Page 169

Story: As It Was

“Okay.” I stood. “Keep your secrets. When you’re ready to tell me everything so I can help you, I’ll be around.”
“Mollie . . .”
“We’ll talk later.” The last thing I wanted to do was fight, especially when stress was so high for him. I may not have known everything going on, but I did know that sticking around when I was already annoyed would do me no good.
I went to my room and opened the window to get some fresh air. I was ready for the strawberries to come up so the air would smell sweet like it had when I was a kid, but we were a few months away from that. I reached for my strawberry candle from Jade’s shop, only to find I’d burned through it.
Well, a little shopping wouldn’t hurt. And it would probably make my mood better.
Grabbing my purse, I got into my car and drove to the square. There were people all around enjoying the weather, most of whom I knew.
“Hey,” I greeted as I walked into Jade’s shop. “Got any more strawberry and vanilla candles?”
“Duh,” she said. “I know you love them.”
“I’ll get two. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Please don’t be. It’s so slow today that I’m dying of boredom.”
“I suppose wecouldcatch up. I’m giving Cain some space and I don’t need to be home.”
“Space? Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine. Mostly. He’s just stubborn about things.”
“Don’t I know it. Though, you can get through to him like no one else.”
“When he chooses to tell me everything.” I muttered it under my breath, but regretted it once it left my lips. “You didn’t hear that, though.”
“Seems like you’re pretty annoyed at him. Welcome to my daily life.”
“You’re annoyed at Cain all the time?”
“No, just men in general. Especiallyone.”She rolled her eyes. “You’re right, though. Space is good. And you could get even more.”
“I’m not going back to Nashville or anything like that.”
“Um, no. I was thinking a girls’ night.”
“Where?”
“At the bar. I’m going tonight.”
“But—”
“Grace will be there. Come on. You’ll love it.”
I bit my lip. I’d had fun the last time I was there, but that was because Cain had gone with me.
Then again, I did want to get closer to Jade. Wren was still filming, especially since the show paused due to the holidays and a burst pipe, and I was feeling her absence more and more as time went on.
“Okay, I’ll go,” I said. “Sounds fun.”
“Yes! I can’t wait.”
We talked about other things going on in town, mostly petty gossip about who Brooke had been seeing, before I went back to the house. Cain was still working, so I went upstairs to look through my closet.
I didn’t usually reach for my nicer outfits since I worked outside so much. Cain had been right when he’d saidI needed the work clothes—my existing collection had been ruined over time.

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