“You just don’t want to admit that you’re lonely and you think Dr. Williams is a total hottie in a soft kind of way,” Molly sighs, and I inwardly cringe, abhorring this topic. “I want you to be happy. It’s been like twenty years since you’ve been on a date.”
“Not true,” I once again remind her. “I went on a date six years ago. Ended horribly.”
“Why? Because shelikedyou?” Molly’s attitude shifts as she folds her arms across her chest. “I don’t understand why you want to be forever alone.”
“I’m not forever alone,” I grin at her. “I have you.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, but Mom’s right. You need someone to make you less…rigid.”
“I prefer disciplined.”
“Code word for stick up your ass.”
“Language,” I deadpan, eyeing her as I pull onto her mom’s street, a nice, safe upper-class neighborhood.
Molly smirks at me, letting out a giggle. “Learned it from you. I heard you cuss at the toaster this morning.”
I rake my fingers through my dark hair, chuckling. “It’s a really shitty toaster.”
“Language,” she mimics my Texas drawl, grabbing my cowboy hat and putting it on her head. “You’ve got a potty mouth.”
“Learned it from you,” I mock her right back as I pull into the quaint two-story brick home. After the divorce, Maren still always made it a point to follow me whenever I relocated to keep Molly close, and I owe her for that sacrifice.
She didn’t have to, but she did.
Which is exactly why I bought her this place when I inherited my grandpa’s farm out here, rather than settling back in Texas. There was nothing for me there.
And I guess in some ways, she felt the same.
“I don’t like him.”
“What?” I rip my gaze from the house to my daughter, who’s pulling her dark hair into a bun on top of her head. “Who don’t you like? Me?”
“Mark,” she strains, once again annoyed with me. “I don’t know why you keep blowing it off. You’re worried the tiny littlewoman professor is going to be dangerous, but not the weirdo that Mom’s dating?”
“Well, first off,” I let out a breath, leaning back against the seat. “I’m not blowing it off. Your mom hasalwayshad a strong taste for weirdos—but not the kind that are dangerous to you. She’s just as protective as me. I pity the fool that tries to hurt you.”
She gives me a look. “Okay, but he asks me a bunch of questions though.”
I feel my chest tighten, holding the warm brown eyes that mirror her mother’s. “Maybe he wants to know you. Or maybeyou should finally get that apartment you’ve been saving up for.”
“Nice way to slip in that you think I’m mooching off you.”
“You’re not mooching, but a job and rent builds character. When I was your age?—”
“You’d already been to Iraq and fought a whole ass war!” Molly throws her hands to the sky, her dramaticism in full swing. “Please, Father,pleaseremind me of how badass you were at my age, while Imoochoff your kindness.”
I shake my head. “I’m not saying you’re mooching. And I wasn’t going to talk about Iraq, for heaven’s sake. I’m just saying that there’s nothing wrong with a little independence, especially if you’re not happy with your living situation.” I nod to the house.
She lets out a sigh, reaches for the door handle, and then stops, turning back to me. “Mark just… He asks alotof questions aboutyou. That’s what’s freaking creepy, Dad. It’s like he’s obsessed with you or something.”
“Maybe he’s just jealous,” I wiggle my brows at her. “Ididhave your mom first.”
“Gross.” Molly’s lips curls. “So. Freaking. Gross.”
“Well, I don’t know. Some people are insecure.” I shrug my shoulders, ignoring the subtle warning going off in my mind. Honestly, Mark bothered the shit out of me when we ate dinner.
And my daughter’s paranoia isn’t working in his favor.
