by Becca Van
Steven reached out and grabbed her hand and Giles hurried over to stand in front of her.
“Where are you going?” Steve asked at the same time Giles asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I have to go home.” Molly looked back over her shoulder at Steve and then turned to face Giles.
“Why?” Steve snapped out the question.
“I have arrangements to make and a business to run.”
“You can stay here for the night and we’ll make sure you get back to your shop in time to do what you have to,” Giles said.
“I have a delivery of flowers coming at 7:00 a.m. I think it would be best if I went home.”
Giles looked over her head at Steven and even though she couldn’t see him, she knew that neither of them was happy with her decision, but work came first. That was something they were going to have to learn about her. She’d dreamed of having her own flower shop for years and now that that dream had come to fruition, she wasn’t going to let anyone stand in her way of being a success.
“We can…” Steven began, but she cut him off by holding her hand up.
Molly stood up and began to search for her clothes but realized they were out in the living room. She hurried out and sighed when she heard them following her. They stood before her naked with their hands on their hips and seemingly comfortable in their own skin. Now that her desire had been appeased, Molly was feeling a little vulnerable and exposed without her clothes on. She found her panties and pulled them on, then her jeans and shirt, not bothering with her bra. After shoving her lingerie into her purse, she turned to face them again.
“As much as I appreciate you wanting me to stay, I can’t. If it was the weekend I wouldn’t hesitate to stay, but I have too much to do.”
“Fine!” Steven scowled at her but then he turned and walked back toward the bedroom. Without saying a word, Giles followed him.
Great! Now they’re pissed at me. Molly felt a little guilty for making them mad but then she decided they had no grounds to be angry with her. She wasn’t about to let them guilt her into changing her mind. Her business was just as important as theirs and if they didn’t realize that then it was just too damn bad.
They came back out fully dressed and Steve didn’t even look at her as he walked toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Molly thought he sounded like a recalcitrant toddler in a sulk after not getting his own way but she kept that opinion to herself. The last thing she wanted to do was pique his ire even more. She followed him into the garage and Giles lifted her up into the truck. After making sure she was buckled in, she sat still staring out the front windscreen.
Steve backed out of the garage and then drove down the drive. The further they drove, the more uncomfortable Molly began to feel. No one had said a word since they’d gotten in the truck and no matter how much she tried to not feel like their petulance was her fault, she did. By the time they stopped in the parking lot behind her shop she was as mad as they seemed to be and she began to wonder if a relationship between them would work out after all.
It took everything she had not to double over as pain pierced her chest, but she’d learned to hide her feelings from her mother so she knew she could do it this time, too.
Giles opened his door and got out. She gripped the hand he offered and slid across the seat. It was really hard to keep her expression stoic when he lifted her down from the truck but she thought she’d done an admirable job when Giles scrutinized her face. She expected him to get back in the truck but he was a gentleman and walked her up to her door. Steven stayed in the truck.
“We’re not mad at you, Molly, but we are disappointed.”
Molly opened her mouth to speak but closed it again when he placed a finger over her lips. “Please don’t be angry with us. We just want to spend as much time as we can with you. We don’t begrudge that you have obligations, a business to run, but a relationship is about compromise. We think we could have something very special with you, precious, but we’ll give you all the time you need to think about this if that’s what you want.”
Molly sighed, her anger dissipating a bit but she was still a little disappointed with the way they had reacted, especially Steven.
“I agree with you about a relationship but you and Steven have to understand that flowers are my passion. When I was growing up all the other kids looked at me like I was insane and I only ever had one true friend. It was a lonely time for me and with my mum having to work to pay the bills I was often left on my own. We were lucky enough to have a small garden and after saving my pocket money I bought some flower seeds and planted them. I watered and weeded them every day and because I had no one else to talk to I talked to my growing plants.
“Those plants and flowers became my friends, Giles, and I would be lost if I couldn’t continue nurturing them. Flowers are my life and I won’t let anyone take that away from me. Not even you or Steven.”
“Precious, we would never interfere with your business.” Giles cupped her cheek. “Don’t worry about Steven, Molly you leave him to me. He’ll come around. I guess he was just a little disappointed when you didn’t stay. He probably got his hopes up and expected you to say yes after we made love to you.
“Now go inside and lock your door. If and when you’re ready to see us again, all you have to do is call. Okay?”
Molly nodded, gave him one last lingering look, unlocked her door, went inside and closed the door again. She didn’t hear Giles’s footsteps going down the stairs until after she’d locked the door. Molly headed toward her bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. After a quick shower, she crawled into bed and even though she was tired, she stared unseeingly at the ceiling.
Steven had hurt her with his attitude and harsh words but now she knew why he’d acted that way her anger drained away totally, but she began to wonder if he was one of those men that liked to get his way all the time. She could understand him being disappointed that she hadn’t stayed but he shouldn’t have taken his disenchantment out on her. She hadn’t done anything wrong. If she had she would have understood his frustration and snappy comments, but she hadn’t.
