Page 48 of Molly's Mr. Wrong
“We’re thinking three o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.” It gave her time to change her clothes, put on some makeup. Pretend she wasn’t secretly looking forward to seeing Finn. She was honest enough to admit that she enjoyed the physical rush of being around him. Nothing wrong with that—as long as she remembered her life parameters and goals and acted accordingly.
Right?
Besides, it was damned hard to fight biological responses.
“Sorry about the late notice. Elaine and I were supposed to go to lunch today, but she got waylaid, so I suggested a barbecue this afternoon and she agreed.”
“A pop-up barbecue.” Mike frowned at her and Molly laughed. “Never mind. Kid talk. I’ll be over shortly.”
Less than an hour later Molly knocked on Mike’s open door, and he motioned her to come inside and then escorted her through the kitchen, where Finn stood at the sink, popping ice cubes out of a tray, to the charming backyard. Finn glanced at her as she walked by, smiled, made her heart go thump.
A plumpish woman with salt-and-pepper hair got up from her chair under the apple tree as Molly and Mike stepped out onto the patio.
Mike motioned at the woman. “Do you know—”
Molly’s mouth popped open. “Ms. Fitch!”
“Molly Adamson!”
Molly wasn’t much of a hugger, but Ms. Fitch headed toward her, arms open, so she met her halfway. “Call me Elaine. It’s good to see you, Molly.”
“It’s good to be remembered. Are you still teaching?” Molly asked as she stepped back out of the woman’s embrace.
“No,” Finn said as he emerged from the house carrying a tray of drinks. “My friends and I wore her out.”
Elaine laughed. “You and about two thousand other freshmen. Note to self—do not teach freshman anything.”
“I had you my junior year,” Molly said, talking a seat on the opposite side of the picnic table.
“Which is why I remember you fondly.” She smiled up at Finn as she took the drink he offered her. “This one...” She laughed and Finn’s eyes crinkled at the corners.
“Guilty.”
“Of what?” Molly asked.
“Probably everything.”
“Well, you were a charming hell-raiser. I’ll give you that.” Elaine lifted her glass in a toast, then smiled up at Mike as he came to take his seat.
“Steaks will be ready to go on the grill in about twenty minutes.”
“I wish you would have let me bring something,” Molly said.
“Next time.” Mike smiled and turned his attention to Elaine, leaving Molly and Finn facing each other with not a whole lot to say. Molly caught the amusement in his eyes and took charge of the conversation.
“I told you that you were a hellion. Now I have confirmation.”
“I never denied.” He lifted his drink, took a sip, and there was something innately sensual in the action.
“No,” Molly said softly. “You didn’t.” She took a sip of her own drink. Next to her Elaine and Mike began discussing the trials and tribulations of raising headstrong children. Molly could only imagine. No one in her family was headstrong. They’d listened to their parents, did the right thing when they could. None of them were big risk-takers.
Had they lost out?
Listening to the stories Mike told as they waited for the grill to heat and the steaks to come to room temperature, Molly half wondered, then told herself, no. A person needed to be wired a certain way to enjoy risky behavior. Blake had been wired that way. He’d enjoyed his double life. He hadn’t come out and admitted it, but it had been pretty obvious as they’d duked it out at the end of their doomed relationship.
He had no regrets about the taking risks part—only the screwing up the other side of his life part. Thus twelve white tulips. At least there’d been no more flowers, but Molly knew the flowers weren’t for forgiveness alone. Blake would follow up; and she’d have to get tough with him...unless she took the offensive.
