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I nodded, making a mental note of the name. It was a quaint hotel with a bar and grill just outside of town. "The Rusty Hook. Got it. Anything else?"
Hailey shrugged, looking apologetic. "That's all I know, sorry. She was pretty tight-lipped about her plans. We mostly talked about me."
I gave her hand a squeeze, my heart swelling with pride. "That's more than enough, Hailey. Thank you for trusting me with this."
Just then, the front door opened, and Jake walked in, his arms laden with bags of takeout. "Who's ready for some Kung Pao chicken and egg rolls?" he called out, his voice filled with forced cheer.
I exchanged a glance with Hailey, a silent understanding passing between us. We would keep this conversation between ourselves, at least for now.
Jake had enough on his plate without worrying about my Nancy Drew antics.
"We are!" I said, jumping up from the couch and relieving him of some of the bags. "I'm starving, and it smells delicious. You better have gotten crab Rangoon or I’m breaking up with you for real."
As we settled around the kitchen table, Jake tossed the bag of tasty triangles in front of me.
“Yes!” I cheered, opening up the bag and freeing one. He eyed me, brow raised, and I laughed. “What? I mean yes, I’m glad I don’t have to really break up with you. That would make the board too happy, and I’m all about rebelling against the man. Oh, and I love you.”
He stuck his tongue out at me, and Hailey laughed.
We ate, the vibe in the room surprisingly light, but in the back of my mind I was already in my car headed to The Rusty Hook ready for a showdown with Natasha.
But it could wait until tomorrow.
32
JAKE
It was a dark and stormy night.
Or at least, that's how it felt. The reference made me smile, knowing that Molly would approve that her dorkiness has wrapped itself around me.
I was holed up in my bedroom, a mug of tea cooling on my nightstand, my mind spinning with plans and plots and theories while the rain pattered against the window. I was trying to find the best way to solve the puzzle of Valerie's plotting—or Natasha’s, a voice in my head added that sounded a lot like Molly.
Nothing about this was fun or enjoyable.
There was a knock on my bedroom door, and before I could say anything, Molly slipped inside. I had fully expected Hailey and seeing Molly made me feel like my thoughts had conjured her, though in reality, I had given her a spare key. Her hair was damp, either from a shower or the rain, and pulled back in a loose braid. She wore an oversized shirt and baggy shorts.
Even with minimal effort, she was stunning.
"Hi," I said, my surprise evident in my voice. "Did you sneak in through the window?"
She grinned, leaning against the door frame. "Tunneled from my place. Bugs Bunny always made it look so much easier."
I couldn't help but laugh. "I think he had a little help, like a giant drill and the fact that he was a cartoon."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't ruin this for me."
I stood up, crossing the room to wrap her in my arms. "Well, you're here. I'll try not to question the details."
She snuggled into me, her warmth soothing the worry that had been building in my gut since our meeting with the school board. "I got lonely. I thought maybe we could snuggle?"
I pressed a kiss to her temple, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. "Always."
Molly and I curled up in bed together, the weight of the world lifting from my shoulders as I held her close. In that moment, there was nowhere else I'd rather be.
I leaned over and kissed her. My lips met hers and we melted together. It was perfect. It was everything. As we lost ourselves in each other, the troubles and worries of the outside world faded away.
It was just the two of us. Nothing else mattered.
