The Last Autograph (A Reluctant Kiss #3)

Chapter 33

33

It had been several days since Molly had last spoken to Jake, days where she’d struggled to sleep, eaten in irregular bursts, and generally moped around the house. When he finally did call, Jake’s words were quietly spoken like whispered secrets—and as the call progressed, she wondered if he was alone.

After Hazel and Alexia’s bombshells concerning Ava, Molly waited for him to broach the subject, but he said nothing about the girl he’d once mentioned in passing.

Now, as the week crept by, Molly increasingly struggled with their connection.

Gloria called in a few times to see how she was. They’d sit and talk over cups of tea, and while she looked forward to those visits, Molly couldn’t seem to break free of the funk that bound her. And, as hard as she tried not to, she still found herself podcasting their cemetery conversation on repeat in her head.

He was looking forward to the break, he’d said, and Molly understood why, but what she didn’t understand was Jake and Hazel’s assumption that, because of a pair of drumsticks and a card slotted into a blue envelope, she was the love of Jesse’s life and that somehow meant her feelings for Jake weren’t valid.

That she was off-limits.

With another workday over, Molly shut down her laptop and picked up her phone to answer CeCe’s call.

“Hi. Where are you?” her cousin asked.

“Still at work,” she replied. “Winston’s given me a couple of days off, so I’m heading home for Mum’s birthday. I’m just tying up a few loose ends first.”

“You’re not driving up tonight, are you?”

“No, I’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”

“Okay. Give Aunty a big birthday hug from me and Luka.”

“Will do.”

“How’s Jake.”

“Okay, I guess. We keep missing each other’s calls. But honestly, he’s not one for talking on the phone, so when we do, it’s kinda awkward.”

“Oh well, he’ll be back soon. But I know the type.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I’d better get out of here. I’m starving. See you next week.”

When she arrived in Tulloch Point, the time difference meant she’d have to wait until after dinner to call Jake. However, as she lay in her childhood bedroom that evening, a familiar confusion surrounding him surfaced. She sometimes found him difficult to read. He’d withdraw into himself when he thought she wasn’t watching, and the longer they spent together, the more apparent it became.

It all seemed to happen so quickly, this trip, and Molly imagined him swanning around Paris, enjoying the northern summer while he and Ava reconnected.

She was about to switch off the light when her phone lit up with an incoming call, and Jake’s name appeared on the screen.

Molly sat up and plastered on a smile as she hit the FaceTime icon. “Hi there.”

“Morning.” Jake flipped his phone to scan his surroundings.

“Wait,” she said, “you’re at the airport?”

“Yep, I caught an earlier flight. I’m in Singapore.”

“So you’ll be home soon?”

Jakes face filled the screen again. He looked exhausted, his hair and beard almost scruffy. “Yes, late tomorrow. Are you in bed already?”

“ Only just. Actually, I’m in Tulloch Point for a couple of days for Mum’s birthday.”

He hesitated. “When will you be home?”

Home? Clifton Falls didn’t feel much like home right at that moment, especially with all the rumors and innuendo about Jake and Ava floating around. “Saturday. I thought you had another week yet.”

“I did, but I have some things to sort out over the next few months, so… And I need to get back to the patisserie.”

Molly didn’t dare ask what those things were. If he’d decided to move back to Paris, she didn’t want to know about it just yet. “Well, you left it in good hands anyway. I saw your dad in there last week. We had coffee together.” Molly thought back to her time with Henry with fondness. “He’s such a charming man.”

Jake chuckled. “He can be.”

“I can’t believe you’re on your way.”

“Yes, well. Another week would’ve been too long. And it’s been so hot.”

They talked a while longer, but nothing much was said. Both of them disliked small talk, so the rest of their conversation seemed forced.

“Anyway, I should get some sleep,” Molly said. “I’ll text you when I’m back in Clifton Falls. Sorry I won’t be there to meet you at the airport.”

“No problem.” He paused as if wanting to continue their conversation. “Molly? Is everything okay?”

Molly slid down into the bed until her head was on the pillow. “Yes, fine. Safe travels.”

When their call ended, she held on to her phone for a moment as she swallowed the lump in her throat. She longed to see his face again but realized she’d not taken a single photo of him—all those pictures of Jesse and not even one of Jake.