Page 60 of Butter You Up
“You’d lose a lot of things that you love,” I tell him.
Alex steps forward, cupping my face with his hands. “I loveyou, Molly.”
Damnit. I’m crying again. “I love you, too.” My gentle man bends down and plants a soft kiss on my lips. I push up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck to pull him down for more. Alex steps even closer, putting our bodies flush and wrapping his arms around me.
Until Dad clears his throat, and we pull apart. My cheeks go up in flames. I’ve never kissed anyone in front of my dad.
“So, are we moving to New York?” Dad asks.
“Yes,” I say. “Yes!”
Alex’s smile is the widest I’ve ever seen it.
A thought occurs to me. “Wait. Where is Dad going to live?”
Alex clears his throat. “Actually, I have some thoughts about that.”
CHAPTER34
ALEX
I staytwo more days in Spokane. Mr. Perkins considerably warms up to me now that Molly and I are back together. The two days I waited for Molly, he had me help him with projects around his trailer. I wonder if, even then, he was thinking about selling it so that he could move.
Molly and I go on a proper date, then back to my hotel room before I drop her off at their home, and Mr. Perkins and I both pretend I haven’t just had sex with his daughter. I help them buy a tent and air mattress for someone to sleep on while they drive Vaniel back to New York, and Mr. Perkins invites me to play pickleball with him and his VA buddies.
It’s an embarrassing loss because I’ve never heard of pickleball before, and being a dairy farmer doesn’t require much hand-eye coordination. I make a note, though, to look into veterans’ services in the Catskills and put together a mental Rolodex of people his age in Fork Lick who might make good friends for him.
Molly takes me to the airport. I give her a tight hug at the curb and we both linger as long as we can. I’m nervous about leaving. What if they get to Fork Lick and decide not to stay?
What if they don’t even make it back to Fork Lick? Or Molly and Mr. Perkins cancel the drive? What if they turn around once they check Pennsylvania off the list, and I never see Molly again?
“This doesn’t feel real,” she says. “Like I’m going to wake up in our trailer and I’ll have dreamed the entire last eight months. How has so much happened?”
I rub my hands up and down her arms. “Same,” I tell her. “But if I wake up, it will have been a fantastic dream.” I allow a small smile. “And then I’ll come find you.”
That’s what I would do. If Molly turns around, I’ll come find her again.
Her smile lights up. Maybe sometimes Molly needs me to be the optimistic one, and that I can do.
With one last kiss, I pick up my bag and wave goodbye to the perky love of my life.
* * *
By the time I pull my truck into Bedd Fellows Farm, it's early evening. I text my brother to let him know I'm on my way to retrieve Trixie.
This trip was the first time I’d spent so many nights away from Udderly, but also the longest I’ve ever been away from Trixie since I adopted her. I hope she doesn’t think I abandoned her.
The moment my truck pulls up Trixie flies out of Baabara’s palace. I bend a knee, and she launches herself at me, licking my face and wiggling so hard I have to put her down. There’s too much energy contained in one small body, and Trixie runs laps around me, around the yard, up the stairs to the house, and back down to my arms again.
Jesus, you would think I was returning from an overseas deployment or something. Finally, her energy gets pushed down to just her tail, and she flops over onto her back, tongue lolling and jowls succumbing to gravity. I put my hand on her chest, feeling that soft, baby-fine fur and her racing heart.
“She isn’t the only one who missed you,” Gran calls down from the top of the stairs.
I keep my focus on Trixie so Gran doesn’t see my reaction. She comes down the stairs and places her hand on my shoulder. “Stay for dinner. Let’s talk.”
I give Trixie a final pat and she races back to Baabara. “Thanks for taking care of her, Gran.”
“She’s my only grand baby.” Gran sniffs while we walk back to the dining room. “She’s been sitting on the porch with me every day. You always leave her out in the truck.”
