by Nadia S. Lee
Her parents’ place was a sprawling two-level home. They’d owned it forever, and it was the place Molly thought of every time she craved unconditional love and support. The huge blue spruce tree stood like a guardian in front. After Thanksgiving her family would put lights on it, as was the tradition.
A small gnome in a red coat and matching pants stood by the door, giving Molly a foul smile. She grinned back at the thing. Her parents had bought it for her when she was eight. Her father hated the thing, but she and her mother wouldn’t allow him to throw it out. Who would defend their home from ghosts? She laughed to herself over her logic from nineteen years ago.
She walked inside the house. “Mom? Dad?”
Her father came out of the kitchen with a bottle of beer. A solid, towering man, he was the anchor and stability in her life. He was in a Harvard Law sweatshirt—a gift from Sam some years back—and old, comfy jeans. “Hey there.”
“Isn’t it a little early for a beer?” Molly teased.
“Nope. I had a rough week with some of my cases, so I’m entitled. Want anything to drink?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.”
Nodding, he gestured her toward the living room, and they took the old but cushy couch. “I thought you were spending the day with Sam and Lina.”
“Yeah…there was a bit of an incident.”
“Oh.” A sparkle entered his eyes. “You get so many sales that you had to cut the day short to count your money?”
She laughed. “I just opened the store. But sales are good so far, and I got my first custom design commission!”
“Congratulations, sweetie!” He hugged her. “I knew you could do it. I’m so proud of you.”
She beamed. “Lina said she’d commission something too. She was peeved she wasn’t the first one to do so.”
“That girl.” He sighed. “Always so sweet.”
“I know. She’s perfect for Sam. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about a legal thing.”
“Oh?” He straightened.
“Yeah. A really old law here in town.”
“We have lots of them. Far as I know, though, most of ’em aren’t enforced anymore because they’re so silly.” He scratched his temple. “Every place has them, not just Silver Springs. But why are you asking?”
“Well…” Molly told him everything, from Charlie bursting into Sam’s house with a baby to the encounter with Beatrice to the sheriff’s visit.
Steve growled deep in his throat. “That woman. She’s such an annoyance!”
“Tell me about it.”
He scrunched his face. “She’s right; the law does exist. But nobody—I mean nobody—enforces it now. The only reason why the town never bothered to repeal it is because it’s so outdated that it’d be a gross waste of time to bother. Mark my words—no jury is going to find anybody guilty of that crime now, especially when it means mandatory jail time.”
“So she’s just making threats because she can.”
“Yes. The same way she threatened to sue me with her fancy Denver lawyers. Like any attorney worth his billing rate would run with her crazy, frivolous accusations.” He snorted, then took a long swallow of the beer. “Now. Tell me about this thing with Charlie. Can he actually take care of a baby on his own? Seems like an awfully big responsibility.”
“I know. I told him I’d help. I had to when it looked like the sheriff might take the baby away.”
“I’m proud of you. You did the right thing.”
“But…” She sighed.
“What?”
“Charlie offered to pay for my time.”
“That boy.” He shook his head. “Did you tell him family doesn’t profit off family?”
“I never got a chance. Before we could talk, Wayne showed up.”
Steve pursed his lips. “Charlie… I don’t think he knows how to be family. He didn’t have an easy childhood.”
“He didn’t?” As far as Molly knew, Charlie’s parents had been conscientious people, and they hadn’t died until he was twenty-one. She assumed they’d taken good care of him, sort of like the way her parents had of her.
“Don’t look like that. I’m not saying his folks weren’t great people. I’ve never met anyone as honest and hardworking. But as proud as they were of him, they didn’t know what to do with a boy as extraordinary as Charlie. I don’t think they meant to hurt him or anything, but I highly doubt he had the kind of home life that really understood and supported his intellectual curiosity and brilliance.”
“Oh.” She blinked a few times, processing the new information. She’d never known that about Charlie.
“It’ll be best if he finds a woman who can help him realize it’s okay to depend on others. You know, open up and be true family.”
“Guess he’s going to need somebody as smart as he is, huh?” Molly asked in a small voice.
“It’d probably help. At least she’ll understand why he is the way he is.”
She swallowed a sigh. She knew she was smart, but as smart as Charlie? That she was not. She didn’t get the brainpower that her oldest brother got, which probably explained why Sam and Charlie were so tight, but she and Charlie weren’t. As far as Charlie was concerned, she was just one of many ordinary, average girls he used to help with their homework.
And for the first time since she could remember, she felt a stirring of doubt.
Chapter Six
The next day Molly lay in bed, eyes open, debating with herself.
Go. Don’t go. Go. Don’t go. Go. Don’t go. Go. Don’t go…
Hmm. She scowled. There were twice as many “go”s as “don’t”s.
When you looked at it that way, it only made sense that she stop by Charlie’s place. Besides, she promised she would help out, and “not going” would definitely not be helping out.
Not to mention, her not helping was exactly the result Beatrice seemed to want. Bet that old bat’s watching to see if we’ll fail the baby.
“I’m going. Show that horrible woman she doesn’t scare me one bit,” Molly muttered, then jumped out of bed.
