Chapter 30 Molly
MOLLY
I walk out of the exam room of the orthopedic surgeon’s office the following morning without crutches, a boot, a scooter, or anything aiding my gait for the first time since the accident.
Piper, who volunteered to drive me to my follow-up appointment, is waiting in the lobby. She’s here instead of Chase because he’s been out since first light repairing the damage to the greenhouse.
“Look at you,” she says, tossing her magazine on one of the nearby tables as she stands. “Walking on sunshine and all that.”
I smile because the waiting room is filled with patients, most of them now staring at me, and I’m blinking away tears.
“Oh, Molly.” Piper hugs me tight. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Can we get out of here so I can have a breakdown in your car instead of with an audience?”
“Of course.” She takes my hand and leads me out of the office.
Her Jeep is parked on the far end of the lot, and as we walk toward it, I think about exiting this same office so many weeks ago with my mother-in-law at my side, wondering how I was going to manage my life.
This should be the moment I feel like I am walking on sunshine. Instead, it feels like a dark cloud of challenges is following me, and right now, the emotions are overwhelming.
No more boot means I don’t need Chase’s help anymore. But I’m not ready for him to leave. Not when the future feels uncertain and the farm still stands between us.
We woke up this morning to a mess of leaves and broken glass.
By some miracle, the two fields Chase helped me plant survived the worst of the storm.
But it will take time and money to fix the greenhouse—the space that has become more than my happy place over the past couple of years.
It’s filled with my hopes and dreams for the future.
Seeing the destruction hurt my heart even though it could’ve been so much worse, and I know having Luke safe is the only thing that truly matters.
I put in a call to the insurance company this morning, but I’m not sure Linda will be willing to file a claim. And the loss of income from the starter plants and seedlings is going to hit my bottom line hard.
To his credit, Chase didn’t say a word, even though he has to know the loss of inventory puts my plan in jeopardy.
I’m afraid it could impact my chances of securing the loan I need to buy the property.
The setback is also a reminder that I’m still competing with him.
He’s done so much to make me feel like we’re on the same page.
The same team. But I don’t dare allow myself to wonder what it might be like if that were true.
What we could accomplish if we worked together toward our dreams.
I haven’t even told him that I love him, but he has to know. I want to believe he feels the same way. Even more, that it means he’ll stay.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Piper after a few minutes of ugly crying in her car. I wipe a sleeve over my wet cheeks. “Yesterday was a lot, and I’m tired. But I’m also so happy my ankle is healed.”
“You need a latte,” she says instead of directly addressing my mini-meltdown. To be honest, I appreciate the tactic. “We’re stopping at The Roasted Sky on the way home.”
“I made a pot of coffee this morning and should—”
“Also an apple fritter,” she says.
I have so much to do, but a fancy coffee and one of Sally’s homemade pastries is exactly what I need.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Sadie’s little sister when she returned to town.
Sadie had given up so much to raise Piper after their mother died, and it didn’t feel like Piper appreciated it.
Plus, based on her engagement to Sadie’s former high school crush—who, by all accounts, is a complete tool—she has horrible taste in men.
But Piper is even younger than me, and I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Lots of people make stupid choices when they’re young.
I also understand what it’s like to grow up as a motherless daughter.
Turns out we have more in common than you’d think, and I’ve grown close to her these past few months.
When we walk into The Roasted Sky, Sally stands behind the counter at the coffee shop she bought a few years ago.
She was Sadie’s best friend growing up, which made her like a big sister to Piper.
And while everyone who works there is fantastic, I suspect Sally has a secret stash of unicorn tears she adds to make her concoctions particularly magical.
“Hey, ladies,” she says as we approach. It’s mid-morning and the start of the work week, but the crowd is a testament to the cheery shop’s popularity. “How about that storm last night?”
Piper grimaces as she glances over at me and makes a slashing motion across her neck.
“Oh, no.” Sally’s gaze follows Piper’s. “Was there damage at the farm?”
I nod, my stomach clenching automatically. “Lightning struck one of the cottonwoods, and a branch fell on the corner of the greenhouse.”
“I’m so sorry.” Sally shakes her head. “Did the flowers survive?”
“For the most part.” I offer a tight smile. “The main crops this time of year are in the fields and the hail netting protected them. But there are some losses, and the repairs aren’t going to be cheap.”
“Then I think an on-the-house emotional support coffee is just what you need.”
“We’ll take an apple fritter, too, please,” Piper tells her. “But this is also a celebration. As of a few minutes ago, Molly’s leg is boot-free.”
“Fantastic. I’ll make something special that will fit both.” Sally winks. “Off my secret menu.”
