father figure to my daughter and a confidante for me. But I’m not in love with him, Molly. I’ve always known his heart was somewhere else. Just as mine is.”
Molly sighed. “You’re still not over the lowlife, are you?”
Kim aimed a warning look that said, not in front of Sara. Molly clamped her mouth shut. Why her sister was still hung up on Sara’s father was beyond her. He’d up and transferred across the country without a qualm, had never contacted his daughter. In Molly’s opinion, he didn’t deserve the pedestal Kim put him on.
“Please,” Kim pleaded. “Talk to Jason.”
Molly nodded, saying nothing.
The nurse came in to check Kim’s vitals, saving Molly from admitting that she and Jason had already kissed. And fought.
When Molly returned home, Jason’s truck was parked in Kim’s driveway. They hadn’t eaten dinner yet and as soon as Sara saw the truck, she started squirming in her seat.
Molly shut off the car and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. Like it or not, for the next few weeks she was going to have to put up with Jason being around. And she was going to have to ignore the fact that he was still as sexy, maybe even more so, than he’d been all those years ago.
He opened the front door and stared out at her, making her heart pound foolishly. Her resolve was about to be put to the test.
Chapter Four
Molly took a deep breath as she pocketed the keys. Sara was practically bouncing out of her skin, seeing Jason filling the doorway. He was standing there like he owned the place, tall and uncompromising, and it made Molly immediately defensive. She should have known he’d have his own key, but it made her feel like she had when she’d realized that he was Kim’s next-of-kin number. Now it seemed nowhere was safe from him.
She approached him coolly. “Something I can do for you?”
He looked down at her, clearly confused. “Kim called me. Said you needed help with the fuse box or something.”
All Molly’s aloofness evaporated as a laugh snorted out of her nose and she shook her head. Kim wouldn’t let up, would she? “And you believed her?”
“It does sound kind of lame now, doesn’t it?”
His deep chuckle warmed her and she glanced up to find his face more relaxed. She resisted the urge to reach up and touch the rough jawline.
Sara ran on ahead and took off her boots and jacket, leaving them strewn on the floor. Molly bent to pick them up before taking off her own coat. “I wish Kim wouldn’t interfere.”
Jason stepped all the way inside and shut the door. It seemed so…proprietary. Briefly Molly felt as if she was the visitor, even though this was Kim’s house and she was the one staying here. Not to mention she now felt trapped in the tiny foyer with him.
“Interfere with what?” he asked, and she swallowed.
Her hands now empty of outerwear, she turned and let her gaze meet his. “She thinks we should talk.”
“She would,” Jason murmured with a tiny smile. “She’d expect us to sit down over a cup of tea and work it all out. That’s her way.”
From the sound of it, he heartily approved. Irritated, Molly couldn’t stop the thought that Jason and Kim actually deserved each other… Mr. and Mrs. Paragons of Virtue.
But that wasn’t fair—at least not to Kim.
“We tried that, remember? Only it was coffee and we ended up shouting at each other.” And had upset Sara as well. Now at least her niece was around to run interference. Molly led the way to the living room, where Sara had already turned on the television and was watching a kids’ program. The last thing she’d wanted after dredging up the past with Kim was rehashing it with Jason. She wished he’d just leave since he knew the emergency was bogus. She absently ruffled Sara’s hair before speaking again.
“You know, it amazes me. She’s nearly four, but she already knows every button on the remote control.” She smiled, but it faded as she continued. “Anyway, I
Molly sighed. “You’re still not over the lowlife, are you?”
Kim aimed a warning look that said, not in front of Sara. Molly clamped her mouth shut. Why her sister was still hung up on Sara’s father was beyond her. He’d up and transferred across the country without a qualm, had never contacted his daughter. In Molly’s opinion, he didn’t deserve the pedestal Kim put him on.
“Please,” Kim pleaded. “Talk to Jason.”
Molly nodded, saying nothing.
The nurse came in to check Kim’s vitals, saving Molly from admitting that she and Jason had already kissed. And fought.
When Molly returned home, Jason’s truck was parked in Kim’s driveway. They hadn’t eaten dinner yet and as soon as Sara saw the truck, she started squirming in her seat.
Molly shut off the car and rested her forehead on the steering wheel. Like it or not, for the next few weeks she was going to have to put up with Jason being around. And she was going to have to ignore the fact that he was still as sexy, maybe even more so, than he’d been all those years ago.
He opened the front door and stared out at her, making her heart pound foolishly. Her resolve was about to be put to the test.
Chapter Four
Molly took a deep breath as she pocketed the keys. Sara was practically bouncing out of her skin, seeing Jason filling the doorway. He was standing there like he owned the place, tall and uncompromising, and it made Molly immediately defensive. She should have known he’d have his own key, but it made her feel like she had when she’d realized that he was Kim’s next-of-kin number. Now it seemed nowhere was safe from him.
She approached him coolly. “Something I can do for you?”
He looked down at her, clearly confused. “Kim called me. Said you needed help with the fuse box or something.”
All Molly’s aloofness evaporated as a laugh snorted out of her nose and she shook her head. Kim wouldn’t let up, would she? “And you believed her?”
“It does sound kind of lame now, doesn’t it?”
His deep chuckle warmed her and she glanced up to find his face more relaxed. She resisted the urge to reach up and touch the rough jawline.
Sara ran on ahead and took off her boots and jacket, leaving them strewn on the floor. Molly bent to pick them up before taking off her own coat. “I wish Kim wouldn’t interfere.”
Jason stepped all the way inside and shut the door. It seemed so…proprietary. Briefly Molly felt as if she was the visitor, even though this was Kim’s house and she was the one staying here. Not to mention she now felt trapped in the tiny foyer with him.
“Interfere with what?” he asked, and she swallowed.
Her hands now empty of outerwear, she turned and let her gaze meet his. “She thinks we should talk.”
“She would,” Jason murmured with a tiny smile. “She’d expect us to sit down over a cup of tea and work it all out. That’s her way.”
From the sound of it, he heartily approved. Irritated, Molly couldn’t stop the thought that Jason and Kim actually deserved each other… Mr. and Mrs. Paragons of Virtue.
But that wasn’t fair—at least not to Kim.
“We tried that, remember? Only it was coffee and we ended up shouting at each other.” And had upset Sara as well. Now at least her niece was around to run interference. Molly led the way to the living room, where Sara had already turned on the television and was watching a kids’ program. The last thing she’d wanted after dredging up the past with Kim was rehashing it with Jason. She wished he’d just leave since he knew the emergency was bogus. She absently ruffled Sara’s hair before speaking again.
“You know, it amazes me. She’s nearly four, but she already knows every button on the remote control.” She smiled, but it faded as she continued. “Anyway, I
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