Page 14 of Hometown Girl

“This concerns everyone, Molly.”

“Hardly. You just want to bulldoze my idea.”

Beth ignored her. She’d called Ben yesterday on her way home from the farm and filled him in, hoping he could talk some sense into their sister. The two of them had always had a special bond. If anyone could get through to Molly, it was Ben.

Beth put together a salad and a dish of baked beans while Ben grilled burgers and Molly sulked. Their mom hummed to herself quietly, knitting away as if she had nothing else to do.

When Ben returned with the cooked burgers, they gathered at the kitchen table.

“Is your boyfriend coming?” He raised an eyebrow as he peered down at Molly.

“If you’re referring to Bishop, no. He’s working. And he’s not my boyfriend.”

Bishop had been Molly’s best friend since grade school, with the exception of a small separation somewhere around junior high when they each realized, as if for the first time, that they weren’t the same gender. He now worked at the Willow Grove Police Station, where Molly’s VW Bug was frequently seen in the parking lot. Everyone knew it wasn’t a matter of if butwhenthe two would get together—everyone, it seemed, except the couple in question.

Molly moved from her stool to the chair next to their mom and shot Ben an annoyed look.

“Uh-huh.” Ben looked to Beth to join him, but she couldn’t get on board with teasing Molly about her denial of Bishop’s feelings for her—or hers for him, for that matter. She just wanted to talk through Molly’s latest disaster of an idea and come up with a plan to make it go away.

They said grace, filled their plates and tried to pretend the silence wasn’t awkward.

“Well?” Molly glared at Beth. “You called this meeting, so let’s get it over with.”

“Don’t be like that.” Beth wished there was a good way to tell someone they’d just made another terrible mistake. It seemed to be a pattern with Molly, and Beth always seemed to be the one who had to point it out.

Molly looked away. “It’s a good investment, Beth.” She glanced at their mother, who ate smaller bites now. “Tell her, Mom.”

Lilian held both hands up. “I don’t pretend to understand anything about investments. But I did think it was an interesting idea.”

“It is an interesting idea,” Ben said. “But it’s not very practical.”

“Thank you.” Beth knew she could count on him.

“But you agree it’s interesting.” Molly took a bite of her burger. Leave it to her to hear only what she wanted to hear.

“But not practical,” Beth said. “That’s the point.”

“Practical isn’t always best,” their mother said.

“You don’t really support this idea, Mom.”

“I just said it was interesting. And I can tell you that when your dad started his business, his parents told him he wasn’t being practical either.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Beth said. Why was their mom encouraging this? “Do you know what kind of debt you’re getting into?”

“Well, that’s my business, isn’t it?” Molly dropped her fork on her plate with a clank.

“And now it’s mine. Because you’re asking for my help.”

“Fine, Beth. I won’t ask for your help, but if you’d shut up and listen to me for five seconds, you’d know this is a good investment.”

Ben glanced at Beth but didn’t say anything.

Beth set her fork down. “Fine. I’m listening.”

“Maybe you should start with what possessed you to buy the farm in the first place.” Ben piled a second burger with tomatoes, onions, lettuce and pickles.

Molly frowned. “Are you kidding? When I heard about Mr.Pendergast, I felt something go off inside me. Like, finally! The thing I’d been waiting for was right in front of me.”

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