It’d taken three days to wrap up the loose ends. Her possessions were packed, at least the ones she wanted to keep: mostly just clothes and the photo albums she found in the basement. Everything she wanted to take with her would fit in a car.
“Ready?”
She turned and smiled at her husband. His eyes were glowing with love for her, and she knew it was a rare and special love, the kind you find once in a lifetime.
“Yup.” She stretched up to kiss him and fall into his embrace. She wanted to linger there and hold him close, and could tell he wanted that too, but at the same time she felt they both wanted to get out of there and on with life.
When she looked up at his face again, he wiped the tear that was tickling its way down her cheek. She locked the door on the way out and they were on their way.
Starting back up the freeway, this time knowing what awaited her, Molly didn’t look back at Redding. It’d been a bit bittersweet to hug Karen that last time, but she knew they would call often and visit each other. In fact, why hadn’t she thought of inviting Karen up sooner? She’d love to get them together with her friends in Ridge City.
Alicia called and Trent put her on the hands free speaker.
“Want some happy news?” she asked.
“That’d be nice.”
“Mark’s getting serious with one of the local school teachers. Sounds like he finally had enough of Bev.”
Trent glanced over with a smile. Molly laughed. “But who’ll Bev complain to now? Hopefully she’ll leave David alone about me.”
Alicia sighed. “We talked quite a bit about all that, and we told Bev, firmly, to leave you alone and not to spread gossip like that anymore.”
A weight lifted from her shoulders. Molly hadn’t even known it was still bothering her. They chatted for a good half hour, and just a few minutes after they hung up with Alicia, Mark called.
Molly had expected some heavy conversation between her and Trent during the drive, but instead they were catching up with friends.
“Hey, buddy,” Mark greeted. “I’ve got good news and good news.”
“That’s what we like to hear.” There was a lift to Trent’s voice that matched the skip in her heartbeat.
“Quinn called the station and said Atwood confessed to shooting at you. He was just trying to scare you. So they’ve got him on that and stalking.”
Trent let out his breath. That didn’t reassure Molly as much, and she asked, “Don’t we have to worry about him still?”
“Hi Molly,” Mark said. “No. He’s in jail and headed away for a while, and he’s on medication for depression. It sounds like he’s been lonely and isolated, maybe didn’t fit in with others, but he’s getting help.”
She felt bad for Justin but also glad he’d be out of her life.
“So,” Trent asked. “What was the other good news?” He grinned at her because they both knew the good news already.
“The DA isn’t worried about prosecuting anything in connection to the Anderson disappearance.”
She pulled in a breath. That wasn’t what they were expecting him to say but it was even better.
“The case is closed,” Mark added. Trent reached over and engulfed her hand.
They pulled into the driveway just before two o’clock in the afternoon. Trent turned the car off and they both stared at the house. Actually she was looking at the red roses in bloom. Now she knew she planted them just after he had bought the house for them. That broken rose lamp had matched them, too. There were so many tiny little details that fit together, weaving their life story.
“We’re home,” she said. Or, she tried to say. Her throat closed up but he understood her. Suddenly he launched out of the car and ran around to her side to open the door and pull her to her feet.
“Trent, wait,” she said, stopping him. “I’m sorry about what I said before. I didn’t mean it.”
“What did you say?”
“That what we shared was about need.” She laid her head on his shoulder as they stood cheek to cheek, arms around each other. “When we made love. I was confused and scared about what you’d expect from me. And maybe I was a little mad that you didn’t tell me we were married, even though I understood why. What we shared wasn’t just about physical need. I just said that…”
He ran his lips over her cheek. “I know. I knew you didn’t mean it, either.” His chest moved in what felt like a chuckle. Of course he’d known.
She tried to give him an exasperated sigh, but ended up laughing. His lips made it down to her neck, making her laugh more.
“I love you,” she whispered happily.
“I know that, too.” He swung her up into his arms and started for the front door.
She looked back at the car with the passenger door open. “What are you doing?”
“Don’t I get to carry you across the threshold? It’s an old tradition.”
“Aren’t we a little late for that?” she asked as he paused on the porch. The words slipped out, followed by the thought that their timeline didn’t have to match with everyone else. “I mean, who cares?”
She felt an old fire ignite and grinned. She was still that girl that ran to the edge of the hill and yelled to all of Ridge City when she got engaged.
“Exactly. So what if we have our own timing?” He kissed her mouth and carried her in, kicking the door shut behind them. He headed straight for the bedroom.
She squealed in mixed glee and mock protest. “Trent!”
“I think this is part of the tradition.”
They slept in the next morning, snuggling in a blissful dreamlike state. Even when she woke up, Molly lay in bed daydreaming about sharing her life with Trent and maybe starting a family in a few years. Or maybe sooner.
The red roses in bloom in front of the house kept popping up in her visions. She was thinking about their life blooming now as they headed toward summer. She’d been thinking about the money she’d get when the house in California sold. Probably not a large sum, but enough to start her own business. She’d surprise everyone by finally picking something – something she’d loved all along: growing plants. She could see her nursery and smell the plants growing and blooming.
Trent leaned up onto his elbow to see the clock. “We should probably get up since everyone will be here in about an hour.”
