Page 102 of Someone to Hold
“I’m trying not to have another meltdown in the middle of the coffee shop.”
She grabs the keys to the Jeep from her purse and hands them to me. “You go out to the car. I’ll have Sally put our drinks in to-go cups and meet you out there. You can scream or cry or whatever you need to do. Do you want me to call Sadie or Avah?”
I shake my head, the pain in my heart at Chase’s betrayal making it difficult to breathe. “I think I might kill him.” My voice sounds thready. God, I feel so weak and so stupid. I assume Piper knows I’m joking about murder, but she nods.
“I’ve got a shovel in the back of the Jeep, and I’m strong.”Piper sounds completely sincere. “I can bury a body with the best of them.”
I can barely manage a smile, but it’s exactly what I needed to hear. All joking aside, Piper’s support is a reminder that there are people who have my back, even if the man I’ve fallen in love with isn’t one of them.
31
CHASE
“She’s here,”Luke shouts from his lookout point at the front window of the farmhouse.
I glance around the farmhouse’s kitchen and give him a thumbs-up. “I think we’re ready.”
Sure, the cupcakes we made are from a box mix and definitely not decorated to Molly McAllister standards, but we sampled one and they’re tasty. It’s the thought that counts, right?
“I’m almost finished with my card,” Laurel says from the table, her tongue sticking out at one corner in concentration.
I’d planned to work on the greenhouse the whole time Molly was at her appointment, but the twins are off school today thanks to some electrical issues in the building after the storm. When they suggested putting together an impromptu celebration for her boot removal, I couldn’t resist.
I managed to get most of the glass and wrecked pots cleaned up and a tarp over the shattered corner to protect it from the elements. The weather forecast is clear for the next few days, with bright sun and blue skies expected to stretch wide over the foothills. I’ve already ordered glass from the local hardware store that we can use to replace the panels.
After the chaos and emotion of last night, we need this. A moment to celebrate and the reminder that healing is possible, even when things still feel messy. Being with Molly and her kids has given me a taste of an emotion I have very little experience with—hope.
I haven’t told her about signing the contract with Linda yet or my plan for subdividing the property. I wanted to make sure I had all the details worked out, and I have to believe she’ll share my vision for the future. The real estate attorney I spoke with assured me that what I want to do is actually doable.
“I’m done.” Laurel hands me the bucket of markers and crayons and adds her card to the stack in the middle of the table.
I even made a ‘congratulations on giving the boot the boot’ card. My footwear drawing looks more like a wet noodle, but hey, once more on the thought counting.
“She’s coming up the stairs,” the kids whisper-shout, bouncing on their toes.
There’s a strange flutter in my chest, like nerves before a ride. Something loosened in me last night. Maybe it was simple relief or the realization of just how much these three have come to mean to me. The way they looked at me with trust instead of fear absolutely destroyed all the walls I’ve spent so long building.
The three of us crouch down behind the sofa as the door opens.
“Now,” I whisper, and they pop up, throwing the streamers I found in a bin in the laundry room into the air.
“Surprise!” we yell.
I’m grinning ear to ear as I stand, but my smile falters as I take in Molly’s expression. Something’s not right. I don’t know what it is, but something’s for sure not right.
“What’s this about?” she asks as Luke and Laurel run toward her.
“It’s a bye-bye-boot party, Mommy,” the boy tells her. “We made cupcakes.”
“You know I love cupcakes,” she says as she hugs them both. Her gaze snaps to mine, then quickly away. I don’t know what’s going on behind those green eyes, but my stomach knots. She’s pulling back. I can feel it like a door closing between us.
“Are you all better?” Laurel asks.
“One hundred percent,” she says, “but there’s no need for a party. We knew this was going to happen.”
“The cupcakes were Chase’s idea,” Laurel tells her mother.
“That’s very nice.” But she doesn’t look like she thinks it’s nice. She looks pissed as hell as color rises on her cheeks, and not the good kind.
