Chapter 25
REMAINED UNCHANGED
Dean looked up at lunch to see Molly come into the bar, dressed exactly how she’d been hours ago.
He was still processing like he’d said.
Still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was losing his heart to a woman and so excited to surprise her and then not even recognize the person in front of him.
And maybe that was the root of the problem right there.
He was falling in love.
His son loved Molly and asked about her all the time. When they could spend more time together.
That was what he was going to ask her today too. To come over on Saturday for dinner, maybe spend the night.
He was only going to work the lunch crowd and then at home see how it went as the night went on.
To see if everyone still got along as well as they had been.
She lifted her wobbly chin and stared him down and his lips twitched. He didn’t even ask her what she wanted, only got her a seltzer and placed it in front of her. “Lunch?”
“Yes,” she said.
He handed over the menu and then went to take the order a waitress brought to the bar.
“You look uncomfortable,” he said.
“I am.”
“Why?”
“That’s kind of a stupid remark considering our conversation a few hours ago. I’m not sure where we stand.”
“Looks like we are standing in the same place as we’ve been before.”
“I’m trying to tell you that. That I just look different.”
Maybe he understood now. Maybe he just needed a few hours to see that.
Or see her walk in and notice that her mannerisms now aren’t much different than they’d been before when he’d thought she was acting differently.
He had let her clothing blind him and shouldn’t have.
“It’s more than that,” he said. “Just like I suspected. You’re nervous about us, but your whole demeanor is different.
You look like you want to hide in the corner with a dunce hat on rather than lift your head high over who you are.
If you’re still the same person it shouldn’t matter what you’ve got on. ”
He’d noticed her nervousness at times. Regardless of how she was dressed. He just assumed she was shy and nothing more.
She snorted. “I’m standing out like a sore thumb on perfectly manicured hands right now.”
She even kept her hair in a bun. She was the quintessential nerd at this moment and looked embarrassed over it.
“In your eyes.”
“Come on, Dean,” she said, letting out a huff. “Look around and what do you see? Not too many that look like me.”
“You need to get over it and own who you are,” he said.
“Whether you’re rocking a black dress.” His hand waved over the front of her.
“Or this. Own it.” He looked around, then turned his eyes to her.
“But I don’t know them like I do you,” he said, leaning closer to her on the bar. “I don’t sleep with them.”
Her eyes filled. “I’m sorry. It’s hard. It took a lot for me to come here like this.”
“I understand that.”
“You do?” she asked.
“I do. I understand more than you may realize and I shouldn’t be hard on you. It was a shock. I guess you walking in here like this was your way of proving you’re still the same person regardless of your clothes. Sort of.”
“There is no sort of about it. Maybe the clothes do change my demeanor. I feel confident when I look nicer. I know that. I’ve always known that.”
“Yet you go back to what makes you feel bad about yourself? Why? I made a change. I told you. And honestly, maybe that’s what really is bothering me. If you can admit that, why do you torture yourself?”
He just didn’t expect her to be that way.
“Maybe I’m not as strong as you. It’s hard to get up when you’re knocked down so much. Even when you feel good about yourself.”
He turned his head to get an order. “I’ll be back.”
She picked the menu up one more time, then put it down. When he came back over, she said, “I’ll just get the nachos. I’m not that hungry but can pick at them.”
He put the order in and went back to another customer. He wanted to finish this conversation but didn’t have anyone to cover him.
And maybe it was best to give them both a chance to think of their replies.
He didn’t expect her to start a shouting match in here. She wasn’t that type of person.
When the nachos came out, he slid by and snagged a few like he always did, trying to let her know he was moving past it, the best way he could without being able to talk much more.
“Sorry,” he said. “It’s a little busy here today.”
“No problem. That’s why I waited though. Or waited until the lunch rush was done. I guess it never really is later in the week.”
“Thursday through Saturday are good business days,” he said. “And you’re going to be late getting back to work.”
He always watched the time for her. “I took the afternoon off. I’ve got some things to do.”
He nodded his head, so she went back to picking at her lunch while he worked and kept an eye on her.
She pulled her wallet out and he was right there, saying, “No charge.”
“What?”
“I said no charge,” he said laughing. “I never charge you for lunch. Or haven’t in a while.”
“And that is when you told everyone that we were dating? So you didn’t get in trouble for giving me free food.”
Fuck.
He was accusing her of being someone else and yet here he is, letting her believe something that wasn’t true.
But it’s not like he could tell her here either.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye,” she said.
She started to walk out. “Molly.”
“What?”
He leaned over the bar and pointed to his lips. She smiled. “Really? People might ask if you’re cheating on me.”
“Fuck them,” he whispered.
She put a kiss on his lips, then let out a little laugh.
An hour later, his phone went off. He pulled it out of his pocket to see clothes all over the bed and a message: Going to the dumpster. At least I’ve got enough clothes to get me through the weekend until I can buy more.
Yeah. That is the Molly he fell in love with.
And that move right there.
That just proved it.
If you want company on your shopping trip, we can go Saturday.
He watched the bubbles come up on the screen, then read: I’d love you to, but why are you offering? Want to make sure I don’t revert to my dorky ways?
He smiled, then typed: Sometimes people need a little push. I guess you were trying to tell me I gave it to you without even knowing.