Page 47 of As It Was (Strawberry Springs #1)

It’s clear to me that you’re a key part of this town. And I wish I hadn’t made you feel excluded. I hope seeing that everyone can see sense and help you is enough to prove that you are welcome here. Even when you’re kind of a jerk!

Love, Kerry.

PS: I sent my letter directly to the judge. It’s more of what you’ve already read, but it’s really shitting on whatever guy is coming after Eric. Did you know he littered?!?!?! Heard it from Mark. I hope you beat his ass in court. (And in real life? Is that illegal to say? )

“Cain,” Mollie asked gently. “Are you okay?”

I flipped through the rest of the letters with shaking hands. “Everyone is here. Everyone wrote one.”

“Yes. They did. It took all night, and Kerry wrangling some people into shape, but they all care.”

“You and Kerry spent all night getting these?”

“Jackie and Tammy too. Though they crashed about halfway through and are probably still asleep. I imagine the Facebook group is mad that the diner’s closed, but they can deal.”

I wanted to answer, but all I could do was put the papers down on the couch and pull her into the tightest hug of my life.

“Whoa!” she said. “Is this a good hug or a strangling hug? Because?—”

“Mollie.” My voice was shaky. “I don’t deserve you.”

She was finally quiet, and her hands moved to rest on my back. “Actually, you do. Or did you forget you drove three hours just in case I needed you?”

“It’s not enough. You did all of this, even after I was mad at you.”

“But it was mostly my fault.”

“You got Kerry and Nicole to write one. I don’t even know how you did it.”

“The same way I got you to see sense. I yelled until they listened. And Jackie helped. She ... told Kerry everything.”

“She said something about that in her letter. Did she really?”

“Yes. And she promised not to tell anyone. Between Tammy, Jackie, and me, we made her realize that not everything is gossip. She learned her lesson.”

I could only stare at this marvel of a woman and wonder how she’d managed the impossible.

“You’re incredible. Amazing. ”

She pulled away, cheeks pink. “You can do a lot when you stop running. When I was back in Nashville?—”

“You were in Nashville?”

“Yeah,” she said. “When you said you needed space, I figured I would get out of your way.”

“Not there. Not where you could have run into Trevor.”

“Yeah, not my finest moment. But it worked out. I finally stood up to him too.”

“You did?”

“Told my parents everything. They sided with me. He did say that he almost had me trained until I whored myself out, but it got me out of my funk.”

My hands tightened on her. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I’m not.”

“He’s basically admitting ?—”

“It was bad, but he’s getting what he deserves. I’m pretty sure my dad fired him. I bet he’ll have to use the ring he proposed with for money once I send it back to him. I’m tempted to throw it away, but he would definitely sue me, so I’m gonna do the right thing.”

Through my anger, an idea formed. I’d come a long way in my need for revenge, but I loved Mollie. No one was going to get away with talking to her like that. “You still have the ring?”

“My dad thought I needed a reminder of my life there when I went for my mom’s birthday.” She shook her head. “It’s buried in my glove compartment. It means nothing to me.”

“No, I’m glad you still have it.”

“Why?”

“Because I think we should send it back with a gift. Can you watch Eric tonight?”

“Yes,” she said slowly. “Why?”

“Because I need to take a little road trip.”

I banged on the door of the address Mollie had given me. I’d told her I would give the ring back, and she’d told me not to get my ass in trouble with whatever I did.

What I was doing wasn’t exactly legal , but it was what he deserved.

I stepped back as the door opened. Trevor peeked out, his eyes catching me. He looked like he was ready to punch me, and his face turned bright red. “ You. You have a lot of nerve coming?—”

That was when he stepped out of his apartment and into a pile of shit. Actual shit.

Because there was a massive pile of it from Moosley right under his feet.

“What the?—”

“Thought I would hand deliver this to you for what you told my girlfriend yesterday. You should enjoy it. Breathe it in.”

“This is disgusting! What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, you don’t like it? I thought you wanted the land. This would be what you’d find there.” He glared, and I started down the stairs, only to remember the actual delivery I was planning. “And here’s this back.”

I tossed the ring to him, but it landed in the cow patty. “You’re demented,” Trevor growled.

“Yeah, probably. But hopefully, you’ll learn your lesson.”

“And what’s that? Never come to your shitty-ass town?”

“No.” My voice darkened. “Never mess with Mollie again, or next time, you’ll be eating the shit.”

Trevor’s eyes went wide, and I took the opportunity to walk away. He screamed obscenities after me, but I didn’t engage. He would be busy cleaning for a while.

I couldn’t stay too long. Mollie had only gotten a short nap after being out all night. She woke up to watch Eric, but I’d promised her she could get rest the second I got back. The six-hour round-trip drive was worth it, though.

Still, I pushed my truck and got back a few minutes early. The lights were on, though it was past Eric’s bedtime.

“Hey,” I said when I walked in. “Is Eric up?”

“What kind of babysitter do you think I am?” Mollie asked as she fought a yawn. She was on the couch and sat up when I walked in. “He’s out. Right on time too.”

“You’re exhausted,” I said. “I’d give you a pass.”

“Don’t need it.” She yawned again. “Who needs sleep anyway?”

She slowly stood and made her way over to me, but stopped as she got close. “Is that ... cow shit I smell?”

“Yep.”

“What did you do?”

“Gave Trevor a present. One to match his personality.”

Her eyes widened. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“Oh my God .” She laughed. “I probably should tell you how mean that was, but he deserves it.”

“He does.” I was about to go to the bathroom to shower, but I had one other thing to say. “No one messes with the woman I love.”

Mollie’s jaw dropped. “The woman you what ?”

“Love. In case you hadn’t figured it out, I love you.”

“But I just messed up a lot of things.”

“And then fixed it. Even made the town see things no one else could. Mistakes are gonna happen. It’s what you do after that matters.”

Her cheeks went red. “For the record, I love you too. And I’d show you how much if you didn’t smell like shit.”

“Give me fifteen. I can fix it.”

“If I can stay awake,” she said. “Though the smell is pungent.”

“We have plenty of time to do that tomorrow. Get some rest.”

“Will you come and find me after your shower?”

“Every time, princess.”