She said it, but for some reason that didn’t feel likeall.
“Gavin is just having a hard time since Dakota left.” Rachel heaved a huge breath. “And he’s trying—really, he is. He’s great with the boys and he’s stepped up and…”
She met Molly’s gaze head on.
“Just be kind,” she whispered. “I’m worried about him. Please. He’s making a huge effort to be better. Please don’t hurt him.”
And suddenly the margarita tasted like sandpaper. This was notthat. This was just this and nothing more.
“It’s really not like that.” Molly shook her head and set the drink down on the coffee table. Whew, was it getting warmer in the room? “No one has their heart involved—or any other body parts.” Because seriously… “It’s Gavin we’re talking about.”
“At first I thought I needed to take a stand. Ensure he knows he’s not allowed to hurt you,” Travis said. “But then I remembered that you’d have his nuts in a vise quicker than Mr. Peanut if he got out of hand. So, yeah, he’s probably the one we have to worry about. Just know he’s doing his best.”
What topsy turvy, cattawhompas world had Molly willingly walked into?
“No one has to worry about anything.” She reached for her glass, not because she really wanted any more but because she needed something to do with her hands. “I promise. I’ll be good. He’ll be good. Everyone is good.”
“Okay.” Rachel nodded. “I trust you. I trust him.”
“Good,” Molly said. All the good.
“Just know, I’m going to have the same talk with him.” Rachel made enormous eyes at Molly. “Because he is not allowed to hurt you either.”
No. Just a big ol’ Southern heaping of NO.
“Uh, right, because the one thing my counterfeit relationship needs is Gavin’s authentic ex-wife threatening him.” Molly traced a line of condensation as it wandered down the glass. “Maybe let’s rethink.”
Travis seemed to choke on his spit, and Molly swore she heard him say something like, “She’s not wrong.”
“I wouldnotbe there as his ex. I’d be there as your bestie.” Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically. “I mean, come on, the whole ex thing is so overrated. Our marriage didn’t even count. And I think there’s a law that says your current best friend status trumps his ex-husband status.”
“Knock knock,” Kaiya said as she opened the door.
She didn’t actually knock—the women were all so far past that in their friendship. They were at the walk-in-and-make-themselves-at-home phase of things.
“Guess who I brought?” Kaiya said, sing-song.
April? Molly really hoped it was April.
Though it probably wouldn’t be April. She’d been scarce to their mommy meet-ups since her husband absconded and hadn’t returned.
Still, Molly turned to see.
Not April. But Sadie was not a consolation prize. Sadie was awesomesauce all bottled up with a bow.
“Sadie!” Molly hopped right up. “I thought you had a trial this week?”
“Postponed.” Sadie wrapped Molly in a hug she hadn’t even known she needed. She loved Sadie because she always had everyone’s back. As an attorney and…otherwise.
They did the whole hello thing before they spilled their cocktail party onto the patio.
For the moment, Molly forgot about everything except happy.
Her friends and happiness.
Seriously throwing a wrench into the atmosphere, Molly caught them up on some of the Gavin situation—not all. The emoji situation. The car situation. The house situation—still way overpriced but she looked at the pictures online and figured she totally had some time to wait for it to drop within a reasonable range. Then she’d do the tour and let herself officially fall in love with the place.
“I need to know what the heck happened with Dan,” Rachel said, cutting right through the chatter and going for gold.
