She sighed and checked her watch. It was five o’clock. Rick should have sent a message earlier if he was going to skip out on dinner. Waiting so long showed he wasn’t considerate when changing plans. He was about to find out she wasn’t the type to accommodate his lack of manners.
That’s unfortunate. I already made plans for tomorrow, she typed. Don’t take too long. Hudson is tired.
And she’d had enough of his games. She tucked her phone back into her pocket and climbed into the car, where Hudson gave her a kiss on the cheek. “You don’t need to apologize for Rick.” His ears lifted. “You’re a good boy.”
Hudson panted, and Molly started the engine to cool the car with the air conditioning. If only it cooled her temper. She shouldn’t have let her guard down with that man. Her instincts had been right when they first fought at the end of her campsite. He was irresponsible not only in how he cared for his dog, but he couldn’t even follow through with his own plans.
Molly exhaled and focused on calming her emotions. The day had not played out the way she had expected. No coffee date. No dinner date. She couldn’t even see the waterfall. The day was a bust by most standards, but she still was away from the rush of work… and that other dead-end relationship. Thank goodness that was over.
This trip had made her smarter. Now she saw them coming and could protect her heart from being hurt again. The vacation had given her the space to reflect, figure out what she needed, and identify what she wanted to avoid. In Lemon Grove, what she wanted to avoid came in the form of Rick. If only he didn’t look so good.
Pulling into the campground, she stopped by the office to pick up more food for Hudson and headed to her campsite to warm a can of stew. A meal from a restaurant would have been better than the cubes of potato and unidentifiable meat she stirred at the bottom of her bowl, but it was cheap.
Hudson would have cleaned her dish had she allowed him to; however, a responsible pet owner didn’t feed a dog from the table or let it lick a dirty dish. She settled into her chair with her book, and Hudson sat at her feet as she immersed herself in the story. Her day hadn’t gone well and the character in the book was having an even worse day, making hers seem like a breeze. At least Molly didn’t have some crazy murderer stalking her. She rolled her eyes. Carla had recommended the book, and while it was not at all her type of story, it passed the time. As the hero arrived to save the day, the daylight faded around her and the headlights from Rick’s pickup truck lit the road leading to her campsite.
Hudson rose to his feet and walked toward the road.
“Wait,” Molly said. She wasn’t about to let him get hit by the truck. Hudson stood in place as Rick parked the truck and turned off the engine.
“Did you miss me?” he called to Hudson as he closed the door and knelt beside his furry friend. “I’m sorry that took so long. You know that hardly ever happens. I hope you had a good time.”
“I don’t know if Hudson enjoyed himself today.” Molly stood a few feet away, folding her arms across her chest.
“What do you mean?” Rick asked, giving Hudson a good scratch on the head.
“I don’t know what it was, but just before we reached the waterfall, Hudson started acting strange. He could have just been tired.”
“What was he doing?” Rick looked down at Hudson, who wagged his tail and nudged his head against Rick’s hand.
“He lowered himself to the ground. He wouldn’t move anymore, and when I tried to get him to go, he started growling at me and blocked the path. After we turned around and went back, he lightened up again. Like I said, he might have been tired or—”
“Good boy.” Rick ruffled the top of Hudson’s head and smiled.
“Good boy? Why are you praising him for growling at me?”
“Because he protected you. He sensed trouble up ahead and kept you from walking into danger. Isn’t that right, Hudson?”
“I saw nothing. Are you sure?”
Rick nodded and scratched Hudson’s belly. “I’m confident. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were a bear up ahead. He has steered me away from many bears in the past.”
Molly knelt on the opposite side of Hudson and rubbed his back. “Did you protect me from a big, scary bear?”
“I knew he’d take care of you.” Rick held her in his gaze. “I’m sorry about today. My father insisted I come in for this business deal, and the clients wanted to complete the deal over dinner. If I bailed on that…” He sighed and lowered his head. “Believe me, it was not where I wanted to be tonight.”