If she continued a relationship with them and it ended up a permanent thing, would he expect her to give up her business and be a housewife? Would he want his meal on the table as soon as he walked in the door? Would he want to control the people she saw or the friends she made? Would he be as clingy and controlling as her mother?
Molly rolled on her side and hugged herself. She knew she was being unfair and didn’t think that Steven would treat her that way, but even though she tried to push her doubts, aside they stayed in the forefront of her mind. No matter how hard she tried to relax and let sleep claim her, her mind stayed busy, going around and around in circles. Just as her eyelids began to droop she glanced at the clock. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. It was already 3:00 a.m. and she had to be up at six.
No matter. She’d gotten by on little sleep before. She could and would do it again.
* * * *
Giles stared at Steve’s profile as his brother drove back home. He hadn’t said a word but he couldn’t hold back any longer. “Did you have to be such an arsehole?”
Steven shrugged and continued to look at the road. “You hurt her, mate. She tried so damn hard to hide it but I could see the pain in her eyes.”
“And you think she didn’t hurt me, us?”
“She didn’t mean it that way and you know it. Fuck, Steve, give her a break. She’s only just started her dream business and wants it to get off the ground. Surely you of all people can understand that. You have to remember how busy we were when we started our real estate business.”
“Yeah, we were working sixteen- to twenty-hour days.”
“Don’t you think that Molly would be doing the same? She’s probably hard at work hours before she opens the door for business making those flower arrangements and checking her supplies, let alone when she has the time to do her books.” Giles he
ld up his hand when Steven opened his mouth. “I haven’t finished.” He then went on to tell him what Molly had said about making flowers and plants her friend when she was a kid.
“Shit! I fucked up big time.” Steve ran his hand through his hair and then slammed it down on the steering wheel.
Giles didn’t have to say I told you so but he wasn’t in a very forgiving mood. He was worried that his brother had just ruined all the chances they had with Molly. “Yeah, you did.”
“I just want to spend all our spare time together. It wasn’t like we wouldn’t have made sure she was back to her shop in plenty of time for her delivery.”
“I know, man, but she needs time. I don’t think she’s had much experience with men and she has to get her head around both of us wanting her.”
“She seemed eager enough at the start of the night.”
“Yes she did and she was, but didn’t you see the shocked expression on her face the first time I made her come. Just back off for a bit, Steve. Don’t be so intense and don’t push her so hard. Molly just needs a little time.”
“I just want…”
“I want the same as you do, mate, but don’t keep pushing her. The more you push, the more she’ll get her back up and if she does I can see her calling the whole thing off. You don’t want that, do you?”
“You know I fucking don’t.”
“Good, then the next time we go out with her will be because she called us.”
“Tell me you didn’t.” Steve snarled as he pulled the truck into the garage and turned it off. “Tell me you didn’t fucking say to her that she was to make the next move.”
Giles didn’t bother to answer verbally. He shrugged his shoulders and got out of the truck. There was no way he was going to get through to his brother tonight. He walked inside and headed for his bedroom.
Steve raced after him and gripped his shoulder just as he reached his bedroom. He turned to face his angry brother. His eyes were wild with fury, another look he’d never seen on his siblings face before.
“If you’ve fucked this up, I’ll never forgive you.”
Giles shrugged out of Steven’s hold and walked into his room. He glared at him and then he replied, “Ditto,” before slamming his door closed.
A loud bang sounded and Steven cursed. He wondered if his brother had broken his hand when he put his fist through the wall.
Giles knew Steve was battling his emotions and uncertainties just like he was, but he’d learned to read women and knew that Molly didn’t need to be pressured right now. He just hoped that Steve would come to the same conclusion he had by morning and then go and apologize to her. If he didn’t then she may never want to see them again.
And that was something he didn’t think he could live with.
* * * *
Molly dragged herself out of bed after barely three hours of sleep. As much as she wanted to roll over and sink into oblivion again, she couldn’t. After showering she felt much better and headed down to her store. She made a pot of coffee and decided to sort through her list of flowers and what she wanted to order for her next delivery. After finishing her first cup of coffee, she felt almost awake and had just poured another cup when the buzzer to her back door sounded.
She went out and greeted Ray and then helped him bring in her order. After Molly paid the bill, he left with a wave. She got down to business and put her flowers in buckets of water and then began making up posies of flowers. By the time nine o’clock rolled around she only had fifteen bunches made up. She was moving a lot slower after a nearly sleepless night and decided she would continue working at her front counter.
So after opening her door, she lugged the buckets in to the front and placed them on the floor behind the bench out of sight. Lucky she had designed the counter big enough to serve customers and continue working.
The buzzer sounded and when she looked up she met Tom Beech’s contrite expression. She didn’t say anything, just waited to see what he wanted. When he stopped at the counter, he gave her a tentative smile.
