Page 38 of Molly's Mr. Wrong
“Do more than appreciate it. Take advantage.”
He stopped and turned back. “Here’s the deal, Molly...” He stopped for a moment. “Have you ever had trouble doing anything?”
“Like meeting people and feeling comfortable? Like coming out of my shell?” Overcoming paralyzing shyness?
“I think you know what I’m getting at.”
“I...”
“Have always been an excellent student. And I have always been an excellent athlete. Now I’m trying to be a student and guess what? I have roadblocks I didn’t even know existed. Even if you pass me because of guilt or differentiation or whatever, it doesn’t mean I can pass the second English class I need. And then what happens to my degree plans?”
“What degree are you pursuing, Finn?”
He just shook his head. “What I’m trying to say, Molly, is that if you hold my hand through this, what have I actually accomplished?”
CHAPTER NINE
THEREWASNOreason for Molly to feel frustrated with Finn. So he hadn’t gladly accepted her tutoring offer. It was his life, after all. His academic career. No skin off her nose...except that she wouldn’t get to see the kitten again.
Yes. That was it. That was why she was upset.
Molly unloaded the last dish from the dishwasher and shut the door.
That wasn’t it.
She glanced at the clock. Ten minutes and she had to head back out for her evening class—her Finn class—which was why she was stewing on the guy. Why should it bother her that he bordered on defensive and wanted to do things on his own? He’d come in for help. He just didn’t want regularly scheduled help. Or to tell her his degree plans. Or anything like that.
It wasn’t as if she wanted to spendtimewith him.
Liar.
All right. She got a physical thrill from being around the guy—that had been established long ago.
Molly let her head fall back and stared up at the ceiling. Things hadn’t changed much since high school in that regard, and how sad was that? Pathetic.
She shoved her hair back from her face, then headed into the bedroom to grab a sweater, since the nights were getting cooler.
High school was over and adult Finn was different from adolescent Finn—he was darker somehow. Notascocky—but still cocky. She had the feeling that he did as he pleased, when he pleased. That despite being in the military, he and self-discipline were not best friends.
He came back to class...
She’d give him that.
A knock sounded on the door as she slipped into her favorite red sweater. Frowning, she hurried to the door and opened it to find a flower delivery person standing on her step.
“Molly Adamson?”
“That’s me.”
The woman smiled, handed Molly the bouquet, and then turned and hurried off to her van without another word. Molly backed into the house, frowning down at the cellophane-wrapped flowers—twelve white tulips. No card.
Blood started pounding at her temples. Blake’s mother was deeply into flowers and had once explained the meanings of the different blossoms to her. Red roses meant love. Pink carnations meant gratitude. Yellow roses, friendship. White tulips, forgiveness—Molly remembered that one, because she’d thought at the time that Blake owed her a lot of white tulips. Had she mentioned that to him? Yes.
Molly’s jaw muscles tightened as she headed into the kitchen where she’d left her purse and car keys.
Blake was sending her flowers and more than that, he was sending her a specific message.Forgive me. Take me back. Care for me. Put me first in your life and I’ll pay you back with good company and infidelity.
Molly dumped the tulips into the trash. Waste of beauty, but the sight of the flowers made her feel sick.