Her closet was full of cute late autumn and winter things she’d picked up while living in New York. She ran her hand along a silvery-gray sweater that brought out her eyes, then shook her head. She didn’t want to give Charlie the impression that she wanted more from him.
Not that I’d be upset if he noticed me, but… She couldn’t forget what her dad had said the day before. Maybe Charlie did need a woman as brilliant as he. That would explain why he’d never dated seriously since he’d dropped out of Caltech and returned to Silver Springs eleven years ago. Had he had a girlfriend at Caltech?
Whatever. Don’t obsess over stuff like that.
She shoved the unproductive thought away. Emilia was waiting.
Molly put on a black shirt with her company logo and URL in bright pink, a pair of skinny jeans and super-comfy suede flats. A dash of blush and lip gloss… Hmm. She reached into the drawer in her vanity and pulled out a tube of mascara she hardly ever used. It wouldn’t hurt to make her eyes pop a little. Everyone thought she had pretty eyes.
And the extra makeup wasn’t about Charlie. Oh no. It was about her wanting to look nice. After all, as a newly minted businesswoman, she had an image to maintain now.
On her way to Charlie’s, she stopped by Books ’N Beans. The café-slash-bookstore served the best coffee in town, or maybe even the whole state. And getting a cup of fresh cappuccino was such a treat on weekends.
“Hey, cousin,” Molly said as she walked in.
“Molly! You want the usual?” Emma said from behind the counter. She was a gorgeous, brown-eyed brunette who radiated warmth.
“You know what I like.” Molly leaned against the countertop and handed over a few small bills. Although Emma said she didn’t have to pay, Molly didn’t feel it was right to mooch. The only time Molly let Emma treat her to a free drink was on her birthday. “So, how’s your man Cooper?” Molly asked while Emma prepared her cappuccino.
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“Fantastic.” Emma grinned. “He’s…divine.”
“Levine the divine.” Molly waggled her eyebrows. “Good for you.”
“What’s been going on with you? I’m hearing stories about you and Charlie and…a baby?” A small frown creased Emma’s brow. “And the sheriff visiting you guys?”
Molly rolled her eyes. Emma undoubtedly already knew everything about Emilia, since how she’d ended up with Charlie was no secret. The details behind the sheriff’s visit were probably what Emma was really curious about. “It’s that horrible woman. Beatrice Bodin. She decided Charlie and I did the deed and the baby was ours.”
Emma choked, then laughed. “Does she have any idea how pregnancy works?” She fitted a lid onto a disposable cup and pushed it toward Molly.
“Maybe she forgot. Who knows?”
“Unbelievable.”
“Tell me about it. She wants me and Charlie to go to jail for nine months.”
Emma’s eyes almost bugged out. “For what?”
“For having a baby while unwed. Apparently the town has a law about that.”
“It does?”
Molly shrugged. “Dad said it was true.”
“Wow. I wish her luck getting a conviction.” Emma shook her head. “I thought she’d mellowed out after that incident with her son, but I suppose some people never learn.”
“They never do. Anyway, I gotta go. Told Charlie I’d help out with Emilia.”
“Have fun! He’s lucky to have a babysitter as fabulous as you.”
“I know.” Molly laughed as she left with the coffee in hand.
Her mood bright, she drove to Charlie’s house. Talking to Emma never failed to cheer Molly up. It was impossible to be down around such a sweet, fun person.
As she pulled up, she saw Sam’s Maserati out in front. Huh, she thought. What’s he doing here?
She walked inside and saw the two men chatting at the dining table with a couple open cans of energy drink between them. Her eyebrows rose. Charlie lived on the stuff, preferring it to coffee, but her brother never touched it.
Sam was the first to notice her, since he was facing the door. “Is that coffee I smell?”
“Yeah. Cappuccino from Books ’N Beans.”
“Mind if I have a sip?”
She pulled her cup protectively toward her. “Yes.”
“Come on, sis. Have mercy.”
“What’s going on?”
“Lina isn’t feeling well. She thinks maybe she ate something that didn’t agree with her last night, and said the smell of coffee made her nauseated. So I didn’t get any this morning.”
“Why didn’t you stop by Books ’N Beans, then?”
“Because my brain doesn’t function without coffee first.”
“Energy drinks are better,” Charlie said.
“Ugh. Caffeine and sugar bombs that taste like science.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Molly said primly, and took a seat. “Where’s Emilia?”
“Sleeping,” Charlie answered. “She was up all night, making some noises I couldn’t decipher, but now she seems worn out.”
“You must be exhausted too.”
“Naw.” He waved a hand. “I’m fine.”
“Oh, good. Any problems?”
“Not really. Changing those diapers was hard, though.”
“Come on. I showed you how to do it.”
“Except you did it fast, and…” He shrugged. “It looked easy when you did it, but when I tried, it wasn’t that simple. But at least nothing spilled.”
“That’s the main thing. If you want, I can show you again. Or if you’re desperate, you could just Google.”
“For what?”
She stared at him. This was the tech god? “For video instructions on YouTube?”
Charlie looked at her like she’d suddenly turned purple. “People actually put stuff like that on the Internet?”
