Page 8

Chapter Eight

Molly’s stomach was grumbling loudly by the time she heard Sharon’s car in the driveway. Lila had come by as promised, delivering three casseroles ready to freeze or eat, plus a strudel for morning. Once the food was stashed, Lila had sat with her on the porch, chattering about things around town and sharing a bit of gossip regarding Valentine’s dates.

Molly hadn’t recognized her friend was effectively babysitting her until she’d received a text from her aunt that they were on the way home. Caught, Lila laughed it off and Molly couldn’t be mad. She had the best friends in this town.

Knowing her aunt would give Bryce the final vote on food, she wondered what the two of them would bring home for dinner. After last night’s accident, she and Sharon were both being indulgent with Bryce. It wouldn’t last, but it wouldn’t hurt him either. Nothing like a close call to stir up a wave of gratitude for what she had.

She checked her phone, surprised it was so late. The afterschool trips to the marina were running progressively longer, especially when Miles had free time for Bryce. Another thing to be grateful for. Miles seemed to have infinite patience for her curious, boat-obsessed son. Seeing messages from Miles that she’d missed, she started to respond when she heard Bryce.

He was on the path, talking a mile a minute, and she went to open the door. She was eager to eat, of course. And the sooner they got Bryce to bed, the sooner she could talk with Sharon about her call with the attorney, Wilt Devaney. He’d put her at ease immediately and for the first time since those papers had shown up, she had real hope.

He’d given her warnings too about people who might be poking around, so when she saw two more cars pull up behind Sharon’s, fear iced the back of her neck.

Molly wasn’t in the market for more surprises or trouble. She wanted to go back to last week when everything was pleasant and her biggest worry was how she’d react when Miles told her it was time to take out the boat. Tired, her mind reeling, it took a beat to recognize Miles walking up the drive. She didn’t know the man behind him at all.

Bryce scampered through the door first. “Hi, Momma!” He jumped for a hug, counting on her to catch him. She managed it, despite her sore arm and achy body. “Miles came for dinner,” he shouted, dashing off toward the kitchen. “His friend too. We got barbecue from Benny’s. It’s too heavy for me to carry so I have to get forks and stuff.”

“And napkins,” Sharon called after him.

“Napkins,” he echoed.

“Benny’s?” She raised an eyebrow as Sharon passed. It was one of Bryce’s favorite places. Mainly because she rarely scolded him for covering himself in sauce.

“It’s been that kind of afternoon,” her aunt murmured.

Molly wanted the whole story, and knew she wouldn’t get it right away as she was suddenly being introduced to Miles’s friend .

“Molly, this is Knox Moore.” Miles relieved Knox of the food as he passed.

“Hey.” Knox stuck out his hand. “Friend of Miles and dinner party crasher.”

“Come on in.” She was helpless against the taller man’s smile. “Sounds like you had an invitation.”

Sharon sent her an apologetic look as they all gathered in the dining room. “It’s an impromptu party.”

“If we’re intruding, we’ll go,” Miles stated.

“Stay, please. It’s no problem,” Molly said. What else would she be doing except worrying? It seemed the entire town was conspiring to watch over her and keep her distracted. “Good company is always welcome.”

“We’ll certainly do our best.”

When Miles smiled, her knees went watery. She wished she’d taken more time with her hair, or been brave enough to apply mascara. At this point, all she could do was roll with it and ignore that she didn’t look her best. “What brings you to town?” she asked as she and Bryce finished setting the table.

Knox stepped out of the way, tucking his hands into his pockets. “I’m in Charleston on business. It was a good time to swing by and catch up.”

“That’s great. Have a seat.”

Miles boosted Bryce into a chair and Molly tucked a napkin into the collar of her son’s shirt, setting extras beside his plate. “You’re in the splash zone,” she warned as the man settled on the boy’s other side.

Sharon brought a stack of plates and as food and drinks were passed around, Molly sensed low-level tension between the men. Had something happened or were they just preoccupied? She had to stop seeing trouble everywhere.

“What is it you do, Knox?” she asked once everyone had a full plate of barbecue, slaw, tots, corn fritters, fried pickles, and bread .

“Security mostly,” he replied. “With the Guardian Agency. I go where Jess tells me,” he added with another grin.

“She really enjoys her work,” Molly said.

“That is the truth.” Knox smiled again. “We’re glad to have her on board. The change has been helpful for everyone.”

Jess had certainly been a big help for Molly. Without Jess, she wasn’t sure she’d have an attorney on board. Definitely not one with Devaney’s reputation.

