Chapter 25 Molly #2
My friends and the guys are finishing up stringing lights along the edge of the white tent the rental company set up behind the barn.
The flower fields are a sea of color on either side, with early wildflowers blooming in shades of pink, purple and orange.
We arranged the tables in a crescent shape that follows the natural curve of the hills beyond the farm, covering them with white tablecloths and setting up folding chairs.
Mason jars with the bouquets I carefully arranged sit at the center of each table.
It looks elegant without being too fancy, and is everything I imagined.
“Is there more you need?” Taylor asks as the book club members gather around me.
I’m overwhelmed by how they’ve rallied around me today, transforming my anxiety into something that feels almost manageable.
“I think things are under control, and Chase will be here if I need anything. The catering company should arrive shortly, so I’ll have plenty of hands on deck.”
“Chase is different than I thought he’d be,” Sloane says. “Gentler than I expected from a bull rider. Maybe falling for Molly—”
“No.” I hold up a hand. “We’re not talking like that.”
Avah snorts. “You can’t deny how he looks at you.”
“I don’t want to talk about that either.”
“Honey, part of living life on your terms is also living your love life on your terms,” Sloane says.
“I know, but it’s different for me. I have kids I need to think about.”
“I just watched him with your son,” Piper says, then makes a show of fanning herself. “It was disturbingly hot. I didn’t even know that maternal kink was a thing.”
I know she’s teasing, but the moment between Chase and Luke feels too precious to be turned into something casual. “It wasn’t any kind of kink,” I answer.
“You know what I mean.”
“We all know what you mean.” Sadie wraps an arm around Piper’s shoulders.
“We love you, Piper,” Avah adds, “but have you ever heard of the phrase ‘say less’?”
All of us grin at that, then Taylor reaches for my hand. “Don’t rule out a future because it didn’t start the way you thought it should,” she says. “Not all happy endings are straightforward, but a curved path can get you there just the same.”
“And if a guy can give you a happy ending—” Piper starts, until Sadie pinches her arm “Owww.”
“Is this what it’s like talking to me?” Avah asks no one in particular.
“Yes,” we all answer.
“Good to know.”
“Are you sure you don’t want the kids to spend the night with us?” Sadie asks.
“Or they’re welcome at my mom’s house,” Piper offers.
“It’s your house now,” Sadie reminds her.
The tall blonde nods but doesn’t look convinced. I get that. I might be working hard to make the farm mine, but I wonder if it will ever truly feel that way.
“The twins are excited about the wedding,” I say with a smile.
“The bride said they’re welcome, so I think I’ll let them stay.
When I buy the farm and expand what I’m doing, we’re going to have lots of events.
I need to make sure they’re on board with what this will mean.
It’s going to be a big change for all of us. ”
“You’re investing in yourself,” Sloane says, her eyes bright with excitement. “The bucket list strikes again.”
I hold up a hand. “I’m not there yet, so don’t jinx me.”
“Cheering you on,” she counters, “is not the same as jinxing. I’m proud of you, Mols.”
The rest of my friends echo that sentiment with warm hugs and reminders that they want to hear all about how tonight goes.
As I watch their cars pull away, I’m struck by how different this feels from the isolation I carried through my marriage.
These women have shown up for me in ways I never expected.
When the dust settles and silence returns to the property, I realize Chase must have slipped away while we were saying our goodbyes. Butterflies flutter across my middle as I think about the potential of what this night could mean. In a few hours, I’ll find out if my leap of faith could pay off.
Luke and Laurel are on the couch watching a show when I come in.
“Hey, what’s the rule about TV on the weekends?”
My daughter grins. “We’re in our nice clothes, so we figured today could be an exception. We didn’t want to get dirty before the wedding. Right, Lukey?”
“Right,” he says, his voice not quite as sure. He shifts closer to his sister in a quiet show of solidarity.
Solidarity and love. Their bond is strong, and I love that for them. I love knowing they’ll always have somebody in their corner.
“That’s a good point,” I say.
Laurel’s eyes widen as Luke breathes out a sigh of relief.
I check the time. The bridal party and guests will be arriving soon. “I’m going to shower and get dressed. When I’m done, I need to talk to the caterers. Then I could use your help placing the ceremony programs on the benches.”
“I’ve never been to a wedding,” Laurel says.
“Me neither,” Luke echoes.
“If this one goes well, we’ll hopefully be holding more of them here. Maybe we’ll fix up the old office in the barn so the bridal party can use it to get ready.”
I grab the remote and mute the television before turning to my kids.
“I want you both to pay attention to how you feel tonight, and if you think it will be okay to host these sorts of events in the future. Some areas of the farm will be private for us, but if we’re going to stay here, this is going to be part of it. We all need to be okay with it.”
Luke sits up straighter. “Is Chase going to be our neighbor once your ankle is better?”
“He’s not going to stay in that Airstream forever,” I say with a laugh that they hopefully don’t notice sounds tight.
“But he grew up next door,” Luke reminds me.
“His childhood home burned down a few years ago. You know that.”
“He can build another house,” Laurel offers. “And keep Fancy and Gumdrop in our barn.”
My heart trips over itself at their hopeful faces.
They don’t know about the financial tightrope we’re walking--that if I can’t scrape together enough money to buy this place outright, Chase might end up purchasing it from their nana instead.
The irony isn’t lost on me. The man my children are already counting on as a permanent fixture could end up owning the ground beneath our feet.
I can’t bring myself to crush their dreams with those harsh realities, especially when part of me shares their longing for him to stay. Taylor’s words about curved paths echo in my mind, but right now I can’t see around the bend to imagine how any of this works out.
“Let’s just focus on tonight,” I say finally, hitting the button to turn on the sound again. “One step at a time.”