Page 8 of Turn the Tide
Chapter 3
“So…wait.” Norah frowned when Molly finished telling her sisters a mildly edited version of the day’s events. If they knew how close she’d come to being shot and/or beaten, they’d be upset, and Molly tried very hard to keep her sisters content. After all the nonsense their mom had put them through growing up, they deserved to be happy. “Was he helping or not?”
“If he was, he’s the worst helper in the world,” Molly said, the last couple of words swallowed in a yawn. “He sure is pretty, though.”
Charlie and Cara exchanged what Molly called their “silent twin speech” look. “You like him?” Cara asked carefully.
“Of course not. He’s ridiculous. I just found him objectively aesthetically appealing.”
“Riiiight.” Felicity drew out the word in the most sarcastic way possible, and Molly tried to glare her into submission, but it wasn’t working. She was too sleepy and drained and satisfied to hold her annoyance, and her frown quickly shifted back to a smile.
“The important thing is that Cara has her tuition money back,” Molly said as Cara looked both stricken and hopeful.
“I can’t—”
“Nope.”
“But there’s—”
“You’re going back to school,” Molly said with finality. “I’ll keep it in my account, and that way, you can honestly tell Mom that you don’t have any money.”
Cara blinked, the stricken look fading until only hope remained. “I’m going to pay you back.”
“Please.” Molly flipped a hand at her. “You work so many hours, I oweyoumoney.”
As Cara’s eyes began to gleam with the start of grateful tears, Molly stood up, swaying slightly.
“You can be emotional tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going to take an extra-long shower, then I’m going to bed. I’m going to sleep for a minimum of twelve hours, and I will most likely have something frosted and bad for me for breakfast tomorrow.”
Blinking rapidly, Cara smiled. “Sounds like a plan. I’m going to register for classes.”
The excitement in her sister’s voice sent anotherpingof joy through Molly. As she dragged herself upstairs, her brain was full of thoughts. The business was succeeding—only just, but that was better than being in the red. Cara wouldn’t miss any school, Charlie and Felicity were ecstatic to keep chasing and tackling skips, and Norah loved to research and play with their tech. Warrant was just happy to fall asleep under the table and use someone’s foot as a pillow.
Things were good.
So why couldn’t she stop thinking about John Carmondy?
Forget him, the practical voice in her head ordered.You probably won’t ever see him again.
She gave a determined nod, ignoring the niggling feeling that she was just fooling herself. John Carmondy, with his stupid muscles and dimples and wicked sense of humor, would not be so easy to forget.
