“I came to find you later—at the auction,” she continued, “but you’d already left.”
“Yeah, I get peopled out sometimes,” he murmured before rolling onto his side. “Plus, I have work in the morning. Goodnight,mon ange.”
Molly slept late, and when she awoke around nine, the curtains were pulled against the daylight, and Jake had left for work.
She lay on her back, the scent of him surrounding her as she recalled the phrase that had fallen so fluently from his lips just hours before.Mon ange.What did it mean?Of course, she could have googled it, but for now, she’d let it rest in her imagination for a while.
Molly surveyed the room. With her love of books and plants and shoes, she’d never been into the minimalist look, but she had to admit it suited him—a no-fuss kind of guy with a no-fuss kind of home.
The en suite shower was powerful and hot, and in the alcove that held his toiletries, Molly was surprised to find an array of Botanical C products—CeCe’s organic body-care brand.
Although she enjoyed living in her tiny house, she missed the space and amenities of a larger property, so she washed her hair and took her time in a shower more than three times the size of hers.
Dried and dressed, Molly made the bed and opened the curtains. She stared out over the treetops, stockings in one hand and suspenders in the other. The day was overcast, with leaves stirring across the lawn, and as she opened the window to let in some fresh air, a keen sense of separation arose. It didn’t feel right, being in Jake’s home without him.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Molly grabbed her phone from her bag and unlocked it. She’d expected him to have messaged her already, but the only text she’d received was from CeCe, asking if she’d made it home okay.
Her fingers raced across the keypad, her battery almost flat.
Molly:Whoops. Sorry. I meant to text you last night. Are you in town?
CeCe:Yep. Shall I call in?
Molly:Actually, can you pick me up? I’m at Jake’s and he’s gone to work.
CeCe:OK. I’m just leaving the mall. Be there in 5. But fair warning. I want to know everything!!! Silkwood Cres?
Molly:Thanks. #8.
After returning her phone to her bag, Molly looked around the room for her coat. She spotted it draped over the arm of the sofa, her heels arranged neatly below it.
As she slipped it on, one hand slid into the pocket, where, she discovered, he’d left a handwritten note.
Thanks for last night.
Enjoy your day.
Jake.
Molly smiled as she made her way outside and locked the door behind her. She strolled down the driveway and waited beside the mailbox. By the time CeCe arrived, she was frozen to the core.
She opened the passenger door and slipped inside. “Thanks for this. I was going to walk, but then I remembered the heels.”
“What’s the context here? I thought you had that auction thing last night.”
“I did, but Jake was there too, so…”
CeCe pulled away from the curb. “So?”
“Well, you know…” Molly gazed out the passenger window as they travelled along the port road. “Anyway, it’s just casual.”
“And is he as serious in the bedroom as he is outside of it?”
She looked CeCe’s way, knowing there was only one answer to that very personal question. “Yes, definitely.”
“And that’s okay?”
“Let’s just say I never knew what big-girl sex was until a few nights ago.”
