Chapter 13
Salem
"Hit you up next month?" Salem asked, smiling at her. "What about your customers between now and then? Are you going to stop taking orders while you work it out?"
Molly was confident and happy, and she smiled as she shook her head. "No, it'll be fine. If anything, my job's going to be easier on that bigger, better equipment."
Salem was annoyed inwardly. The inside of his body actually antsy and agitated. He had to work to stay cool and composed. He pretended not to be jealous or skeptical. He couldn't come to terms with the fact that her landlord had given her a kitchen and he had given her a stool. He felt embarrassed and angry, and he did not show it at all. He smiled and pretended to be happy for her.
He figured he should be happy for her.
There was no reason not to be. It was amazing that she would have better equipment. He really was happy for her.
He just hoped there were no strings attached.
It seemed awfully generous .
Salem didn't want to be skeptical. He wanted to believe that a random person would spend tens of thousands of dollars on a friend and not expect anything in return. He just didn't give Darren Collins that much credit. The guy rubbed him the wrong way.
"What a day," Salem said, smiling at her, and not letting her in on his jaded thoughts.
"Yeah, what a day," she said, beaming at him. "It's been quite a day. It's a trip to go home to a new door into your apartment."
"I bet," Salem said, still smiling. But inwardly he was annoyed. He didn't want anyone making doors into Molly's apartment.
"The day would feel better if I could collect on something you might owe me." She was in good spirits, flirting with him.
"Do you flirt with him?"
"What? With who?"
"Do you act like this with other guys?"
She pulled away. He didn't realize how close she had been until she stepped back and pulled away looking hurt.
"With Darren? Are you accusing me of—"
"No. I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just jealous. I'm jealous that he got you a kitchen and I got you a stepstool."
"I love my stepstool."
"I know, but it's not the same. "
"Yes, it is. It's better. Darren and Michelle have money that doesn't even have to do with the law firm. They have so much money it's not even funny. Michelle opens businesses all the time just for fun. They fail, and she just goes and does it again. I've seen their books, and they waste tens of thousands all the time. Money is not the same to them as it is to me."
Molly was a confident woman. She was younger than Salem, but she was so confident that it scared him a little. She smiled like there was nothing to worry about, and then she moved in slowly and put her hands on his arms. Her fingertips were barely touching his arms, and he felt like he wanted to explode. Molly's eyes met his, and they gazed at each other.
"Salem."
"What?"
"You know how I came up with that whole thing about ten kisses?"
"Yes."
"That's weird. That's not normal for me."
"It's not?" he said, trying not to seem too relieved.
"No, it's not. I'm outgoing, and I like to talk to people and everything, but I am not a forward person romantically. I don't talk to guys, and I don't flirt with guys. I'm shy with guys, honestly. It's a complete miracle that I did what I did with you."
"Is it bad that I care?" he asked .
"No, it's not bad that you care. It's actually really odd that they would spend that kind of money on me. If someone spent that kind of money on you I might ask you about it, too. It doesn't mean you're jealous."
"Yes, it does."
"No, you're just looking out for me."
"I don't think that's the case anymore, Molly. I'm not just looking out for you."
"What are you saying right now?"
"That I don't want you to… I'm not just looking after you as a little sister or someone I care about. I'm also jealous of you, protective of you. I'm not sure if you would consider that a good thing or a bad thing."
She smiled. "Are you saying you want to extend our contract? Should we go to twelve?"
He furrowed his eyebrows when she mentioned extending it for two more. "I thought we were getting into the land of the unlimited," he said.
"The land of unlimited? What's that mean?"
"It means I don't want to put a limit on the number of times we encounter each other. I don't find that desirable. Twelve would just extend it for two. Are you thinking that you're not going to want to ever see me again after this happens only two more times?"
"No, on the contrary, I'll just do or say anything to extend it at all. Remember, I'm the one who talked to you into this in the first place. I'm the instigator. "
He sighed thoughtfully. "Thank goodness you were, Molly."
He wanted to say more. He wanted to tell her all that had happened when he prayed and heard about Isabel. He wanted to say those things, but he didn't want to bring Isabel up.
Molly came closer to him. Her hands had been on his arms, and now she slid her arms around his waist, gently holding onto him as she looked up at him. That dark glowing hair framing her face was just too much. He wondered what he had done to deserve such a rare beauty. She was a hundred times more beautiful than Isabel.
"I heard about that girl getting married," she said as if she was reading his mind.
"You did? How?"
"My sister told me. How long have you known about it?"
"I guess a couple of weeks."
She was quiet, thinking. She was holding onto his waist, but her touch was light and cautious.
