Page 49 of Molly's Mr. Wrong
It was then that she noticed that she was grasping her glass so tightly that her fingers had started to go white at the knuckles, and that Finn was studying her with a faint frown. She relaxed her grip on the glass and smiled at him.
“Taken back by the family tales?” he asked mildly.
“Actually, I was thinking of a few incidents in my own life.”
“Care to share?”
“Some things are best forgotten,” she said lightly and focused on Elaine and Mike. If only those things would stop trying to get in contact with her.
Mike had just started the steaks when Molly’s phone rang in her pocket. Georgina.
“We got back early. Where are you?”
“Mike’s backyard.”
“Tell her to come over,” Mike called. “I have extra steaks.”
Molly relayed the message and a few minutes later Georgina showed up, looking windswept and happy.
“How could I have never hiked before?” she demanded.
“Uh...you said you’d hate it when I tried to take you with me?”
Georgina waved her hand dismissively, then turned toward Elaine, who asked where she’d hiked. As Georgina explained where they’d gone and what they’d seen, Molly slipped over to help Mike with the steaks.
“These are gorgeous,” she murmured.
“From the Lightning Creek Ranch. Grass-fed.” He glanced her way. “It pays to marry into a ranching family.”
“When do Dylan and Jolie get married?”
“Next month. On the ranch.”
“Sounds lovely.”
“I’m just glad to get Dylan married off to a decent woman. His first wife...” Mike’s mouth hardened as he poked at a steak.
So Dylan had been married before to a woman Mike didn’t approve of. Or maybe it was her actions after they’d married he didn’t approve of. The important thing was that he seemed to approve of Jolie.
“They’ll be back pretty soon, then.”
“Two weeks.”
“I bet you can’t wait.”
Mike gave a satisfied nod. “It’s good having both of my boys back.”
Dinner stretched on until the early hours of the evening. Molly hung back and watched as Georgina and Elaine entertained. Both were natural extroverts and she was always glad to hand the spotlight over to anyone who wanted it. After dinner, Elaine announced that she was doing the dishes and Molly volunteered to help, since she hadn’t brought anything. Georgina continued to share stories with Finn and Mike, and his two friends, Cal and Karl, who’d shown up around dessert after a day of fishing. It was a full house, or rather yard, with a lot of positive, happy energy.
Molly was more than glad to escape for fifteen minutes or so. It was hell being a natural introvert.
“None of my business,” Elaine said after loading the dishwasher and filling a sink with soapy water to wash the excess dishes, “but I have to ask...are you and Finn...?”
Molly gave her a startled look. “No.” The word came out automatically, adamantly.
Dear heavens...had they come off as a couple? Molly quickly replayed the events of the afternoon and could come up with nothing, other than the vibe between her and Finn. The same vibe that had been growing since he first reported to her class.
“Oh. My mistake.” Elaine smiled a little and reached for a serving plate, which she submerged in the soapy water. “I misread things.”