“Everything’s on the net. Shouldn’t you know, Mr. Hacker?”
“I am not a ‘hacker,’” he said, with a bit of aspersion. “I consult on cybersecurity matters. Besides, I thought people only put up stuff like tutorials on how to secure your smart phone.”
She laughed. “Well, I’ve never looked that up, so I’ll take your word for it. Those of us who’re your friends don’t need to Google for that.”
“And guys like me who know the best babysitter in town don’t need to Google either.” He winked.
For a moment she couldn’t even breathe. The wink was so sexy and personal, it seemed like the world had stopped for a moment. And there was something truly fulfilling about realizing that she could help a man who everyone in town thought was exceptionally smart and indepen—
“Earth to Molly.”
She flushed at the wry tone of her brother. “What?”
“You seemed to have spaced out.”
Her cheeks heated more. “Actually, I was debating whether to share my coffee with you, then decided no.”
Sam groaned. “Cruel. I have a cruel sister.”
“If you’re just going to complain, you should go see how Lina’s doing. It’s not like you know anything about taking care of babies.” Sam had never earned money from babysitting. He’d tutored kids for his spending money during school year, and on breaks, he’d helped out at local farms.
“Actually, I asked him to come over,” Charlie said. “I want to find out who Emilia’s mother is. She obviously made a mistake by leaving Emilia with me. It could very well be that the real father is looking for her.”
Sam was nodding. “And keeping her indefinitely may not be for the best anyway.”
“Why not?” Molly asked.
“What if he wants to marry and have children of his own? His future missus might not be too crazy about raising a child that isn’t hers.”
“I doubt Charlie would go for a woman that cold.”
“It isn’t about being a good or bad person. In this case, the woman would have a legitimate reason to be less than thrilled.”
Molly stole a quick glance at Charlie, who was frowning slightly. She doubted he would abandon Emilia so casually, but at the same time, her father had said it might be best if he found somebody with an IQ as high as his. Such a woman might be intent on having a career and not even want children. Molly had read articles about how women with high incomes and high education tended to delay marriage and childbearing, in some cases forgoing the latter altogether.
Sam got up. “Anyway, I’ll do what I can and ask my guy. He’s pretty good at digging up stuff, but I can’t guarantee anything, since we have so few clues. And now I gotta go get some coffee.” He left, giving Molly’s cappuccino a final baleful look.
“This isn’t about getting rid of Emilia, but doing the right thing,” Charlie said when he and Molly were alone. “Besides, what do I know about raising a child? I’m not ready for it, and I can’t manage on my own.”
“But you have me,” Molly blurted out before she could stop her impetuous mouth.
“I know.” He smiled. “And I appreciate your help, but you can’t be my babysitter forever. You’ve got a business to run now. That’s gotta take up a big chunk of time.”
“I’m not really super busy yet,” she said, hedging. Her social media accounts were bursting with comments and pictures of people sharing and tagging the pretty jewelry they’d ordered from her site for a “fifteen percent off your next purchase” promotion.
“But you will be soon. I have every faith that you’re going to make Molly’s Custom Jewelry a huge success.”
“Is it, um, because of money?” she said. “Because you feel like you have to pay for my time?”
“Huh?”
“You asked yesterday.”
“Oh.” He cleared his throat. “The money’s not a problem. My clients pay pretty well. But time’s worth more. No amount of money can bring back lost time.” A shadow of old grief flitted across his face.
Unthinkingly, she reached out and held his
hand. “I’m not going to regret any time I spend with you and Emilia, Charlie. I wouldn’t be the person I am if I turned my back on you.” She wanted him to tell her he found her wonderful for it and how he loved her, but she knew that was a pipe dream. To convince him, she drew on what her father had said. “We’re like family. We stick together, cheer each other on and are there when going gets tough.”
Charlie had the oddest expression behind his glasses. “Like family, huh?”
She smiled. “Yup.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “Family.”
Chapter Seven
Molly stayed and demonstrated how to change a diaper again. Charlie made sure to watch carefully and make mental notes. He’d gotten it almost right the day before, except for switching the second and third steps.
Although he should really pay more attention to how she was bathing Emilia, he kept thinking about what she’d said.
Family.
Well, not quite “family,” but “like family.” Did that mean she considered him a brother?
The notion bothered the stuffing out of him. The if/then logic was so simple and airtight, it was suffocating.
If Molly thought him “like” a brother,
Then he was destined to have a platonic relationship with her forever.
Yeah, like it mattered anyway. He’d never make a move on her. Even if he had a chance, he wasn’t sure how. His experience was pretty limited. Girls never approached him unless they wanted something, and that something was never just his company. They wanted him to do something for them. And although he did favors to be nice, he couldn’t deny a small part of him resented it.
But Molly was never like that. She’d never asked him for anything—usually he’d offered to help when he visited her parents’ place and saw her struggling with her math homework. She always seemed so shy about taking up his time, and he always thought it was adorable how she flushed when she finally understood the logic behind a concept.
Now that Emilia had been bathed and freshly clothed, Molly and Charlie sat on the couch, side by side, and worked. She made several sketches and tapped away on her phone, while he hacked into a supposedly secure internal server at a company.