Salem had been on edge about that landlord, but all of those feelings started to melt away as she stood next to him, holding him lightly. He could see that she liked him by her posture, and he felt protective, possessive, and all sorts of other masculine urges.
"After Sara told me about it, I was thinking back to that day in your shop. I thought something changed that day, and I wondered… I wondered if yo u knew about her then—that evening when Phillip came in and invited you to dinner."
"Something was different that day, but I didn't know about it, not when you came by. I went to Phillip's to eat, and that's when Addie mentioned it. I felt like that was just such a clear sign from God. But I tend to get in a hurry for things, and dang Molly, I've been making myself pump the breaks for the last two weeks."
"I don't think I quite follow what you're saying," she said, pulling back a little as if he was giving her some bad news.
"It's good," he said, holding her closer.
She held eye contact with him.
"It's just that… that night… I talked to God, and then Addie told me about Isabel, and I was just… relieved, honestly, Molly."
"Why would you be relieved? It's your life. You could've moved on anytime."
"I knew I could, but I didn't think I should… I thought… all I'm saying is that the news about Isabel came as such a relief to me that I wanted to run right out and just… grab you… and… take you home with me… forever and ever." He spoke in a silly, groaning tone, holding onto her lightly, which made her laugh and hold him back.
"You're making me feel like you like me, Salem."
He leaned in to the place where his mouth was near her ear. "That's the idea, Molly." He let the side of his mouth touch her soft cheek, relishing in the closeness, lavishing the feeling. The physical tension was palpable—she was almost shaking.
"So, what were you saying about pumping the breaks?"
"I don't know. I mean, I know we were texting recently, but that was holding back for me." He turned to the side and stretched upward. She latched onto him, hugging him, which made him smile. "I was happy she found someone. I am happy. I want to talk to you about liking you and stuff, and I don't even know where to start." She used her fingertips to touch his back, and he adjusted, leaning into her.
"I think you did pretty good just now," she said.
He looked at her, studying her face. "Because I like you. Did you know that?"
A smile played at the edge of her mouth. "I love that," she said. "Because, guess what, I like you too."
"Then what's that face?" he said, taking in her expression.
"What face?"
"Like you're thinking about it too much."
She smiled. "I probably am," she said. "I was wondering what you meant by like —I'm trying to define it, even though I shouldn't do that. Does that mean we get to go on a date sometime?"
"At least a date. We've already been on dates. At this point, I'm thinking we get take out and eat it on my couch."
"That sounds amazing," she said .
She flexed her fingers, pulling him closer. He was about to kiss her, but she closed her eyes and made a face like she was imagining something.
"Salem?" she said, opening her perfect green eyes again.
"What?"
"I need you to know that… the stool… and the offer of a first date… this is the best graduation present ever."
It crossed Salem's mind to compare it to the kitchen of her dreams that Darren Collins bought her, but he didn't. He wouldn't compare himself to that man when he knew he had Molly's affection in a different way. He knew it by the way she was looking at him. She was attracted to him. She wanted him. She was sweet about it and not forward, but she did want him. She shook like a leaf in his arms. She was shivering. It was May, and not cold at all, and she was shaking. He didn't bring it up because he loved it. She was like a little orange butterfly.
"I saw you made that patio on the side door."
He grinned. "You did?"
"Yes. And it looks amazing."
"I think it looks good too. Some little butterfly told me to make it."
"Aren't you so glad?"
"Yes, I am." Salem wanted to say that it would be her house one day, anyway. He wanted to tell her that she could take it upon herself to decorate every single room. He didn't say any of that. It was too much too soon. They were just getting passed the meaningless fling stage, after all. He couldn’t go straight to telling her it was her house.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"You. You telling me to build that deck."
"I can't believe you actually did it. How are you building this whole house and also keeping up with your normal job? How are you finding enough hours in the day?"
"I'm delegating when I need to."
"I'm delegating some stuff, too," she said, joking around. She was precious and wonderful and he wanted to never let her go. "I'm nervous," she said, still shaking.
"Why are you nervous?" he asked, staring at her.
"Because. I want you to think I'm cool."
He held onto her, feeling thankful and happy. They pulled back and looked at each other. Her face was soft and perfect, and he wanted to kiss her. Kissing was the tip of the iceberg with what he wanted to do with this woman. He wanted to have a family with her.
"You don't have to want me to think you're cool. I already do," he said. "I can't possibly think you're any cooler, Molly. You're the coolest."
"Do you see me like a little sister?" She stared up at him, blinking at him and waiting for his answer.
"No, I don't see you like that at all," he said with a straight face.