She let Sharon take over hostess duties, grateful when she deftly steered the conversation to child-friendly topics. Molly let the voices flow around her, indulging in the delicious, hearty food and laughing as she periodically wiped a layer of sauce off her son’s face. She hadn’t been in a bad mood before everyone arrived, but she didn’t have her usual ability to juggle several things at once.

She felt like a weenie admitting it, so she kept it to herself, eating what she could and chiming in as needed.

She truly enjoyed the unexpected company. Knox and Miles ribbed each other and included Bryce as if they’d known him forever. When Bryce mentioned the vandalism, she appreciated how they explained the situation in a way that wouldn’t scare Bryce further.

“Miles built a bench for Aunt Sharon,” Bryce declared during a lull in the conversation.

“He built it for anyone to use,” Sharon said.

“Huh-uh,” Bryce argued. “He built it for you. He said so. Don’t you remember?”

Molly was surprised to find her aunt blushing.

“You’re both right,” Miles said. “I built the bench on a public dock, that’s true. But I had Aunt Sharon in mind as the primary customer.”

Something tripped in her head. Maybe closer to her heart. She’d never heard Miles refer to Sharon as if she was his aunt as well. It felt like the kiss of a sunbeam on a cloudy day at the beach. Warm and reassuring. She probably shouldn’t read anything into it. He more than likely talked that way all the time around Bryce.

“And me.” Bryce’s outburst pulled her out of her reverie. He was overtired and excited. Not the greatest combination. She rubbed the increasing ache at her temple.

“That’s right, you too,” Miles said. “You two come down to see me so often I want you to be comfortable.”

“And safe,” Sharon said.

“Yes.” Miles nodded. “Always that.”

“Thank you.” It was more of a whisper than a grand declaration, but Miles heard her and gave her a quick smile.

Sharon caught her attention. “Is it too bright?”

It definitely was. “No.” Molly waved off the concern. “I’m okay. I promise.”

“Why would the light hurt you?”

She drew Bryce’s attention back to the corn fritter on his plate. “You missed one.”

“That’s not an answer,” he protested.

Sharon intervened. “Can you finish my tots, Bryce?” While he pushed a tot through some barbecue sauce, Sharon explained, “Your momma got quite a bump on the head last night.”

“And the arm.” He twisted to look at her brace.

“That’s right,” Sharon continued. “We have to be gentle with her while she recovers, remember?”

Bryce twisted in his chair and wrapped his arms around Molly. She patted him on the back, soaking up the sweet affection. “Thank you, honey. That makes it a lot better.”

He stood up on the chair and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. “I hope that helps your owies.”

“You’ve fixed me right up.”

His chest puffed up, he sat down and polished off his dinner .

When they were finished, Sharon and Knox cleared the table while Bryce talked sailing for a bit more with Miles. Molly marveled at his patience. No matter how many questions Miles answered, Bryce always had one more.

“Dishes are done.” Sharon pinned Bryce with a look. “Now it’s your turn.” She held out her hand to Bryce.

“Do I have to?” he wheedled, big eyes pleading for more time with his hero.

“You’d better,” Miles said with mock gravity. “Can’t work the lines looking like you do right now.”

Bryce eyed him. “You’ll be there tomorrow?”

“I will,” Miles confirmed. “You can come see me after school.”

“Assuming you behave,” Molly felt obliged to add. What was the use in being a mother if she couldn’t spoil the fun once in a while?

When Bryce—looking greatly aggrieved—marched off with Sharon, Knox sat forward. “If you’re up for it, I have a couple of questions,” he said.

“For me or Miles?” Molly asked.

“You.” That easy smile didn’t fool her this time. His gaze was sharp. He was here for more than a catch-up with a friend. “First, about the accident. Do you remember anything about the car that struck you last night?”

Molly resisted the automatic reflex to shake her head. “No. Just the sudden flare of headlights and then metal crunching. Everything was a blur.”

“He used the car like a battering ram to dump the car in the ditch,” Miles said under his breath.

“I noticed.” Knox flattened his palms on the table. “Guardian Agency,” he reminded her. As if she could forget. “I went by the scene earlier today.”

“Why?” Jess had arranged for a lawyer, not a bodyguard. “What am I missing? ”

“Mainly because I was close. Gamble and Swann asked me to take a look around and gather any additional information for the research team.”

That made sense. For most people it probably made sense without causing a headache. She’d be thrilled when her concussion healed. “I’m sorry I can’t be of any more help.”

“It was a long shot,” Knox said. “If you do think of anything just let me know.” He handed her a business card. “Or you can tell Jess.”

“Or me,” Miles said.

“That works too.” With a wink, Knox excused himself.