“I’m sorry I tried to arrest you. As much as I hate that I upset you, I was only doing my job.”
“Apology accepted.” Molly held out her hand to him. “No hard feelings.”
Tom took her hand. “Thank God. Beth was raving mad at me. She hasn’t spoken to any of us since yesterday.”
“Well, you can tell her that I harbor no ill will toward you, Noah, or Zach. Besides if I was in your shoes I probably would have done the same.”
“Thanks, Molly.”
“I suppose you’re here for the other cuttings?” Molly smiled sheepishly and Tom burst out laughing.
“I am. Sorry.” He chuckled. “I’m not laughing at you, just the situation.”
“Hey don’t worry about it. I’d probably be laughing at me if I was you. Come on into the back and get that stuff out of my sight.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tom grinned.
Molly indicated the potted cuttings and then offered him two plastic shopping bags to put them in.
“I don’t need those. I can carry them just fine.”
“Humor me,” Molly said. “The last thing I need is for one of my customers seeing you carrying that out of my shop.”
“There is that. Is it okay if we drive out to where you found this after you close up tonight?”
“Sure. What time did you want to go?”
“Well how about before dinner. I’ll pick you up at five thirty.”
“But that’s the time I close up.”
“Yeah, you’re coming home with me and having dinner with us. I owe you a meal after putting you through hell.”
“Does Beth know?”
“Yeah, I spoke to her before coming here. She said not to take no for an answer.”
“In that case, thank you. I would love to come for dinner, but you don’t need to pick me up. I want to shower first and it isn’t very far from here to the station and I’d like to take the opportunity to wind down by walking.”
“Okay, we’ll make dinner for six then.”
“Just be sure to let Beth know.”
“Oh I will.” Tom put the potted cannabis in the shopping bags, picked up two of her flower arrangements, plunked the money for his purchases down on the counter and then headed out.
From then on Molly was run off her feet. All day long people came into her shop, looked over her flowers, and bought them. She spent the day making up more posies and as fast as she made them, they walked out the door. She didn’t even have time to have lunch and by the time she closed up, she was utterly exhausted. All she wanted to do was take a shower, eat, and crawl into bed, but she had accepted a dinner invitation and she wasn’t about to back out. She liked Beth a lot and even though she was a little intimidated by Tom, his twin brother Zach, and Noah, she liked them, too. After the incident yesterday and their subsequent apologies, she felt a little more comfortable around them. It was just that they were so damn big. They were inches taller than Steven and Giles and bulging with muscle. She wondered how Beth dealt with them because she wasn’t tall, but it seemed her new friend could handle them just fine.
Molly hurried up the stairs and after a quick shower and changing into a clean pair of jeans and another of her favorite green shirts, she headed out. She didn’t hurry but took the time to look in the shop windows as she walked. She was half a kilometer from her store when she saw a really pretty green dress in a shop window and stopped to admire it. If the store had been open she may well have walked in and tried it on, but like her, the business closed at five thirty. She made a decision to come back one day soon and try that dress on if it was still up for sale. Just as she was about to turn around and start walking again, she saw the reflection of a car in the window and it was right behind her. She couldn’t see the occupants but could see the silhouette of two men in the vehicle. With a shrug she half turned and then all hell broke loose.
A loud report sounded, something whizzed by her head and then glass shatter
ed. Molly teetered on her feet but couldn’t stay upright and fell to the ground and landed on her hands and knees. She cried out when the glass beneath her cut into her skin and then she heard a squeal of tires as she fell to her side. When she lifted her head to try and see the car, it was gone. Footsteps pounded on the pavement and even though she tried to get up, her body wouldn’t obey her. She was shaking so much she was as limp as a wet dishrag.
“Molly, are you all right?”
Molly looked up to see Tom squatting beside her and even though she wanted to tell him that she was fine, she couldn’t speak. Her vocal cords felt like they were frozen.
“Shit. Don’t move, honey. I want to make sure you aren’t hurt.”
Tom ran his hands over her body with clinical detachment, carefully brushing the shard of glass off of her as he went, and then she was being lifted into his arms.
“What the hell happened?” Noah asked.
Molly hadn’t even realized he was there. She looked over Tom’s shoulder and saw Zach running toward them, too.
“Someone shot at her.”
Molly shook her head. She hadn’t seen a gun. Only heard a loud bang and then glass flying everywhere.
“We need to get her back to the station and call Ryan. I want her checked out,” Tom demanded and started walking. “Zach, call someone to fix that window.”
Zach pulled his mobile from his pocket and was talking into it a moment later.
Molly tried to move but Noah’s voice stopped her. “Don’t move, honey, you have glass in your hair and there could be more. I don’t want you getting cut.”
Zach finished his call and then he walked along beside them, his eyes scanning as he talked on his phone again. It was only then that she remembered Tom ordering a doctor.