Molly rose and took a step back. “It was unfortunate.”
Rick moved close. “I’m not a guy who cancels out at the last minute. Please, don’t let today change your opinion of me. I still want to take you out for coffee, if you’ll let me.”
“I do like coffee.” That was the truth. It still didn’t fix the fact that he had canceled twice in the same day. “But you’d have to promise not to cancel next time.”
He took her hand and held it against his chest. “I promise. I wouldn’t let anything get in the way of our coffee date.” He took a breath. “Are you still busy tomorrow?”
“I might have an opening for coffee.”
“Around eight o’clock? When I come by to pick up Hudson?”
Molly nodded. She looked at how his fingers wrapped around her hand and felt the beating of his heart. Glancing up, she saw his eyes staring back at hers and she lost her fight against the urge to forgive him. One more chance. If he blew it this time, he’d have to find someone else to watch Hudson in the morning.
His smile grew, and he continued to hold her hand until he climbed into his truck to drive home. Molly stood at the edge of her campsite and watched the taillights disappear behind the trees. Tomorrow she would know if he was telling the truth or playing another game. At eight o’clock tomorrow morning, she would decide if he was worth her time or if she had already wasted enough on Rick.
Chapter Fifteen
If she wasn’t so wide awake, the sweet melody of her cell phone’s ring-tone would have put Molly to sleep. When Molly answered, Carla’s chirping voice on the other end jolted her awake.
“You’re not asleep yet?” Carla asked. “I thought all that fresh air would have worn you out.”
Molly chuckled and rolled onto her side. “I’m afraid not. I’ve had a lot to think about out here.”
“Are you talking about Rick?”
“Yes. Why can’t things ever be easy?”
“Relationships are never easy, but the good ones are worth the effort.” Carla took a sip of a drink on the other end of the phone. Her evening cup of tea. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Molly sighed. She hated the thought of dumping her complaints on her friend late at night, but this was not the first time they shared personal conflicts over hot tea. “Rick asked me to give him another chance after canceling breakfast and dinner today. Before he arrived to pick up Hudson, I had prepared what I was going to say if he asked, but…”
“But what?”
“Then I saw the look in his eyes and he looked really sincere when he apologized.”
“And so you decided to give him another chance?”
“I did.” Molly sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. “We’re going to have breakfast together tomorrow. Am I making the wrong decision? How many times does he have to blow me off before I stop giving him chances?”
“Stop freaking out. Here’s what you’re going to do.” Carla took a deep breath. “You are going to get up early tomorrow morning and make yourself look gorgeous. Make him feel guilty about canceling today. If he’s interested, he’ll make sure he never makes the same mistake again.”
Molly chuckled and rolled her eyes. Carla always knew how to scheme. “So you think I should go ahead with the date tomorrow?”
“I do. Cut the guy some slack… but only a little.”
* * *
“What does someone wear to a coffee date?” Rick stood in front of his closet
, sliding hangers across the rack. He held a dress shirt against his chest and shook his head. “I’m not going to a business meeting.”
The clock ticked. At seven thirty, he needed to decide what to wear and finish getting ready to be punctual. After canceling on her twice, he was not going to be late. It would be even better if he arrived early. At least Hudson would be there to keep her distracted until he arrived, but he couldn’t count on that dog to do everything. It’s not like Hudson could take Molly out for coffee.
Three shirts later, he settled on a red plaid, short-sleeved, button shirt. The buttons would give her the impression that he tried to dress up, even though he was taking her to the café in Lemon Grove, and not some fancy restaurant in the city. Staying at a campsite, Molly probably packed nothing dressy, so this outfit struck the right balance.
Dressed, hair styled, and teeth brushed, he looked somewhat ready. His palms were sweating and his stomach twisted in knots as he watched the clock. He hadn’t been this nervous about getting coffee since… well, ever.
He never had to ask out Valerie. Their families orchestrated their first date and scheduled lunch for them, with his father overseeing what he wore. After a while, he went along with the setup and a relationship developed, but it lacked a spark. It was convenient and bland.
