Mollyturned to me wearing an expression that was too casual to be honest. “I toldyou why. No sense inwishin’ for things I don’t havethe means of getting.”
Icocked my head with consideration. “But you’ve always had the means. I could’vehelped you at any point to get your foot in the door.”
Shelooked away, training a hardening stare on the creepy monument of aRevolutionary War soldier and one lone blond guy, shielding his gaze from thestatue as he hurried from the apartment above the diner across the street. Ipinched the space between my brows and huffed angrily at myself for killing theserenity with an implication of her childhood abandonment. Something she seldomtalked about.
I abandoned her, too. Witha rough swallow at the thought, I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have said—”
“It’sfine.”
Igrunted something close to a laugh. “Now you sound like me.”
“Sucks,doesn’t it?” She leaned forward, planting her elbow to a knee and resting herchin in her palm. “There’s nothing wrong with being comfortable where you are,Chad.”
“Andwho says I don’t already feel like that?” I countered.
Turningto me, she asked, “What do you mean?”
“Imean, maybeIdon’t move across the damn country because there’s toomuch at home to lose.”
“Yourparents would—” She caught herself, cocking her head. “No, they probablywouldn’tleave, would they. They love that house.”
“Sodo I,” I admitted. “Iwannainherit that place, just like my mama did. I want it to stay in my family.” Ileft out the heartbreaking fact that my family would die with me if I never hadkids of my own to pass it on to.
Mollynodded, her eyes clouding with sentiment. “Good.”
“Good?”
Shesmiled. “I love that house, too. Lots of memories.”
***
“So,Molly, since you’re the only lady on this bus, I’m doing you the favor ofgiving you the bedroom,” Sebastian announced, heading down the hallway to pushopen the door at the end.
“Hesays this like he’s the one calling the shots,” Ty grumbled toward my ear.
“Ishould get the bedroom,” Sebastian’s son, Greyson, disputed. “I’m theyoungest.”
Sebastiancocked his head curiously. “I fail to follow your logic.”
“It’simportant I have my own space, Dad. It helps with my personal growth.”
Mollyturned to glance at me, her eyes glinting with laughter, as Sebastian scoffed.“I’ve got a space for you right over here, wiseass,” and he pulled back thecurtain on a bunk. “Nice and roomy, perfect for all yourpersonal growth.”
“AuntTabs isgonnabe pretty pissed at you,” Greysonthreatened, and Sebastian rolled his eyes as he said, “Your aunt will be pissedthatyouwanted to take an actualbedroom away from a woman in a bus full of guys.”
“Thisisgonnabe likelivin’ ina frat house, isn’t it?” Molly turned to Ty and me, worry and excitementcoalescing in her eyes.
Tylaughed. “Not if I can help it. I’m too old for that shit.”
“Itwon’t be that bad,” I assured her. “Just wait ‘til Sebastian startscookin’.”
“Thenit’ll be a little less grotesque, and a little more gourmet,” Sebastian braggedwith that smug grin of his. “Yougottatry my filetmignon. It’sfreakin’ orgasmic. Guaranteed to get melaid every time I cook it for my w—”
“Dad.Please,” Greyson complained againstthe comment about Sebastian’s wife, who also happened to be his aunt, beforedisappearing into his designated bunk.
“Anyway,”Sebsighed, turning to Molly. “Make yourself at home in the bedroom back there,sweetheart. The room’s all yours to do all your girly things.”
“Thankyakindly,” she drawled sweetly, batting her lashes.
