Chapter 14
MOLLY
I’ve gathered enough about Wolf in the short time I’ve known him to understand that this isn’t about feelings or romance for him. And I definitely told myself it wasn’t about that for me.
This kiss, however, has me rethinking that conviction completely.
The song ends, and onlookers coo at our shared moment as Wolf and I continue to hold each other.
Something needs to break the trance as I fight the urge to touch my lips and see if it really happened or to rise on my toes and kiss him again.
Because in this very heartbeat, I would crawl through hot coals to be lost in another kiss with him, and that can’t happen—not here and not now when neither of us has a grasp on what’s going on.
Thankfully, guests are carrying on with their own interactions.
With my peripheral vision, I catch sight of someone approaching.
The tall, dark, and rugged man is the brother who likes muffins.
Similar to Wolf, he’s dressed up but only so much in dark slacks and a blue shirt that’s not buttoned all the way to the top.
“Wolf, mind if I have a dance with your bride?”
The hard look Wolf gives his brother before silently stalking off doesn’t come as a complete surprise. He’s such an enigma when other people are around, like he’s doing his best to fade into obscurity.
Forest reaches out to bring me into a respectful dance space, and while we’re not square in the middle of everyone, several heads still swivel my way.
Great…
“You know, I knew our marriage would come as a surprise to a number of people, but I thought the news would make its way around the area in increments, not all at once.” I voice my agitation out loud for the sake of filling the space between us.
“Sorry, that’s kind of our fault.” Forest looks around sheepishly before centering his brown eyes back on me.
“Our housekeeper Dana—she means well, I promise,” he explains and the tenderness in his voice speaks to how beloved a family member Dana must be, blood or not.
“When she heard what was happening, she was too excited for Wolf to keep it to herself. Unfortunately, when she was at the salon…” His eyes roll with a sense of contempt, and I feel myself joining him in that feeling.
“Why is it such a big deal, anyway? I mean other than the regular big deal of people getting married?”
“It’s Wolf,” he supplies, like that should answer my question.
It’s no secret that Wolf can be a closed-off grump, but other than that, what would be so interesting? “What do you mean?”
He lets out a sigh through his nose as he looks to the sky.
Clearly, he’s trying to find the right words.
“He’s just always been…offbeat. He’s been independent from the start.
Like when he and the others were small, he was always perfectly content to play or explore on his own.
He didn’t need anyone else to entertain him. ”
“I think you mean didn’t want that,” I amend his analysis. “At least when it comes to present day Wolf.”
He lets out a chuckle. “It’s definitely turned into that.
He was just never interested. Hawk and River—and sometimes me—would hassle him about it.
We never understood it. For me, it was a case of wanting to spend time and get to know my brother.
For the other two, I think they were just little shits who couldn’t accept their brother being different from them. ”
“So you’re the oldest?”
He nods. “By nine years for the twins. They were supposed to be it, and then River was an oops.”
I feel a small smile softly light up my face. “I would’ve loved to have siblings,” I convey.
“Only child, then?”
I nod, thinking how it would’ve made certain things like having no actual parents and feeling like an odd duck being raised by grandparents a bit more bearable, but I don’t think I’m ready to dump that on Forest just yet.
He nods in acknowledgment before continuing. “As they got older, the younger two—especially Hawk, being his twin and all—couldn’t stand how reclusive Wolf could be. He thought it was weird and made him look bad in social circles. River, not quite as much.”
“And you?”
“Me… I was already in my twenties when the twins were old enough to start thinking about parties and girls. For me, it came from a place of worry. This world can be cruel, especially at that age.”
I nod in understanding and soften toward Forest. “It’s nice that he had someone give a shit about his wellbeing and not hold it against him. And Hawk, well, he sounds like a real gem.” I quirk a sarcastic eyebrow.
“Oh he still is…” Forest gives a facetious look of wide-eyed wonder, and I can’t help but laugh. “So watch out, Molly Butler. Or should I say, Owens?”
“Oh shit.” The two words come out on an awkwardly breathy laugh. “I haven’t even thought about that.”
