“Ollie’s still sleeping?” Rachel asked, making herself at home as she moved through Molly’s living room to the kitchen, and flicked on the coffee pot.
She knew as well as Molly that Molly would’ve prepped it the night before for ease of morning caffeine consumption. That’s definitely the kind of thing best friends knew about each other.
“We had a late night. I was working. He was on a Harrison Ford bender.” Molly sat at the table since Rachel had decided to play barista.
She swiped at the strawberry cream with her fingertip, letting the flavors play on her tongue.
Rachel pulled out a chair and sat at the cramped table. “I’m worried.”
“I’m fine,” Molly said, licking at the rest of the cream.
“I’m not worried about you.” Rachel stood to pour a cup of coffee even though the drip wasn’t done. She dolled it up just the way Molly liked and slid it across the table.
“You’re not?” Molly figured that’s what this morning’s meeting was about. Why else would Rachel be there?
“I mean, I am.” Rachel poured herself a cup, too. “But I’mreallyworried about Gavin.”
Molly sat up taller. “What’s wrong with Gavin?”
“You’re serious.” Rachel sighed. Deep.
That wasn’t good—Rachel didn’t sigh.
“What’s wrong with Gavin?” Molly asked again.
She figured by this point he’d be two dates in with Cassidy and well on his way to a blissful future.
“Other than Travis said he hasn’t shaved in three days and he didn’t go to work yesterday?”
That was not like Gavin. “He never misses work.”
“Yeah.” Rachel crossed her arms. “And if you don’t fix what’s broken, you can look forward to a visit from Evelynandher pretend cat. I’m the pre-Evelyn visit. Trust me, she doesn’t bring donuts.”
“I like Evelyn,” Molly assured her. “I understand Evelyn.”
“You’ve never seen her on a rampage after one of her kids gets hurt.” Rachel lifted the cup of coffee to her lips. “You think you’re the queen Mama Bear? You have seen nothing until you’ve seen Evelyn on a rampage.”
“She’s going to rampage against me?” That didn’t make any sense. Evelyn wanted Gavin to be happy. Molly wanted Gavin to be happy.
“Gavin hasn’t shaved in three days.” Rachel held up three fingers to make the point. “You still don’t get it? Molly, for one of the smartest women I’ve ever known, you’re being so dense about this.”
Hey. That was uncalled for. Molly opened her mouth to defend herself when Rachel continued, “He fell in love with you. You fell in love with him.”
“I did not.” Molly held up her hey-now-stop-it hand. “He didn’t, either.” No matter what he said. “We just did the free trial.”
“He bought the lifetime membership before the trial was over. The kind you can’t get a refund on.” Rachel stared at her coffee. “And if you’re going to be honest with yourself, you did, too.”
“I didn’t—”
“You can keep saying that, but it’s not true.” Rachel rubbed at her temples. “I know you well enough to understand that you think you’re setting him free. Doing the right thing. But I know him well enough to know he doesn’t want to be set free.”
“You will not believe what happened,” Agnes scooted through Molly’s back door, hands flung in the air. “That other couple? Back together. I think it was a set-up.Andthey’re in the finals with us. I don’t like it. You break up, you should be out.”
Molly was still mid-digestion of that fact that she could’ve been so very wrong about Gavin and what he needed, that she didn’t quite know what to make of Agnes’s announcement.
Today was finals announcement morning.
Of course. Molly totally forgot.
