Page 82 of Love in the Lab
He chuckles. “As Angela pointed out earlier this week, we’re in the perfect city for it.”
“You want to get married? But why?”
His face turns serious, and he cups his hands around my cheeks. “Because we’re in love.”
“Jonathan, are you kidding right now? Is this a joke to you?”
His eyes search mine earnestly. “No joke, Mol. I’m completely serious.”
“Is this a proposal, then?”
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “This is a suggestion. I love you, Molly. I want to marry you. I’ll do it tomorrow. Hell, I’ll marry you tonight. But it’s up to you.”
“My family doesn’t even know we’re dating and now, what, we’re going to show up at Thanksgiving and tell them we’remarried?”
“If that’s what you want.”
What do I want? My immediate, strong impulse is to say yes.Shoutyes. But I’m warring with ten years of instinct that tells me to tamp down the impulse and reject it. I’m trying not to do that anymore.
I think back to the morning after Jonathan and I first kissed, when I told him about suppressing my impulsiveness. “Even ifit’s something you want?” he had asked. It seemed so important then, critical even, tonotgive in, even though it broke my heart.
I had ten years of not giving in, of fighting against who I am, and suppressing myself. In the barely two months I’ve now spent embracing what brings me joy, I can’t remember anymore why I punished myself for so long. Or why I would deny myself the unabashed and sometimes overwhelming love of the man sitting next to me.
But marriage is a big step. My thoughts are whirling, and I can’t summon the calm I need to quiet my mind enough to think this through.
Jonathan tips my chin up and kisses me softly on the lips. He leans his forehead against mine. My thoughts still, and I know exactly what I want.
Chapter thirty
Jonathan
“I’m sorry, WHAT?” Molly’s youngest sister, Olivia, shouts from the other side of the couch as we sit in the Delaney home in Austin, Texas, after Molly introduces me to her family. We arrived at the house a few minutes ago so we can celebrate Thanksgiving with them tomorrow. Molly did not tell them I was coming, just that she was bringing a “friend.”
Nicole, the middle sister, holds a hand up toward Olivia. “Okay, just hold on a minute,” she placates. Nicole’s boyfriend, Adam, places his hand on her thigh in support. Nicole turns herattention to Molly. “Mol, forgive me, but I thought you didn’t even like Jonathan?” She grimaces at me in apology.
I can’t help but grin. “Shethoughtshe didn’t like me,” I say. Molly elbows me in the ribs.
“So now, what?” Olivia demands. “You’re dating this guy?”
Mr. and Mrs. Delaney are quiet, watching the scene unfold. Molly’s dad looks curious, but Molly’s mom looks smug.
“Actually…” Molly begins. I wrap my arm around her, and she leans her head back onto my shoulder. “Actually, we’re not dating. We’re married.”
“WHAT?!” Olivia jumps up from the couch. Molly’s dad stands too, his mouth agape. Nicole and Adam share a look that I can’t read. Even Mrs. Delaney looks stunned.
Molly takes a deep breath. “And,” she says. “I’m moving—we’re moving. To South Carolina.”
Everyone starts talking at once with a million questions. When did we start dating? Why didn’t Molly tell them? What’s in South Carolina? Why did we get married?
Nicole raises her voice over the din. “Wait. Everyone! Hold on.” The room quiets. I guess librarians really are good at shushing people. “Molly, start from the beginning.”
Molly regales them with the quick version of how our relationship transformed over the last couple of months, skimming over the more private or dangerous parts. I add my two cents when I feel the story might be lacking in color.
“Wait.” Olivia raises her eyebrows. “Is this who you were making out with on the sidewalk when I was there for the parade?”
Molly’s face turns bright red. I try to suppress my grin as I think back to that evening. Some of our finest work.
“You saw that?” Molly grimaces.
