by SJ McCoy
She sniffed, and Marcos touched her arm. “Are you okay?”
She nodded and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m just so happy for Piper. She didn’t have anyone, and now she gets to be a part of this whole big wonderful family.”
Marcos smiled. “And you will, too, whenever you’re ready.”
Molly stared at him. Fortunately, she didn’t need to say anything since the music struck up and Laura started to make her way down the aisle between the rows of guests. Piper leaned on Mr. Hamilton’s arm, beaming as she walked toward Cameron and Smoke who were standing up at the front waiting for her.
The ceremony was beautiful—short and sweet and simple. Molly was glad that they’d abandoned their plans to have a big fancy wedding in Napa. She looked over at Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton. They were old money, a big name both in Napa and in the wine industry in general, but they didn’t need their son to have a fancy wedding—or to marry someone from their social circle. They just wanted their children to be happy. She looked over at Marcos’ parents. They were smiling happily. She couldn’t imagine that they’d ever cared about a fancy wedding either. They’d come on a week’s notice for Antonio’s wedding and had been so happy about it. She glanced sideways at Marcos. Wherever he’d gotten his ideas about some society wedding, she knew it hadn’t been from his parents.
He caught her looking and glanced down at her with a smile. In some ways, he hadn’t changed much at all. In others, she knew he had.
The reception was held out on the terrace overlooking the lake. It was a perfect setting, and they had the perfect day for it. The sky was blue, the sun shone down, but it wasn’t too warm. It didn’t surprise her that Cameron should get the perfect day. He was one of those guys who seemed to be charmed in life.
Marcos came to her and handed her a drink. “Mind if I ask what you were thinking?”
She smiled. “Just that the perfect weather doesn’t surprise me. Everything always seems to go well for Cameron.”
Marcos smiled. “He does have his fair share of good luck, but I think he’s one of those people who’s like a swan. You know, all you see is the elegance gliding across the water, but under the surface, his legs are paddling like crazy to make it all appear calm, effortless.”
Molly laughed. “Maybe. I never thought of him like that, but perhaps you’re right.”
They both looked up as Marcos’ dad came to join them. “I’m going to put my foot right in it and ask if the two of you are going to be next.”
Molly laughed. She loved John. He didn’t beat about the bush. “I think I can safely say, that no, we’re not.”
Marcos swung his head to look at her. The hurt in his eyes took her by surprise. She’d been trying to make light of being put on the spot like that.
She smiled. “Are you both forgetting that Chelsea and Grant have been engaged for almost a year now? I think it’s a safe bet that they’ll be the next.”
John smiled at her and nodded at his son. “That’s our Molly. She always did keep you on your toes. I hope you’re not going to let her get away again.”
Marcos shrugged and smiled at her. “Not if I can help it.”
“Well, I hope we’ll be seeing more of you, Molly.”
“Thanks. I do, too.” She smiled at Marcos, wanting to let him know that she hadn’t meant to make him feel bad.
“Are you going back to Napa?” Marcos asked his dad.
“Yes. We’re flying back with Cole and Madeleine.”
Molly had to smile to herself. She loved that their family was so close. Cole and Madeleine—Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton to her—now had their two boys married off. Chelsea, their daughter, would no doubt be next. Madeleine was John’s sister. People usually assumed that the patriarch of the Di Giovanni clan was Italian. He wasn’t. He was from an old Napa wine-making family. His wife was Italian—Sicilian—to be precise, and he’d given his family and his wines an Italian name in her honor. Di Giovanni simply meant of John; just like Benson was literally son of Ben or Jackson was son of Jack.
“How long will you be staying there?” asked Marcos.
“A few weeks.” John winked at Molly. “We want to see how things are there, and visit our favorite restaurant.”
Molly smiled. “I’ll look forward to you coming in.”
John looked at Marcos. “Are you coming back tomorrow?”
“No. Next weekend.”
John shook his head. “Don’t you think you’ve wasted enough time?”
Marcos smiled. “Yes, I know I have, and that’s why I think it’s worth getting right this time.”
Molly looked from Marcos to his dad and back again. Were they really talking about her?
John smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Molly. I hope you’re prepared to take him back. Nothing would make his mother and me happier than to see the two of you together again.”
Molly smiled but didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to reassure him that it was a done deal, but she didn’t want to say it wasn’t either.
John raised an eyebrow at her, then turned to Marcos. “I’d say you still have work to do.” With that, he turned and walked away.
“I’m sorry. He’s never been one to hide what he thinks.”
“I know. I always loved that about him.”
“Why didn’t you answer him about seeing us together again?”
She shrugged. “It’s like we said, talking about it isn’t going to make it happen. What we need is to spend time together, to see if we still share what we did. See whether we can be happy together now.”
“You’re right. Of course. So far, there’s been a lot of talk and not enough action.”
She laughed. “I don’t know. I’ve enjoyed the action.” She waggled her eyebrows, hoping to lighten things up. If they were going to have a future, it would be based on having fun together.