This was his choice, and he liked this girl. Things seemed to go well after the tour of Lakewood Lake, and he could have kept things going if not for being called into the city. Now, Rick hoped she would forgive him, not just for canceling coffee but also dinner.
She could have turned him down and refused to have coffee with him this morning, and she could have also pulled her hand away when he held it the night before. Instead, she listened and agreed to give him another shot.
He ran his hand over his hair and gave himself one last look in the mirror.
“That will have to do,” he said before laughing to himself.
All this fuss over a woman he only met a week ago. Some people fall for their partners the first time they laid eyes on them. In Rick’s case, she caught his eye that day in the campground office, but the moment she berated him for how he cared for Hudson… in that moment, he noticed the spark.
He always wanted a spark. The only thing close to it was the urge to move to Lemon Grove, and the more he tried to push away the idea, the more it consumed him. He experienced the same draw with Molly. She would eventually have to go back to the city, but that was only a drive away. He imagined he would make the trip if it meant giving the spark another chance to burn and grow into a genuine relationship.
If she was willing to forgive him for yesterday, then perhaps she feels the same? Why else would she put up with a guy who cancels last minute? He’d seen friends dumped for less than that. Molly didn’t seem high maintenance like some other girls he’d met, but he knew he needed to make her feel respected. Coming across as an ignorant loser who puts work ahead of a woman would not do him any favors.
Today was his chance to prove to her he is a gentleman who was serious when he first asked her out. He swiped his keys from the dresser and threw on his shoes. To pick her up on time, he needed to leave now.
* * *
Like the day before, Molly spent money on the campground shower. She would not smell terrible on a coffee date. She checked her phone for messages and found no message to say he canceled. Satisfied enough that Rick was still coming, she took extra time to fix her hair, twisting it around her finger as it dried to encourage its natural waves.
She probably wouldn’t have fussed as much if not for Carla’s encouragement the night before. As she returned to her campsite from the showers, Hudson arrived and licked her hand in greeting. “Good morning, Hudson. You’re here on time. Is Rick coming?”
Hudson followed her to her car where she prepared her breakfast. She used the last of her milk and unwrapped the last yogurt and cereal bar.
Molly stretched and yawned before lowering herself into her camping chair. “I hope he comes soon,” she said. “I need my coffee.”
She checked her watch. Seven fifty-five. Five minutes left before he was—
Molly heard the roar of his truck as Rick drove up the road. Hudson didn’t rise and remained at Molly’s feet, moving only to lift his head in acknowledgment. Molly remained seated in her chair and waved to Rick as he pulled into the campsite to park.
“Good morning,” he said with a wide smile.
He looked good in his button-down shirt and denim pants. The man understood how to dress, and she had no complaints with no mud on his clothes.
“You made it.” She hadn’t meant it as a comment on the day before, but her stomach twisted as she worried Rick might interpret her words the wrong way.
Rick laughed and knelt down to pet Hudson. “A few minutes early.”
“Really?” Molly pretended to glance at her watch. He didn’t need to know she watched the clock. “I never noticed. Hudson distracted me.”
“That’s why I sent him. Should we get going?” Rick rose and slapped his leg. Hudson groaned.
“Come on, Hudson. We’re going to go for a walk,” Molly said. Hudson lifted his head and lowered it back to the ground. “Do you think he’s too tired?”
Rick shook his head and held Molly’s hand, leading her toward the road. “He thinks I’m trying to make him go home.”
“We aren’t going to leave him behind.”
“Just wait.” They took a couple of steps onto the road where Rick whistled over his shoulder. Hudson sprung to his feet and ran to their side, wagging his tail in excitement. “See? He needed to make sure we weren’t going to the truck.”