That pulls an actual smile from me. “I didn’t know you had a secret menu.”
“We all have secrets,” she says. “Mine are of the delicious variety. How are the twins?”
“They’re good.” At least I can say that with some certainty, but I need to change the subject.
It’s not that Luke getting lost in the storm is a secret.
I just haven’t told anyone why he went out in the first place.
The emotions are still too raw and too close to the surface.
And despite my close call with tears in the doctor’s office, I prefer not to lose my shit in public on the regular.
“Is Trina enjoying pregnancy?” Sally and her wife are expecting their first baby in a few months.
“He kicked for the first time the other day.” Sally grins as she steams the milk. “It scared the crap out of us, to be honest. But it was also pretty amazing.”
“You two are going to be the best parents,” Piper says.
“You’re going to be a heck of an auntie. I can’t tell you how many times my wife has reassured herself and me that we can get through anything having a nurse in the family.”
Piper’s smile goes a little tight around the edges. “I can’t wait to be an auntie.”
I know she means it, but there’s something she’s not saying. As the coffee maker whirs, I think about Sally’s comment that everybody has secrets. It seems like Piper is holding hers close.
Sally places our drinks and a plated apple fritter on the counter and refuses to let us pay.
“Celebratory coffee and an emotional support pastry,” she explains, and I blow her a kiss.
It’s not as if caffeine and sugar can take away all my troubles, but somehow they do make life seem more manageable. Piper and I turn toward one of the tables that’s just been vacated.
“Hey, Molly,” an older man says as he enters the shop, the bells above the door ringing cheerfully.
“Hey, George. Did you get my message about the greenhouse? Like I said, I don’t know that it’s worth a call to Linda. It might be easier to wait until she’s back, but I’d love to have you come out and take a look if you have time.”
He frowns and adjusts the belt that is barely visible underneath his round belly. “The decision to file a claim or pay for repairs needs to be made by the new owner.”
Coffee sloshes over the side of my cup. Piper, who has already placed hers on the table, takes the mug from me.
“What do you mean, new owner?” I’m unsure which is racing faster—my mind or my heartbeat—as I watch George process the question. “She has a tentative agreement to sell the farm to Chase, but nothing has been finalized.”
He shakes his head. “They signed the contract last week. It’s all e-signatures these days. The closing is set for a few days after she returns.” He offers a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. I figured they would have told you. I guess it doesn’t matter.”
Which sounds a whole lot like I don’t matter, if you ask me.
He glances down at the floor, then back up at me. “You’re missing the boot. Congrats on being done gimping around.”
“You can’t say gimping around,” Piper tells the man with a sharp glare.
George looks as if he wishes he’d skipped the trip to the coffee shop. “It’s just an expression. You’re Sadie Hart’s little sister, right? Your sister is real sweet.”
Piper bares her teeth. “I’m not sweet, and don’t use that word. It’s derogatory and offensive. You know the McAllister property should stay in the family.”
“Okay, well…I won’t say it again. But as far as the sale, I had nothing to do with that.” He holds up his meaty hands. “I’m the insurance guy, Molly. I’m sorry this is upsetting you, but it’s business. That’s all.”
The business of me losing the future I’ve been working so hard to earn. My vision goes hazy at the edges, and even though I’m standing on two good feet, I feel like I’m about to lose my balance.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to shoot the messenger, George.” I try to sound normal, as if my insides aren’t shattering into a million pieces. “I knew they were in talks, but I didn’t realize things had gotten that far.”
“I’m sorry about the damage to your greenhouse. I’m sure Chase and Linda will take care of things.”
The smile I give him feels like it could crack my face. “I’m sure.” And here I am once again, relegated to the children’s table while the adults work things out.
Piper takes my hand and leads me to the table. “You doing okay?”
“I’m trying not to have another meltdown in the middle of the coffee shop.”
She grabs the keys to the Jeep from her purse and hands them to me. “You go out to the car. I’ll have Sally put our drinks in to-go cups and meet you out there. You can scream or cry or whatever you need to do. Do you want me to call Sadie or Avah?”
I shake my head, the pain in my heart at Chase’s betrayal making it difficult to breathe. “I think I might kill him.” My voice sounds thready. God, I feel so weak and so stupid. I assume Piper knows I’m joking about murder, but she nods.
“I’ve got a shovel in the back of the Jeep, and I’m strong.” Piper sounds completely sincere. “I can bury a body with the best of them.”
I can barely manage a smile, but it’s exactly what I needed to hear. All joking aside, Piper’s support is a reminder that there are people who have my back, even if the man I’ve fallen in love with isn’t one of them.