“It’s okay, and it’s not what really matters.”
“And what does matter, here?” I ask, feeling like there’s a deeper meaning to his statement. “Being that this isn’t your traditional union, as you stated earlier.”
This time, the oldest Owens brother seems to be at a loss for words as he pulls both his shoulders up. “I guess just that you’re good people, Molly. That you’re not someone who will hurt my brother in any way. I guess I’m hoping you’re not the sort to give him shit for being ... him.”
Just like I’ve been doing the last couple weeks, I gather up these little pieces of information and put them with the rest of the puzzle that is Wolf Owens.
He has certain singularities that are easier understood if you just let them be rather than trying to correct them.
I draw in a breath, ready to be real with this man. “I want to know him…” I admit.
Forest gives a subtle nod. “You should. Just… be patient with him.”
I take a second to consider what he means before agreeing. “Okay. And as far as other people are concerned, they should really get a life of their own and not be so worried about whether someone else in their orbit is acting socially typical or atypical. It’s not a disease, for hell’s sake.”
Forest slows us to a stop, cued by the fading music. “Thank you.” He gives me a sincere stare. “Looks like you can definitely hold your own against Hawk.”
I crack an appreciative smile in response. “Will I have to?”
Forest exhales through his nose as he gazes out at the string lights a moment. “He’s rough around the edges, and he and Wolf have always had a complicated relationship. I’ll leave it there for right now, and you’ll see what I mean. But fear not, he’s all bark.”
A small laugh bubbles out of me as I picture Hawk as a dog. “So what about you?” I ask… “Are we going to be dancing at your wedding anytime soon?” The we part of the statement still feels foreign.
“God no,” he snickers, before he straightens back up.
“I don’t have time for that…” he explains, almost automatically, but he trails off and goes quiet.
His shoulders drop, and he blinks as if seeing something far off on the horizon.
“Just tell me you being part of the family now means more muffins.” He gives a mischievous smirk as he pulls me back into another dance, this one just marginally more upbeat.
Part of the family. Those four words fill my inner well with a comforting emotion I didn’t even realize I was nearly empty on.
Forest sways us a little more before giving me a light twirl, looking over my shoulder as he brings me back in. “Ah fuck,” he mutters, his gaze set on something behind me with stoney displeasure.
I crane my head to look back over my shoulder.
Wolf is standing at one of the food tables with two older women seemingly cornering him.
His face is turned in their direction as they both cluck at him, but his gaze is clearly staring right through them as his mind seems to be working overtime.
He absently reaches for a bottle of water on the table while he stares at the ladies like he’s waiting for them to stop talking.
Forest takes a step in his direction, but I cut him off and stride toward Wolf, my dress flapping against my legs as I maneuver around the back of the long table.
I’m able to cut through a small cluster of bodies before making a straight line to his side.
I amble in close to him, though not sure I should touch him.
I get the sense my touch would add more stimulation to an already overwhelming situation for him, and so, I just stand close, letting him feel my presence.
I may not have known him my whole life, but this stoniness is setting off alarm bells for some reason.
“Wolf?” I try to get his attention, but he’s still in some kind of zone, his jaw set, except for the free hand that is grappling along at my elbow.
The rough skin of his fingertips glides along my forearm until they find my hand, and without any conscious thought, my own fingers react, intertwining with his.
He still doesn’t look right at me, but almost immediately, a breath of air expels from his nostrils, enough for me to see his chest depress with it.
The signals his body language sends ring out loud and clear: He’s not just reserved and introverted or even just a grouch.
Being here, in a group this size, is a problem for him, and he’s struggling.
I glance at the two women hovering and recognize them now as Kathy from the beauty parlor and Judy, the cashier from the grocery mart.
Though I don’t know either of them well, anytime I’ve run into one or the other they are yammering about other people like it’s their job.
They didn’t pick up on Wolf’s discomfort, which makes my blood a little hot.
I give his hand a squeeze and try to get his attention again; hoping to break him out of the lock his anxiety seems to have on him. “Wolf.”