He laughed with her. “I have, too, but I still say there hasn’t been enough of it.”
“We’ll have to remedy that later.”
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. “I plan to. We don’t have to stay too late tonight.”
Molly faked a yawn and grinned at him. “I was thinking we could head back to the cabin before the party tonight—maybe take a little nap.”
He slid his hand down and squeezed her ass. “I like the way you think.”
She laughed. “I thought you might. And I like the way you—” She stopped herself from saying the next word at the sight of his mom appearing at his shoulder.
“Carino.” She looked pointedly at Marcos’ hand which was now back around Molly’s waist, but which she’d obviously seen moments earlier.
“Yes, Mom?” Marcos grinned at her. “Is there a problem? Something you want to say?”
She laughed. “No. I’m happy to see the two of you so close.”
Molly felt the heat in her cheeks. She loved Sofia, but it was still a little embarrassing.
Marcos put an arm around his mom’s shoulders and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “I know, and soon, I hope to make you even happier, but we can’t stay to chat. We were just leaving.”
Sofia laughed. “Of course, you were. Go. Enjoy. And don’t forget to come back tonight.” She kissed Molly on both cheeks and grinned at her. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him—but make him work for it.”
Molly had to laugh. She’d missed Sofia, and she’d missed all the love and laughter that came with the Di Giovanni family.
~ ~ ~
By Sunday lunchtime, Marcos felt as though his heart was about to be torn from his chest. They’d had a great time at the party last night—and even better times before and after it when they’d gone back to the cabin and continued to get reacquainted with each other physically. They’d had fun with everyone this morning at the brunch and sending Cameron and Piper off on their honeymoon and to begin their married life. Watching the newlyweds wave to the cro
wd of friends and family who’d gathered outside the lodge to watch them drive away, Marcos would have given anything for it to be him and Molly getting into the car with all the tin cans tied to the bumper.
He sighed. Instead, they were back here at the resort, and he was standing off to one side while Molly checked out. He had to have her back at the airport in half an hour, and he didn’t want to let her go. It was only a week until he’d join her—maybe less, if he could sort everything out that he needed to.
“Hey.”
He looked up and smiled when he saw Ben approaching. “Are you leaving?”
Marcos shook his head. “Molly is. I’m going to stay until the end of the week to take care of some business.”
Ben smiled. “I bet you won’t last all week.”
Marcos nodded. “You could be right. I know the resort does property management for vacation rentals, but do you do anything for empty properties? Keep an eye on them while people are away?”
Ben chuckled. “We can. I can add your place to the list if you like. One of our guys checks all the unoccupied rentals every day, just does a walkthrough to make sure there are no issues.”
“That’d be great. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I’m hoping Molly and I will come up for weekends and to get away sometimes, but I don’t know how often, and I don’t want to rent it out.”
“No, I get that. I’ll just add you to the list of property checks.”
“Thanks, Ben. I appreciate it.”
Molly got finished up at the desk and came to join them with a smile. “Thanks again for the cabin,” she said to Ben with a smile. “It was amazing.”
Marcos had to hide his smile—it really had been amazing in the bed, the shower, on the front deck, on the sofa, they’d had all kinds of amazing.
“It was my pleasure,” said Ben.
Molly caught Marcos’ eye and then looked away quickly with a smile. He knew she was thinking the same thing he was—the pleasure had been all theirs.
“I can’t stop. I need to get into the office and take care of a few things and then I have to get home. I try not to work Sundays anymore. It’s supposed to be Charlie’s and my day.”
“I’m glad things worked out for the two of you in the end.”
Ben smiled at him and then at Molly. “It just goes to show, things can work out the second time around, even when you think it’s impossible. Safe travels home, Molly. I hope we’ll see you again soon. And give me a call about the house, Marcos.”
Once he’d gone, Marcos and Molly walked back down the steps and out into the sunshine.
“Do you want to go for a quick peek at the beach?” asked Molly. “I know we have to get to the airport soon, but I want to see the water one more time.”
Marcos nodded and put an arm around her shoulders as they followed the path past the restaurant and down to the little beach.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, then Molly looked up at him. “What did Ben mean about things working out the second time around, even when you think it’s impossible?”
Marcos smiled. “Ben and Charlie were together from when they were little kids to when they were eighteen. Things went bad between them. And she went back to England and married someone else. She only came back a couple of years ago.”
Molly’s eyes widened. “Wow. I didn’t know that. They seem so happy together—like they’ve been together forever.”
Marcos smiled. “I think that’s because, in their hearts, they always have.”
Molly nodded. “Why did she leave?”
“She was pregnant, and she lost the baby.”
“Oh.” Molly shook her head sadly. “That must have been so hard—for both of them.”
“It was. I didn’t know them then. I first met Ben after they broke up. Pete was his best friend growing up, and he’d come to visit for weekends here and there when we were in college.”
“There’s so much history between all this big group, isn’t there?”
“There is.” Marcos stopped walking. “There’s also so much future, too.” He held his arms open to her, and she stepped inside them and rested her head against his chest. “We can’t change the past, Molly. No one wishes they could more than I do. But the future is an open book. It’s up to us what we write in it. You know what I want.”