She opened her mouth at him in disbelief. “You invited everyone over for our first day back?”
He grinned. “Yup. Well, okay, it got planned and I didn’t say no. You know how those guys are.”
And the funny and wonderful thing was, she did.
Soon they were up and ready and Trent was firing up the grill. He came in when he heard a car outside. Even though she’d complained, she was anxious and excited to see their friends. When David and Alicia came inside, Molly met them with hugs and a question. “So, have you thought of any names yet?”
Alicia’s hand went to her stomach without any thought. “No, it’s harder than I thought.”
David smiled when his baby was mentioned and squeezed Alicia’s shoulders. Alicia still reminded Molly of a flower, a small bloom but a bold, bright flower blooming in a desert. David must see it, too. Both their faces were shining with their renewed love and excitement about their coming baby.
They would flip when she shared her news. That thought, along with the smell of barbeque coming in the back door, made her stomach clench up.
“Mol?” Trent took her arm. “What’s the face for?”
She mumbled, “morning sickness,” and rushed to the bathroom. She was sitting on the rim of the bathtub as her stomach settled down again.
Trent knocked on the door, although it wasn’t completely shut. “Mol?”
“I’m okay, I think.”
He pushed the door open and came in to ask, “Really?”
She hadn’t expected to see such hope in his eyes. It took her breath away and filled her with new, strange emotions.
“I’m pregnant.” She tried for a smi
le, a laugh, but didn’t feel too great. Looking up at him, though, she felt loved and excited all at once. “We’re pregnant, Trent. Think we’re ready for this?”
She had just found him, and her gotten her memory back, so this seemed like too much, as if she was tempting fate. He knelt down in front of her, his eyes still shinny. “We wanted a baby, remember? We decided to wait a few years back then. Well, it’s been a few years, and I don’t want to put anything off ever again.”
With his reassurance, her fears dissolved like a bad memory. They were in this together. Molly nodded and took a deep breath. Joy spread through her.
He grabbed her, wanting to lift her off her feet, but was overly gentle instead. Whirling, he yelled out to their friends, “We’re having a baby too!”
Alicia and David met them in the hallway where Alicia grabbed Molly in a hug. “Oh, I’m so happy we get to be pregnant together. I used to dream about this and I secretly worried you’d never come back. But now…”
“Now we moan and complain together through morning sickness!” Molly said, and they both laughed. The front door shut and more people called out a hello.
“Oh, I hope it’s okay that Mark’s bringing Melinda.”
“Of course!” Trent called for Mark. He wanted to share the news. “We need to celebrate everything.” His voice caught because he was smiling so hard and had a shine in his eyes.
“Trent, everything’s perfect.” Molly embraced her husband, the father of her baby. They gazed into each other’s eyes and she felt so thankful for finding him again. He rested his forehead against hers, holding her tightly, both of them caught up in their emotions. She had her memories now, but more than that, she had her friends, her love, and her future back.
The End
About The Author
Kristen James loves to watch wildlife in her yard and on the river by her house. Besides reading and writing, she loves traveling, cycling, hiking, berry picking, canoeing, fishing and camping, and especially doing these with her family. Life should be an adventure!
Visit www.writerkristenjames.com to learn more and read her blog. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WriterKristenJames and Twitter at @writerkristenj. She loves to interact with readers.
Amazon author page with full book list available at http://amazon.com/author/kristenjames
New Title - The Enemy’s Son
http://amzn.to/TheEnemysSon
Cora discovers her father is in trouble… and the only person who can help her is the enemy’s son, Nick Holloway.
Her father couldn’t have stolen a million dollars, so how is he going to replace it? In one week?
Praise for A Cowboy For Christmas:
“A Cowboy for Christmas is a great romance for the holidays or anytime you like. A bit fun and flirty read that will not disappoint.” Coffee Time Romance
“Kristen James has done it again with another romance novel to warm your heart. She has created truly down to earth and like-able characters with Missy and Brent. The story is perfect for the holidays! Not too long, not too short, I finished the book in about a day. Like her other book, More Than Memories, you become immersed in the story, the plot and the descriptive scenery.”
Read more on Amazon at
http://amzn.to/ACowboyForChristmas
Praise for Embers of Hope, Flickers of Passion:
A beautifully woven plot, Embers of Hope, Flickers of Passion, will have you crying with Cassie, cheering for Jason, and praying Eric does not return to distinguish the flames that are spreading between Jason and Savanna.
Read more on Amazon at
http://amzn.to/EmbersOfHope
Reading Guide:
A Cowboy For Christmas – flirty contemporary romance
More Than Memories – emotional romantic suspense
Embers of Hope, Flickers of Passion – emotional women’s fiction
The Enemy’s Son – nonstop action, romantic suspense
The Fairy and her Giant – Fantasy novella
Quick Reads – short stories and two novellas
The River People – Native American fiction
A Miraculous Fate – a mystical thriller co-written with Tommy Garrison
Kauai Spy Games – Spy/ CIA thriller co-written with Jeff Ivanov
Recovery of Agent M – CIA/ Navy Seal military adventure co-written with Jeff Ivanov
More Than Memories Page 16