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“She’s married?” I tried to think back to when she’d done my hair. I hadn’t seen a ring.
“She used to be. To a man named Donny. He hated that she took me in, but let her do it because it kept her busy. He made my life hell, and in turn, I did it back.”
“Did anyone know?”
“He told everyone I was just an asshole.” He shrugged. “And I was, but he left the part out wherehewas tormenting me. Jackie was mortified and tried to mitigate it, but in the end, he was a part of this town. I wasn’t.”
“So, he turned them against you.”
“Part of it I did myself,” he replied. “I was out of the house more when I started working for Bennie. It helped. I would stay late until I saw Jackie’s car just so I didn’t have to deal with his wrath alone. But then I came home to find her trying to hide a bruise on her face. And Iknew.”
“He hit her?”
“Apparently all the time. She begged me not to say anything, and I didn’t. But I couldn’t leave it at that. I found himat the bar, where he always fucking was. And I nearly killed him. That’s who they see me as. A punk kid who went after his foster parent.”
“But you were protecting someone.”
“They didn’t know that. And they probably never will. Jackie can’t eventalkabout that asshole, even though he died years ago.”
“No one knew?”
He pursed his lips and let out a long sigh. “I think Bennie did. Or he had an idea. He tried to talk about it with me, but I didn’t know what to say without outing Jackie.”
“He always had a way of seeing things others couldn’t.” Like how I belonged here. “And like I said when we met, he trusted you with the farm. Which means I do too.”
“That trust isn’t gonna do anything if it ruins your reputation here. We can’t keep doing this.”
“Hang on,what?”
“Mollie, think about it.”
“Iam.We’re changing their minds. And I’m helping you with it, whether you like it or not.”
“But you have a chance here to have a good reputation?—”
“My reputation is mine to do what I want with it. I’ve spent years being so polite and perfect, and you know what it got me? Nothing. I’m doing what feels right. Andyoufeel right.”
Cain’s grip on the steering wheel was tight as he stared at me.
“You’re impossible, princess.”
My skin erupted in gooseflesh. I wanted to blame it on the weather, but I knew it wasn’t that. “I do like defying expectations,” I replied.
He huffed out a laugh before we lapsed into silence. My mind went back to that closet, and I wondered if I’d get the chance to feel that again.
Minutes later, we pulled up to the house. It was late and all the lights were off. I toyed with the hem of my dress, wondering how I could ask aboutus.But I didn’t need to.
Cain moved first, and suddenly, his lips were on mine.
This wasn’t like the rough kiss in the closet. This was tender and full of a promise that I couldn’t name yet.
“I thought you said this was a bad idea,” I whispered.
“It might be,” he said. “But it feels right.”
His thumb brushed over my cheek, and I leaned into it.
“Is Jackie staying the night?” I asked.