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I sighed, knowing she was right. "Yeah, but it just feels like she’s forcing it, trying to win her over."
Molly shrugged, a soft smile on her face. "Can't blame her. She's missed a lot."
"Yeah, she has."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of activity, Molly never letting me wallow for too long. Once everything was organized, we hiked along the scenic trail, the view of the valley below stunning in its beauty. As the sun sank low on the horizon, the sky was painted in shades of gold and pink. The cool breeze carried the scent of wood smoke and pine. I actually let myself have a good time.
We had made it back to camp before Natasha and Hailey. I tried not to worry, and soon the sound of their voices and laughter filtered through the tree.
"Hey, what did you guys find?" Molly asked, her gaze settling on Natasha.
"A lot of bugs." Hailey wrinkled her nose and shuddered.
Natasha held up a handful of kindling. "Just this."
I glanced at the pile of sticks and branches. "That's great. We'll get a fire started in no time."
As the flames grew, the shadows stretched across the campsite. The stars appeared one by one in the inky black sky. The crackle of the fire and the chirping of crickets filled the air.
"This is the life," Molly sighed, her eyes shining with contentment.
"It sure is," Hailey agreed, the reflection of the fire flickering in her eyes.
We sat around the fire, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Molly, a natural storyteller, managed to consume everyone’s attention and there was a time or two when Natasha and Hailey both looked scared out of their wits.
The sound of crackling embers and the flow of conversation mingled with the sounds of night creatures until Hailey and Natasha went to bed and it was just Molly and me.
Molly leaned against me, her body pressed against mine as we sat on the tailgate, our eyes fixed on the dancing flames of the fire.
"Thank you for inviting me," she whispered, her breath warm on my skin. "I'm having a great time."
"I'm glad," I said, pulling her closer, her hair tickling my nose. "I'm having a nice time too. Who knew you were such a storyteller?."
She smiled looking up at the night sky, dotted with stars, the moon so bright and clear. "It's beautiful out here."
"Mmm,” I agreed, thinking about all the time I had spent in these woods as a kid. "I used to come out here all the time with my dad and Amy. He was a huge outdoors man and this was also kind of like bootcamp. He would take us every weekend during the summer. We would go hiking, swimming, canoeing, you name it."
"That sounds wonderful," she replied, her voice soft and dreamy.
"Yeah, it was pretty great. Something tells me you wouldn’t have liked the early start, though,” I said, and she giggled.
“I haven't been here in years, and I'm glad we got to share it with you and Hailey."
Molly's head shifted, her lips brushing against my jaw. "Thank you, Jake."
I leaned in, my mouth finding hers in a kiss that sent a jolt of electricity through my body. The heat of the fire and her closeness warmed my soul. I could have stayed like this forever, her in my arms, the stars twinkling above us.
As we broke the kiss, our eyes locked, and in that moment, I knew that I was in love with her. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, the force of it nearly knocking the wind out of me.
I wasn't falling anymore; I had already fallen. The feeling was both exhilarating and terrifying.
"Jake, what's wrong?" Molly asked, her voice filled with concern.
"Nothing, everything's perfect," I reassured her, my hands reaching up to cradle her face.
Her brow furrowed. "You're trembling. Are you okay?"
"I'm more than okay," I murmured, pressing my lips to hers in another tender kiss.