This time his eyes shift to mine, and the crease in his forehead seems to ease.
He looks at me expectantly, like my next course of action will be to supply words of wisdom.
However, something inside is telling me addressing it won’t help right this minute, and so I offer a tight smile instead, just hoping he understands I’ve got him.
Right now, we’re linked, a joint unit. No one can interact with him without getting me too.
Wolf squeezes back, and the worry in my chest fades slightly, as if wrapped in a thin blanket of relief that he feels a bit better.
“Molly, honey!” Kathy boisterously greets as if she only just saw me. “It’s so good to see you! Congratulations!” Her facial muscles rise with the tone of her voice.
“Thanks,” I say brightly, reminding myself to look like this is the happiest day of my life.
“I have to say, this was quite the surprise,” Judy chimes in with judgy innuendo, indicating that no one had the privilege of knowing a wedding of any kind was to be expected around here. “I’ve been dying to hear the story of how you two crazy kids got together!”
And there it is again—judgment disguised in the word crazy.
I give a noncommittal shrug. “It happened pretty fast, as I’m sure you’ve gathered.”
“I guess so,” she retorts. “No time to even get rings.” Her gaze darts to my hand and then back up and bounces between Wolf and me with some kind of admonishment.
“And when are we going to hear about babies?” Sharon from the library magically appears between the other two, her blue eyes wide and dazzling.
Wolf squeezes my hand again, and I squeeze right back.
The other town biddies are still leaned in close, no longer whispering but instead watching us with expectant expressions.
Wolf is still silent but otherwise doesn’t seem nearly as uneasy as he did a moment ago.
Still, I don’t like seeing this normally bold and confident man being placed into a weak moment, and suddenly, I’m hyper focused on getting him out of it.
Looking around like an idea might present itself, I notice a white chair near the table and make a snap decision. After pulling it out in front of me, I look up at Wolf and place a hand on his shoulder. “Help?” I request softly.
He places the hand holding the water bottle on my waist while the other hand still grips mine. Supporting my weight, Wolf looks curious as I step onto the chair, which places me at a noticeable height above everyone.
“Excuse me!” I call out into the subtly festive atmosphere, trying to ignore the pounding of my heart in my ears as so many heads swivel to take me in.
“I know you’re all curious about how this,” I wave between Wolf and me, “happened, especially so fast. All I can say is it was fast for us too, and we got married privately, so as not to have to give a press conference.” I look around, trying for serious but not threatening or ungrateful.
“Not that we don’t appreciate all this—it’s quite beautiful.
” I gesture at our current setting because despite the circumstances, it truly is lovely.
“But we’d really appreciate some time to process everything ourselves, so if you could focus on celebrating with us for now, it would mean so much. Thank you again.”
I dip my chin and turn toward Wolf to signify to everyone I’m finished.
Wolf steps up to the chair, his head tilted back at me as his dark mossy greens seem to be taking in something they’ve never seen there before.
Eyes still on me, he brings his hands up to either side of my waist. And with seeming ease, he lowers me down, stopping when my gaze rests just a breath above his.
His eyelids lower to half-mast as his lips press against mine.
The kiss is light, soft. Kind of like the one he gave me in the judge’s chambers only this time it lingers a little longer, and no one is instructing him to do it.
No glasses are clinking. Wolf is doing this because he decided to.
Whether it’s from genuine desire or just for show, that knowledge sends a ball of light pinging through my insides.
A few people clap as Wolf lowers me the rest of the way to the floor and lets our lips drift apart naturally.
For the rest of the afternoon, very few people talk to us, and if they do, it’s only brief congratulations.
Wolf’s brothers and his uncle stay rather close the rest of the time, which changes Wolf.
It’s like looking through a window into a world where he’s at ease, moving and speaking naturally.
It’s almost spiritual to witness, like when you see an animal in the wild, in its natural habitat, doing what it’s supposed to be doing, and you’re at the part where you wonder just how close you can get to it. And realizing that you want to.
Shit. I want to.