She looked up into his eyes. “I want it, too, Marcos. I do. I just need time. I can’t even say I need time to learn to trust you again—because I do trust you. I think I just need time to get used to the fact that we can be us again, that we can be together, and that we can have a future.”
“I understand. I’ll be as patient as you need me to be. You’re it for me, Molly. I’ll wait for you forever.”
She looped her arms up around his neck and lifted her lips to him. He claimed her mouth in a hungry kiss. He wasn’t so much hungry for her body—he’d had it twice this morning already. He was hungry for her heart and her soul and for their future.
Chapter Nine
“Do you want me to do up the roster for next week?”
Molly looked up to see Grady standing over her with his hands on his hips.
“No. It’s fine. I’ll do it in a little while.” She was sitting in one of the booths by the front window. She’d been wiping down the table and somehow found herself sitting here staring into space.
Grady raised an eyebrow. “If you’re sure. You look kind of busy.”
She chuckled. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“Thinking what?” Grady slid into the seat opposite her and rested his elbows on the table. “Were you daydreaming about me?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. I wasn’t. If you must know, I was daydreaming about Marcos. He’ll be here tonight.”
Grady made a face. “You’re seriously going to give this guy a second chance? Why, Molly? I don’t like the sound of him, and there’s a perfectly good guy sitting right in front of you. Why don’t you give me a first chance? I’d never screw up like he did.”
Molly scowled. “You need to stop that, Grady. You know damned well that nothing’s ever going to happen between you and me. We’re friends, but that’s all. And as my friend, I wish you’d be happy for me.”
Grady shrugged. “Sorry. I can’t help it. I’m a flirt by nature. I’ll try to be happy for you if that’s what you want, but I need to meet the guy. And I’ll warn you now, I’m not going to make it easy on him. You don’t have a big brother looking out for you. All your friends have already given him a pass because they know him. Someone has to have your back.”
She smiled. “I know you mean well, but they have my back.”
He shrugged. “Again. If he puts a foot out of line …”
She laughed. “He won’t. You’ll see. I’m starting to think that we should find someone for you. You’re not really interested in me; you just like playing the game.”
Grady winked at her. “You’re onto me. I do like to play the game, but only with women who I know aren’t interested.”
She had to laugh. “Why? Why not find yourself someone who is? You’d have your pick of the ladies if you wanted it. I’ve seen the way the girls look at you in here.”
He chuckled. “Exactly. With most women, it’s all about the looks. They only want me for my body.” He flexed his biceps and winked at her. “I’m not interested in that. I’m looking for a woman with a soul. A woman like you.” He held a hand up when she started to protest. “It’s okay, I know your soul has already found its twin. I’ll be nice to him for you, but I’m still going to keep my eye on him.”
“Thanks.”
She looked up as the front door opened and Antonio came in. He scowled when he saw the two of them sitting there and came striding over. He stood, towering over them, arms folded across his chest.
Molly had to laugh. “Stop it, Antonio.”
Grady grinned at him. “One day, you’ll get used to me and stop taking it so seriously.”
&n
bsp; “I take it very seriously when you flirt with my brother’s girlfriend.”
Molly slapped his leg. “He’s not flirting. Well, he is, but he doesn’t mean it. If you’d heard him two seconds before you walked in, you’d get that through your thick skull.”
Antonio pursed his lips and slid onto the bench beside her. “Why, what were you saying?”
Grady grinned. “That I know her soul already found its twin.”
Antonio grinned back at him. “That’s an awesome thing to say.”
Molly slapped his arm. “See, didn’t I tell you?”
“Yeah.” He held his hand out, and Grady shook with him. “Sorry. I’ve just been waiting for their happy ending since we were all kids. I don’t want anything—or anyone—to get in the way of it.”
Grady nodded. “It’s okay, I get it. You’re looking out for your brother.” He got to his feet before he added, “And I’ll be looking out for Molly,” and he headed back into the kitchen.
Antonio looked puzzled. “Was that a dig?” he asked.
Molly lifted both hands in the air. “I have no idea. I do know that he’s not really interested in me. He’s just one of those guys who likes to flirt.”
“Okay. If you’re sure, but I’ll still have my eye on him.”
She had to laugh. Why did men think they needed to appoint themselves as guardians?
“What are you doing here, anyway?”
“I came to see what your plans are for this weekend. Mom and Dad were thinking about having everyone over on Sunday. She said it’s just because it’s the first time they’ve been here in a while, but we both know it’s to get you and Marcos there. I said I’d find out if you had any other plans first. She won’t do it if you guys don’t want to go.”
Molly smiled. “It’s sweet of her, but I’d rather not. We’re kind of planning to just hole up and hide out. It’s going to be our first weekend back here together. And it’s not like we haven’t seen everyone recently. Last weekend felt like we spent more time talking to friends and family and discussing where things might go between us than we spent alone together and finding out where they can go.”