“Unfortunately, I can’t. Jesse never told me he was ill. The last time we talked was over eight years ago.”
“Surely you knew how to contact him.”
“I tried, many times, but in the end, he blocked me… on all platforms. We didn’t have any mutual friends—I had no idea he even had a twin.”
“Jesse never told you about Jake?”
“Not once.”
“Pfft. I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true, and while I’ve no control over your beliefs, in my Pollyanna way of looking at life back then, I conjured up all kinds of scenarios as to why Jesse rejected me. In the end, I decided to just chalk it up to experience.” Molly cleared her throat, struggling to talk around the forming lump.
Hazel stood, poured Molly a cup of water from the cooler, and handed it to her. “Here.”
“Thank you.” She took a sip, the water too cold for her liking, and continued, “The first time I saw Jake, I honestly thought he was Jesse. It was Annabelle who told me that Jesse had died. I didn’t believe her at first, and when she mentioned his will, I was shocked.”
“So why did you end up in Clifton Falls if you didn’t know about the money?”
“I have family here—CeCe, my cousin, has been my best friend since we were kids. My US visa had run its course, and I’d had enough of big cities for a while, so I came here.”
“Well, that’s not how Alexia tells it, and apparently, you two are friends.”
Molly stiffened at the mention of Jake’s pseudo-stepsister. “Alexia and I are definitely not friends. And never will be.”
“No, well, she’s been in a spot of bother lately, so maybe that’s for the best. Her poor father.” Hazel shook her head. “So what about Jake? Are you still hell-bent on seeing him?”
“Our relationship’s complicated, and for you to call it a sad little betrayal is grossly unfair, especially on Jake.”
“Look, I can see now that I might’ve been a little harsh, but the bottom line is, you were once Jesse’s girl, and that will never change.”
Molly waited for her to throw the words “second best”into the mix, but she said nothing more. “And why should that matter?”
“Well… I’m thinking of Jake here. He’s been through a lot lately.”
“Of course. And I never wanted to have anything to do with him when we first met, for obvious reasons, but it seems the fickle hand of fate had other ideas. And while we may never be a couple going forward, I’m sure we’ll always be friends. However, our future is ours to work out. Not yours or Alexia’s…ours,and I hope in time, you’ll come to respect that.”
“Or what? You’ll take Jake away from us?”
“No, that’s not how I operate. There is no way I’d try to turn Jake against you or Henry. But I also want to make it clear that my life choices will never be governed by you.”
Hazel stiffened, her back ramrod straight, and inhaled sharply. “Noted.”
“Good. I’m glad we understand each other.” Molly stood and dropped the paper cup into the waste basket under the cooler. “Thanks for your time. I’ll see myself out.”
Just as she was about to pull the door open, Hazel spoke. “Molly, do you love my son?”
She turned. Hesitated. “Yes. Very much. He’s a wonderful man… complex, but kind and caring.” Molly watched Hazel nod in agreement. “And just for the record, I was never really Jesse’s girl. Some days during that summer, I wished it to be true, but he wouldn’t allow it.
“As for Ava, according to Jake, they’re over and have been for months. He insists there’s no going back, and I have no reason to disbelieve him. Anyway, thank you for your time. I’ll see myself out.”
A few doors down from Hazel’s office, Molly slipped into a brightly lit cafe, where she ordered a pot of tea and a scone from the counter. She’d done it—followed through with her decision to visit Hazel, said her piece, and left with her dignity in tact.
Feeling quietly pleased with herself, she was about to look for a table when she noticed Alexia waving her over from her position in the corner of the room. “Molly, come sit.”
WTF?Molly cast her eyes around the packed cafe, then approached the table but remained standing.
“I’m so glad you’re here, hon,” Alexia gushed as she smoothed a hand down her hair. “Sorry for being such a bitch the other day, but I’ve had a lot going on lately.”
