Page 26 of Rory: His to Discipline

Patrick looked at the ceiling as if he expected to see Tess strapped to the rafters. In the next second, he fixed his wife with a hard stare. “Molly, I can’t believe you lied to me, angel. Why would you do that?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“No, Patrick, I didn’t,” Molly insisted taking his arm with her small hand. “I wouldn’t do that.” It was breaking her heart to see Patrick hurt.

“Yes, you did. I specifically asked you if you told Tess she could stay in the apartment and you said no. Geeze, Molly girl, don’t make this any worse by lying again.”

“I did not lie to you. You asked me if I told Tess she could stay in the apartment for free and I said no. That was the truth.” Little bells rang as Molly stamped her delicate foot in frustration. “I didn’t tell her she could stay for free, I charged her rent!”

“How much rent?” Patrick asked, determined to get to the truth.

“Does it matter?” Molly shot back.

“It might, how much?”

“Patrick .…”

Patrick didn’t say anymore, but the look in his eyes was compelling and Molly shivered. She hated disappointing her husband and there was no doubt in her mind that there would be consequences, despite the fact that she hadn’t lied to him, technically.

“A dollar a week,” she admitted.

Rory snorted and shook his head. Chances were pretty good that all three of these women were getting their bottoms spanked tonight and as far as he was concerned they all deserved it; Tess for running away, Molly for hiding her and Maggie for jumping in and lying about it.

“Rory, is Tess up there now?” Patrick asked, taking Molly’s hand firmly in his.

“Yes, she’s getting some of her things together. She should have been down here by now.”

“Would you mind watching the bar for a few minutes? I’ll send Tess down the inside stairs.”

“Sure, take your time,” Rory answered, almost wishing he could work up some sympathy for Molly. He loved her like a sister, but he couldn’t forget how sick with worry he had been, not knowing where Tess was. Granted, Molly hadn’t lied, but she had withheld the truth. Rory was pretty sure Patrick was about to take care of that omission right now.

Walking behind the bar, Rory washed his glass and poured a soda. He wanted to be running on all cylinders tonight and he was already beat. It had been a long couple of days for him.

“Want another beer, Nick?” he asked.

“No thanks, Rory, we need to be heading home. Come on, Maggie.”

“I want another beer,” she told him as he walked away to get her coat.

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?” she asked annoyed.

“We still have to pick up the kids, and there are a few things we need to talk about, so no,” Nick informed her, holding her coat out for her to slip her arms into.

“Wow, I guess the honeymoon is over,” she complained, jumping off the bar stool and taking her coat out of his hands.

“Sweetheart, I love you more than anything in the world but there’s an old saying, ‘Begin as you mean to go on’ and that’s just what I’m going to do,” he told her, twirling her into his arms and kissing her deeply. “Take care, Rory. See you soon and tell Patrick and Molly we said goodnight.”

“Will do, buddy,” Rory replied, grinning at the bemused look on his sister’s face as her husband led her from the bar.

Tess came around the corner into the bar just as Maggie and Nick were going out the front door. She was dragging a large duffel bag and Rory glanced at his watch.

“What took you so long?” Rory asked suspiciously. “I hope you weren’t taking care of anything you shouldn’t have.”

“Shh, Rory, do not say such things,” she answered embarrassed. “Why did Patrick and Molly come upstairs? Was that Maggie and Nick just leaving?”

“Pat had some things he and Molly need to get straight,” Rory answered, sitting a glass of white wine in front of Tess. “Maggie and Nick stopped in for a drink.”

“Oh, I guess Patrick knows Molly let me stay here. Is she in very much trouble?”