Miles stood as well, scooting his chair under the table. His forearms flexed a little as he gripped the top rail of the chair back. Why did she find that so appealing? She should say something friendly. Ask him if she’d imagined what he’d said at the clinic last night. Instead, she stared. At his arms.

“You’ve got a great kid,” Miles said into her awkward silence. “Tell him I’ll see him around.”

“Let me walk you out.”

“I can find my way.” He smiled. “You should rest. It’s obvious we wore you out.”

Great. Her exhaustion was obvious. Just what every woman wanted to hear. Though he spoke from a caring place, this coddling from all sides was wearing thin already. She was used to managing herself and her family. Didn’t know how to sit back and wait for her body to heal.

It hadn’t been all that long ago when Nina had complimented her for being strong and independent. An inspiration. The comments had floored her at first. Before she’d taken some time to see just how well she’d done for herself and Bryce. Most days she even believed she was an asset to Sharon.

And now she was back to being a burden, reliant on everyone.

She tried to dismiss the negativity as an echo of her mother’ s voice. One benefit of her unexpected pregnancy was her determination to do better for the baby growing inside her.

And she had, damn it.

Bryce was well-adjusted, bright, and caring. He had good friends—of all ages, apparently. Last night’s accident wasn’t her fault. The resulting injuries keeping her out of work weren’t her fault. And the stupid custody situation would not get the best of her.

Although her head did hurt a little, she trailed after Miles. Out on the porch, the cool night air wrapped around her and she soaked up the sounds of the Carolina coast. The lower light eased the pressure behind her eyes.

She breathed deeply, appreciating the unique magic in this particular strip of the Atlantic coastline. Maybe her love of this town was rooted in Sharon’s generosity, but Molly liked to believe it was more that she’d found the place where she fit.

From her first day, Brookwell had felt different. It was a sweet pocket of calm when everything around her had been storming.

An illusion of course. Life was unpredictable. Good and bad things happened here too, just like everywhere else. The car accident only proved her point. And having a rambunctious and curious son made every day a little more unpredictable.

“Miles.”

At the bottom step of the porch he paused, turning to face her. Her gaze rested on his hand gripping the rail and she imagined his calloused palm coasting over her skin.

Why was she so fascinated by the man’s hands? She really needed to stop fixating. Much as she’d like to blame it on the concussion, it would be a lie.

“Did you remember something?”

She wished the answer was yes. “No.” She sucked at lying. “Just wanted to say thank you for last night, today. Everything.” Awkwardness struck again. “You’re always so kind to us.”

“You know why.”

He didn’t move, but she felt pinned by his stare. An enticing shiver danced across her skin. “You’re interested in me.”

“Is that a problem for you, Molly?”

She shook her head. Dizzy, she leaned against the porch railing for support. “No. I thought maybe I dreamed our talk last night. At the clinic.”

“It was real,” he said through gritted teeth.

“I know. Um… What you said.” She was making a mess of this. Probably better to just be as bold as he had been. “I’m attracted to you too, Miles. Sometimes so much it scares me.”

“Because?” he prompted.

She took a big breath. If honesty made him bolt, best to know now. “Sharon and Bryce are the healthiest relationships I’ve had. I don’t want to make a change between us that puts your friendship with my son at risk.”

“I’ve been known to compartmentalize successfully.”

The eagerness in his voice made her smile. Put her at ease. She hadn’t realized he was climbing back up the porch steps until he stopped at the one just below her. At eye level it was impossible to deny her attraction.

“And a functioning relationship needs two people willing to put in the work.”

His scent surrounded her, drew her in like a moth to the flame. Need surged up, refusing to be denied any longer. Thanks to the steps, his mouth was right there within easy reach. Her fingers fluttered, desperate to touch him. “Can I kiss you?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

His mouth was warm, his lips firm against hers. The first contact sent a sizzle through her system that melted into pure bliss. His kiss was everything she’d never experienced. Granted, she’d given up serious dating, her experiences were limited to Tommy.

She couldn’t think of him now. Not while Miles’s hands coasted up to cradle her face as if she was a rare treasure. Her entire body felt transformed by his slow, tender caresses.

As if he peeled away those old layers to reveal something she didn’t know she had inside. He leaned back and she sighed, shamelessly following, seeking more.

On a groan, he obliged with a kiss so hot and passionate she wondered how she didn’t melt on the steps.

“Molly.”

“Did you know?” She tucked her head to his shoulder. “Did you know it would be like that?”

“I hoped.”

She eased back and traced his lower lip with her finger. “I dreamed.”

“That’s good to know.” He grinned. “I’ll see you and Bryce tomorrow afternoon.” The words feathered across her cheek and then he was gone, leaving her to find her way into the house on wobbling knees.