, and besides, have I mentioned how much I want you there.”

She dipped her head to hide her involuntary blush.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is keeping my hands off of you? I swear I’m going mad with the need to hold you. This quick touch, quick kiss is hardly giving relief.”

“You think this is easy for me? I was never one for sex, but I was panting with need before I had you. Now that I have, I feellike a nymphomaniac.”

Her description only made his smile that much wider.

“Well, my little sexy nympho, I want nothing more than to lay you down on this blanket and have my way with you.”

The smile that crossed her face and was meant for him had his pants fitting so much tighter. “Oh, good I’m glad it isn’t just me with that same need.”

Squeezing his eyes shut and turning his face up to the bright sun, he mumbled, “Like that is helping my hard-on at all!”

Before too long, it was time for them to go their separate ways. The girls hugged each other promising to see each other again soon. Hunter used their sentiment to raise his brows at Molly indicating his earlier request.

They reached the parking lot and as the girls climbed into their separate cars unhappily, Hunter looked at Molly over the hood of his Jeep and the look he saw there almost crippled him.

He hit the hood with one fist, silently promising he too would be in agony of not having her in his bed. She got into her car and pulled out, and he followed right behind. Discussing the fun Leah had with Sammy helped to distract him from instinctually following her and turning right when everything in his being had him wanting to turn left.

Molly pulled into the large driveway, which was almost filled to capacity. The massive home sat amongst similar structures, but this one was the grandest of all. At the end of the winding road, it overlooked the large circle at the end of the cul-de-sac, as well as the homes leading up to its entrance. Large gray fieldstones framed the large three-story home; the kind that looked as if no mortar held them at all and they just stacked upon themselves. The large windows and the massive entranceway with large wooden door welcomed friends but also showed the pride of ownership. The meticulous kept yard and the well cared for and looked-to-be often tended to flowers, rounded out the initial glimpse that had Molly’s stomach doing somersaults.

She lost count of how many times she tried to talk herself out of coming today. She felt like she was interfering in a special family occasion. But then she would listen to her heart and her fear would melt away.

This is ridiculous; it has only been a couple of weeks.