Page 66 of Molly's Mr. Wrong
“So you say without really knowing me.” She didn’t answer, even though she thought he was wrong. She did know a lot about him. She knew he was compassionate and took care of small orphan animals. He was there for his grandfather. But he was also a guy meandering through life. He had a goal, but he may not be able to achieve it. What then?
Finn shifted his weight and then said with a touch of impatience, “Not every guy you go out with has to be husband material, Molly—for you or your sister. Have you ever thought about just having fun and not worrying about compatibility?”
“I don’t think I’m wired that way.”
His hand dropped away from the top of the car door. “Your life, Molly. You’ve got to live it the way you see fit.”
“Thank you. I will,” Molly said, not missing the censure in his words.Who was judging whom now?“And for your information, it isn’t about me notwantingto have fun...it’s about me trying to make the best choices possible. There’s nothing wrong with having a plan and sticking to it.”
Especially when the objective of that plan was peace of mind and security.
“Tell me about this damned plan of yours.”
“What?”
“I’m also trying to make a plan. Maybe I can use yours as a prototype.”
She gave a short laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Guys like me can’t use a plan like yours?”
“You have different objectives.”
“Tell me about your objectives.”
For a moment, they faced off, then Molly slowly stepped out from behind the safety of the car door and swung it shut. Now there was nothing between them except for a couple feet of gravel and a healthy dose of animosity. She walked around him to the front of her car, put a foot on the bumper and hoisted herself up to sit on the hood. If she was going to have an uncomfortable discussion, she was damned well going to be physically comfortable while she did it—or pretend to be comfortable.
“You’ll scratch your paint doing that.”
“So?”
He folded his arms over his chest again and waited while Molly massaged the tense muscles at the back of her neck with one hand. So much for feeling better after metal hammering.
“I hooked up with a guy who looked really good on paper,” she finally said. “A semi-professional athlete.” Finn’s eyebrows lifted and she glared at him. “Don’t be so surprised.”
He took a couple steps closer. “I didn’t think you were into athletics.”
“I can watch quite nicely.” And she had once enjoyed hiking and skiing. “Anyway, eventually it became...very clear...that we had different expectations in life and that being together wasn’t going to work. For me, anyway.” She ran her fingertips over the smooth, cool metal of the hood. “I wasted a few years of my life on a guy who blindsided me. I’d been... I don’t know...amazed that he and I had hit it off so well. I totally bought into the opposites-attract thing.”
“How’d he blindside you, Molly?”
She shook her head. He didn’t need to know all of her humiliations. “Let’s just say he did. And to keep it from happening again, I did a lot of soul searching. I wrote down what made me feel most comfortable and secure in life. Made a long list. Then I pared it down to a short list of nonnegotiables.”
“What’s your number one objective, Molly?”
“Security.” She wanted to feel as if her world was safe and predictable. And she wanted the people in her world to play by her rules.
“Not love?”
“Not if it interferes with security.”
Finn gave a slow nod. “This guy must have taken you for quite a ride.”
“Yes. And I’m not about to get on board again.
He considered her words for a moment, then said, “What if a guy didn’t want anything from you that would interfere with your security?”
“What are you getting at, Finn?”
