And at long last, he finally, fully got it. What Athena and Matthew had been trying to tell him, again and again, for a while now. What Charlotte had just tried to tell him too. What his defensiveness, his fear, had stopped him from recognizing and acknowledging.
Honesty and protectiveness, acts of service to everyone he cared about—they came naturally to him, and they were important. Crucial, even. But not sufficient. Because if he didn’t tell people how he felt, they might not ever understand. Even Charlotte—a bright, perceptive woman he’d known and seen almost daily for years—hadn’t been confident of his love.
After less than a single month together, then, how wasMollysupposed to read the contents of his goddamn soul?
And after all his endless talk of earning her trust, had he actually trustedher?
Nope. Not enough to openly express his emotions. Not enough to share his heart.
How the fuck had he expected her to haul all her shit across the country, remove herself from almost everything familiar to her, and risk more heartbreak and disappointment for a man who hadn’t even said he loved her?
Hell, had he even told her how much helikedher? Using comprehensible human words?
She might know that much already. But she might not.
Had he imagined she’d make fun of him for how he felt? Had he thought she’d find him pathetic? That she’d cringe? Laugh?
Even twenty years ago, he’d understood one thing well enough: Molly Dearborn wasn’t nice. But she was kind. She wouldn’t meet his vulnerability with scorn. Even if she didn’t love him the way he loved her.
But what if shedid? What if she simply needed those three words from him before she could muster the nerve to offer them back?
He’d never know if he didn’t damn well try.
Screw appropriate bedtimes. He was talking with Molly tonight. Which meant Charlotte and Johnathan would need to be in charge of cleanup.
After one last squeeze, he let Charlotte go. Handed her another napkin to blow her nose and appreciated the joyful smile on her tired, red-eyed, red-nosed face.
“Listen, Charlotte, you and—” he began.
“Hey, Karl, you need to—” Johnathan arrived out of nowhere at a run, then skidded to a halt and eyed them in hard-breathing confusion. “Everything okay here?”
“Everything’s great,” Charlotte said, still sniffling happily.
“Yep. We’re good.” Karl eyed him assessingly. “You fall asleep on the damn john again? Because I read an article just now, and maybe you should go see a—”
“Not the time.” The younger man looked frantic. “If you’re fine, then you need to get to the hall outside the gym, Karl.Now.”
Karl frowned in confusion but followed his employee toward the exit, with Charlotte trailing close behind. “Why?”
“There’s some sort of confrontation happening.” After glancing over his shoulder to make sure Karl was keeping up, Johnathan hustled faster. “Molly’s facing off against a random blond dude. He kind of seems like a dick?”
At that news, Karl broke into an outrightrun.
Molly was still here? And publicly arguing with someone, when she was the most private person he knew? Jesus H. Christ, what the—
“She hurt?” he shouted to Johnathan. “In danger?”
“Not that I can tell,” his employee yelled back, still jogging.
Staccato flashes lit the hallway outside the gym, as Sylvia took photos of whatever the hell was transpiring. And as Karl drew closer, the unmistakable cacophony of a three-way argument became way too audible.
Molly was much louder than normal, her tone livid. Lise, her own volume cranked to eleven, was backing up her best friend. And some smarmy-voiced dickwad was telling them tocalm down, which meant at least one of the women would shortly gut the fucker with whatever sharp implement was within reach.
Karl neared the entrance at last. Spotted all three combatants in the hallway. Molly, flushed and angry but not obviously harmed, standing next to Lise, both women squaring off against a tall blond asshole. Who was—was he reaching for Molly’s goddamn arm?
At the absolute end of his rope, still running, Karl roared, “What theactual fuckis going on here?”
Molly, Lise, and Blond Asshole turned his way.
