Gavin: Date next Saturday. Ryers Gala Downtown. Black Tie. Pick you up at 7?
The totally reasonable text to let his pretend girlfriend know about a pressing need for a companion made sense. She negotiated the time to 7:15, just to make her point that she had some control over her life. Then she told him Agnes and Charlie were sorting out their next date and she’d let him know the day and time.
That’s when he sent her a thumbs up. That’s it.
No actual words.
Just a yellow thumb emoji of affirmation. Didn’t he know that was the universal sign for fuck off? Who did that? Molly preferred actual words. Call her old-fashioned.
“Are you sure you want company right now?” Molly asked. “I get it if you want to chill with your boys instead.”
“Silly.” Rachel gave her a funny look. Funny in that it seemed to see straight through Molly’s hesitation. “I invited
my friends over because I missed you all, too. I can hug on them and still drink margaritas with my girlfriends.”
“She’s good at multi-tasking that way,” Travis added. “Thanks for helping with my kids while I was gone. I
heard there were many burger runs for them.” Rachel did not use Gavin’s name, which Molly usually appreciated, but they should probably start using it more often.
“Gavin needed a break.” Molly lifted her shoulder. “And I like your kids.”
Even when they stuck candy up their nostril.
“Molly?” Rachel asked, tapping her fingertip against the condensation of her glass. “You know…” She glanced to Travis, then back to Molly, then back to Travis.
Travis made a pointed effort not to make eye contact with his wife.
Molly’s throat went thick, like she’d eaten a whole Kleenex and it got lodged funny.
Damn. She didn’t want this to be a whole thing.
“I don’t want this to be weird.” Molly took yet another sip of the cocktail. Fine. A gulp. She took a gulp of margarita.
“It’s not.” Rachel shook her head. “It’s just…”
“Just what?” Molly asked.
Maybe she should end this whole thing with Gavin. She didn’t want it to come between her and Rachel.
“Okay.” Rachel splayed her hands on her knees. “So, Gavin and I were never meant to be a couple. We all know and agree with that. The ‘us’ thing just sort of happened. And I know you know that better than anyone else.” She slid her gaze to Travis. He gave a subtle nod and continued playing with her hair.
“This is your friendly reminder that Gavin is a good guy,” Rachel said, the words adamant.
This was a regularly repeated mantra. Molly had always been certain Rachel was trying to convince herself as much as anyone else.
Today? She questioned that assumption.
“But he was a shitty husband,” Molly completed the thought for her. “I know. You’ve said.”
“I’d like to amend my statement,” Rachel said, running her teeth along her bottom lip.
“To?” This better be good.
“He wasn’t the right husband for me.” Rachel raised her eyebrows. “That’s all.”
She said it, but for some reason that didn’t feel like all. “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…”
