Chapter 36

36

Molly stood outside Hazel Sinclair’s office building and took a deep breath. The last time they met, she hadn’t felt the need to air the details of her relationship with Jesse, but now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she and Hazel were long overdue for a chat.

She sat in the waiting room, staring at her phone until Hazel approached from down the corridor.

“Gosh, this is a surprise. Are you here to purchase some real estate?”

“No, but I wondered if we could have a word.”

“What about?”

Molly held her gaze but remained silent. The office foyer wasn’t the place to elaborate.

Hazel shifted her stance. “Come on down. My last appointment just canceled, so you’re in luck.”

Molly followed her into a small office that faced the road and sat in the chair offered as Hazel slipped behind her desk. “I assume this is about Jake.”

“Yes… and Jesse, to some extent.”

Hazel leaned forward, clasping her hands in front of her on the desk. “I thought we covered everything the last time we met.”

Deep breaths. “I disagree, and I’d like the opportunity to set the record straight.”

“All right. I understand you’ve rejected Jesse’s bequeath.”

“Yes, I thought it was the right thing to do.”

Hazel held her gaze. “Perhaps it was. I still have no idea why he changed his will to include you, but maybe you can fill me in.”

“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.”

For the first time since meeting her, Alexia looked slightly unkempt. Her nails were chipped, her makeup caked, and there were faint dark circles under her eyes. Molly’s mind skipped back to Hazel’s passing remark about Alexia being in a spot of bother and wondered what she’d meant.

“Please, hon, sit down. We can still be friends, right? I could really do with a friend right now.”

Molly couldn’t quite read her tone, so she sat but remained wary. They’d never be friends, but there was no need to inform Alexia of that fact. Not yet, anyway.

“Have you seen Jake today?” Alexia asked.

Molly waited while the server set her order on the table. “No, I haven’t. Is everything okay?”

“I just need to talk to him about this money thing. He’s not at the patisserie, not answering his phone, and even Hazel’s too busy to take my calls. Can you text him for me?”

Molly poured her tea. “I would, but my phone’s flat.”

“He’s doing it on purpose. I blame that Ava bitch. Not that he’s mentioned her since he’s been back. Maybe they had a fight.”

Molly kept sipping her tea, trying her best to feign concern. “So you’ve seen him recently?”

“Yeah, he invited me over for a drink the other night. We had a nice time, so I just don’t get it. Anyway, what have you heard? Are they back together?”

“I have no idea.”

Alexia narrowed her eyes at Molly. “Hey, my bad. I know you have a crush on the guy, and here I am, talking about Ava. You must be devastated—first Jesse, now Jake. Actually, I’ve been really concerned for you, hon.”

As if. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll cope.”

“Good for you, but honestly, take my advice and stay away from the Sinclairs. There’s no loyalty in that family and you’re far too sweet to get mixed up in their drama.”

Surprisingly, her words had no effect. In fact, Molly found them rather liberating. “Anyway, I really should go.”

“But you haven’t touched your scone.”

She stood, wrapped the scone in a napkin, and then rummaged through her bag when her phone buzzed with an incoming call.

Alexia stared. “I thought you said your phone was flat?”

Molly shrugged and checked her phone screen. “Oh, speaking of Jake! I’d better take this. Enjoy your day, hon .”

She put the phone to her ear and answered the call with a cheery “Hey, babe,” then winked at the stunned Alexia and strolled out the door without so much as a backward glance.

In contrast to her meeting with Hazel, her dignity may now have been a little ruffled, but it was so worth it.

CeCe chuckled down the line. “ Babe ? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds coming from you?”

As she walked along the street to her car, Molly couldn’t keep the grin from her face. “Don’t worry. I was just making a point. And, shit, it felt good.”

“Sorry, I don’t follow.”

“Let’s just say that I’ve finally earned my ‘bad ass bitch’ crown! I’ve worn it twice today already.”

“Go you.”

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