Molly laughed at a dog being so stubborn. She hadn’t been around dogs enough to observe one behave like Hudson, or at least the dogs she had been with displayed little personality. Hudson had a mind of his own and wasn’t afraid to make humans do what he wanted. He seemed to have learned a few tricks, but who did he learn them from? Perhaps the one holding her hand? Every time she seemed to guess Rick was up to something, he ended up innocent. His trip to the city could have been innocent enough, and she became more inclined to forgive him since he showed up this morning, surprisingly on time. He also seemed to dress up for the occasion.
She breathed in, taking in the scent of the trees and some woodsy soap. He made an excellent choice, and she leaned in to take it in even more.
“Tired?” Rick asked.
“Hmm?” Molly’s cheeks flushed. She hadn’t realized how far over she had leaned. It was too early to be leaning against his arm, but her cheek had brushed against his sleeve. “No, I was trying to look between the trees over there.” Her heart raced with the fear of being caught smelling him. What would he think if he realized what she did? He’d most likely laugh at her, and then what?
Rick slowed their pace and bent his knees to see from Molly’s level. “There’s not much to see over there.”
“I just like looking at the different trees and the bark. There aren’t many to look at in the city.”
“True.”
His thumb glided down the side of hers and back toward her wrist. Molly would have almost frozen in place if she hadn’t reminded herself to be cautious. She was still learning about Rick. Why get caught up over a small, gentle touch? A touch that made her fight the urge to return the gesture. Shouldn’t she show her interest? Even a little? If she gave him nothing at all, maybe he’d think she didn’t like him and he’d move on? He could have a list of ladies to move on to if she rejected him.
Then again, the fear of other women shouldn’t be what spurred her toward flirtation. In fact, it should push her in the opposite direction. To be in a relationship with someone, she needed to be confident no one else was in the picture. Another already dumped her for someone else, and she needed to spot warning signs early to prevent it from happening again. But had Rick triggered any serious red flags?
She stole a glance at his eyes, not wanting him to see she was looking at him. A person could learn a lot
about someone by looking in their eyes, such as if they were hiding something, or if they were relaxed, or happy. Rick had happy eyes, at least by Molly’s definition. They differed from Brad’s and it wasn’t only in their color. It was how the corners and the bridge of his nose creased when he smiled. There was animation in his face, which she never saw with Brad. It didn’t appear that Rick was trying to control his emotions, which naturally displayed on his face, unless he was an excellent actor.
Given that everyone she had met in town seemed to like Rick, it inclined her to believe this wasn’t an act. How tiring it would be to act one’s way through life in every interaction. This had to be the real him she was seeing, which was reassuring. He had proven to her he wasn’t perfect, but who was? If she were looking for a perfect man, she’d never find one. What she needed was to find the perfect man for her. Someone who cared about her and wanted to spend time with her. Rick was spending time with her… until she had to leave in a week.
Rick led them over the bridge, but instead of walking into the residential area, he veered left onto a narrow path.
“Where are we going?” Molly asked.
“It is a nicer walk along the creek.”
It was. The path was barely the width of their feet and traced the edge of the creek bed. Rick walked in front of her, holding her hand behind him. He held back branches and waited for her to pass by or blocked them before he let them go and they sprang back into place.
Through the trees, Molly heard dogs barking in town, which made Hudson’s ears perk up, most likely excited to hear his furry friends. Dew coated the leaves of the plants, giving them a sheen. If only they didn’t dampen her clothes as they passed by. The birds had sung their morning tunes, and the cool morning air enhanced the scents of the surrounding forest. She smiled to herself. This was a pleasant walk, and she found comfort in being close to town in the company of Rick and Hudson.
She looked ahead at Rick as he walked in front of her and noticed how his hair had been trimmed at the back of his neck. She observed his stride as he moved along the path. He was strong and was used to hiking in the outdoors. His clothes fit him well… a little too well, and Molly shifted her gaze away. For years, she had prided herself on noticing others’ accomplishments rather than their physical assets, but she had never met a man like Rick before. This was a man of the woods. Those men didn’t exist in the city, and if they did, Molly had never met one.
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