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She nodded. “I thought it would be easy to leave them. You know?”
“Would you like to head back?” he asked, more than willing to do that.
“No. It’s fine. They’re having their fun, and we need to do this.”
She took his hand, locking their fingers together. “I know we need to.”
He didn’t say anything as they kept on driving. Neither of them spoke, but it wasn’t uncomfortable silence either. There was a peacefulness between them, and he relished it. No arguments, no history between them.
They arrived at the cabin, which was set back on a secluded trail. A large forest surrounded them, but when he looked down, he could see the town below.
Climbing out of the car, he took her hand, and they made their way inside the cabin.
“Is it me, or does it look like something out of a horror film?” she asked.
“It could look kind of scary.” He unlocked the main door, and when they entered, he was blown away. The cabin was small, intimate, romantic, and he knew it was perfect for helping Molly fall in love with him.
That’s what he wanted to do this week. Get her to remember the few times they were together, where they just clicked. Even on their last date, they’d clicked. They had a chemistry that he refused to allow her to deny.
There was a large fireplace, complete with blocks of wood giving an old feel to the cabin. Large pictures of scenery covered the walls. The furniture had throws over it, and there was a rug in front of the fireplace.
It was already warm, and a couple of windows had been left open.
He imagined in the winter this place was the height of romance.
“I’m going to get our bags.” He grabbed their bags from the trunk of the car, locked it up, and returned to the cabin. He found Molly in the kitchen, looking through the cupboards.
“It’s amazing,” she said, the excitement clear in her eyes.
“You love it?”
“It’s beautiful, and it’s far away.”
“I’ll let Trey and June know we got here safely,” he said.
“I already told them.” She stepped close, taking her bag. “Come and see the bedroom.”
He didn’t think it was an invitation for something more, but he followed her anyway. The bed was huge, bigger than any he’d seen, which made him wonder if it was specially made. There was enough room to fit several people.
For a romantic setting though, it was perfect. They also had an en-suite bathroom.
June had warned him it was the height of luxury, and it was a place where her father always took her mother. She’d never gone to the cabin and had only seen pictures.
“I know June’s folks were loaded, but I just didn’t realize how much.”
Molly laughed. “He owns a lot of buildings in town. He’s a sweet guy.”
He’d only met him a few times, and wouldn’t consider him all that sweet. Then again, he was only a guy.
They put away their clothes, and once they’d explored, they both stood in the sitting room, looking at each other.
The tension between them mounted, and this wasn’t how Dale wanted it to be.
“Come here,” he said.
She stepped up close to him and he held her hands, staring at the ring that she’d still not taken off.
To him it was a sign. “I want us to play a game.”
“Okay.”
“Honesty. I don’t want you to hesitate. We’ll stand here, and we’ll ask questions of each other, and we have to be honest.”
This time, she nodded. “You go first,” she said.
He took a deep breath. “Do you like me?”
“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate.
Dale waited for her. She didn’t say anything. “It’s your turn.”
“Oh, I see. You ask a question, I answer, then I ask one?”
“Yes.”
“Erm, have you ever been afraid?”
“Yes, when I asked you to marry me the first time.”
“Oh.”
“No, don’t be sad. This is not about being sad. This is about us stripping away our past. To get it out of the way.”
She bit her lip and forced a smile.
****
This game may not have been a great idea. Molly’s heart raced as she waited for the next question, not really sure what to do.
“Did you ever regret being with me?” he asked.
“I regretted everything after. Everything that I knew about you with Chloe and you with other women. I guess when I was angry I regretted being with you. I don’t regret having Sasha and Luke.” She stared down at their hands. “Do you regret what we had?”
“No. I love you, Sasha, and Luke. You’re my world. If it hadn’t been for me saying that shit in the cafeteria that day, would you have accepted my proposal?”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was on the tip of her tongue to lie, but she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t break the rules. “Yes.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve loved you for a long time, Dale. Even before we started dating. It goes a long way from fancying someone, I guess.”
“You loved me?”
She nodded.
“Do you love me now?”
“Yes.” She whispered the word, afraid of what it meant. For so long she’d been hiding her feelings, trying to keep him at arm’s length. He kept breaking her down though, shattering the ice that she’d tried to build around her heart.
“You love me now?” he asked again.
Staring into his eyes, she nodded. “Yes, I do. It’s why whenever we’ve fought or argued, it’s hurt more than anything else in the world.”
“I was never with Chloe. Once I was with you, I wasn’t with anyone else until you told me there was no way you were ever going out with me again. I think I knew then that I loved you. It kind of freaked me out.”
“You still slept with other people.”
“Because I truly thought that you and I didn’t stand a chance.”
She squeezed his hand, keeping their connection even though she was tempted to pull away.
Pulling away wasn’t an option.
This was their chance, and she was determined to make it work. “Do you feel trapped with me, Sasha, and Luke?” she asked.
“No. You’re my family, and I’ve been trying to find ways of showing to you that I’ve grown up. That I want to be part of your life. To show you how much I love you.”
She waited for his question.
“Have you ever wanted to be with anyone else?” he asked.
“I’ve thought about finding someone else. Sometimes I thought it would be easier after our arguments to just be with someone, but whenever I’m with you, nothing else matters. The world fades, and it’s like we’re the only two people that are there. How can I be with someone when I feel that way with you?” She stared past his shoulder. “I wanted to get over you, but I didn’t want to hurt someone else in the process.” She saw the pain in his eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“It’s fine. I completely understand.” He stroked her hands, and she hated that she’d hurt him. “I love you, Molly. I won’t ever hurt you again. I promise.”
