“So much for privacy,” he murmured, capturing her hand and pressing it to his lips. His touch set off another wave of pleasure, and Molly gave herself a mental shake. She had to get a hold of herself and she couldn’t very well do it if Jonathan was touching her. She reluctantly pulled her hand free and mentally cursed Junior.
“Miss Molly, is that you?” Junior’s flashlight found her face, and she blinked against the sudden brightness, lifting her hand to shield her eyes. “You all right? Who’s that with you?” Junior did his best to sound threatening, but his voice shook with fear. He stepped into the room, letting the beam of his flashlight find Jonathan.
“It’s me, Junior,” Jonathan said with a frustrated sigh. “And Miss Molly is fine.”
“Mr. Kent, whatcha doing here this time of night?”
Jonathan turned to Molly, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Molly’s breath caught. He wouldn’t. Would he? “We were—”
“Junior,” Molly interrupted before Jonathan could finish. “Jonathan and I were…” Her voice trailed off, and she looked helplessly at Jonathan, suddenly lost for words. Good Lord, what on earth was she going to tell Junior?
“Doing research,” Jonathan supplied, quickly coming to the rescue. “Miss Molly and I were doing research.”
Molly exhaled a relieved sigh as Jonathan slid his arm around her waist, letting his hand come to rest comfortably on her hip. She tried not to squirm as his fingers walked up and down the curve, spreading a fiery warmth through her already-shaken limbs.
“Yes, that’s right, Junior,” she echoed, nodding her head in agreement. “Research.”
Junior scratched his head. “Funny kind of research in the dark.”
Jonathan muttered under his breath, and Molly gave him a nudge with her elbow, trying not to smile.
“Junior—” Jonathan’s voice was a hushed whisper “—may I tell you something in confidence?”
Junior’s head bobbed up and down, and he licked his lips in anticipation. He was onto something.
“I’m working on a case. As a fellow officer of the court, I’m sure you realize how valuable research is in order to present a good defense.” Jonathan’s voice was the essence of propriety. Only the teasing strokes of his fingers revealed his true feelings. “I haven’t lived here in a long time, and Miss Molly offered to personally show me the senior center so that I could have a first-hand look at the place,” he explained helpfully, letting his fingers trace a delicate little pattern.”We didn’t think you’d mind.”
It’s a good thing it’s dark in here, Molly thought, fighting back a wicked smile and playfully slapping at Jonathan’s hand.
Junior scratched his chin. “Guess it’s all right. You about through here, though? If the sheriff finds out—”
“We’re through. For tonight. We may have to come back, though. We didn’t quite finish, did we, Molly?” He turned to her and gave her a long, loving look that took her breath away.
“No,” she said softly, leaning against him. “We haven’t quite finished.”
“You can come back if you want to, but personally, this place gives me the willies.” Junior shuddered. “I wouldn’t want to be here all alone.”
“We would,” Jonathan muttered under his breath as he hustled her toward the door. “We appreciate your help, Junior. You can go ahead and close up the place now.”
“Good night, Miss Molly.” Junior’s voice sounded wistful.
“Good night, Junior,” she called over her shoulder as they started down the walk.
“You come back any time you need to. Hear, Jonathan?” Junior called after them. “If I can help, you just holler. Always happy to lend a hand to a fellow officer of the court.”
“Just what we need,” Jonathan moaned as he quickly pulled her down the street. “More help.”
Molly tried not to laugh. Junior meant well. He really did. She slowed her pace and frowned, suddenly remembering why they had gone to the center in the first place.
“Jonathan? What do you really think about the center? Do you think you can save it?”
Jonathan came to an abrupt stop and pulled her into his arms. “Like I told Junior, we’re not quite finished,” he growled huskily. “It’s my expert legal opinion that this case needs a lot of research, Molly. Private research,” he added, giving her a wicked smile.
“Junior would be happy to help,” she teased, linking her arms around his waist.
Jonathan groaned softly and she smiled. “Somehow, Molly, I can’t imagine myself doing private research with Junior. He’s really not my type. Besides, it just wouldn’t be the same.” Jonathan grinned and dropped a kiss on her nose. “I believe you and I made a deal. You agreed to help with the center in exchange for canceling the debt you owe. Now, don’t tell me you don’t remember.” His tone was properly shocked and Molly lifted her mouth for his kiss. The only thing she remembered at the moment was the feel of his arms around her and the taste of his mouth on hers.
She leaned into him and tightened her arms around him. Private research, Molly thought dreamily as Jonathan’s lips covered hers. Sounded like a good idea to her. A very good idea.
Chapter Ten
Molly groaned softly and wearily dragged herself up the stairs, forcing one foot in front of the other. She was dead tired, and every bone in her body ached. The only thing that kept her going was the fact that in just a few short hours she would see Jonathan again. Jonathan. His name brought a smile to her lips. In just seven days, one short week, how her life had changed.
Fumbling for her keys, she unlocked the door and threw it open, dropping her purse to the floor with a thud. With a heavy sigh of relief she slammed the door behind her and rested her weight against it. Lord, what a day!
Emily walked into the foyer, wiping her hands on her apron. She scanned the length of Molly and frowned. “Molly, what on earth happened to you? You’re a mess.” Emily wrinkled her nose in dismay and waved the air around her. “And you stink.”
“Monkeys,” Molly stated, pushing back her wet hair.
“Monkeys?” Emily’s frown deepened as she took a step closer.
“Field trip,” Molly groaned as she rubbed her aching back. Days like this she wished she had gone into a different profession. Something safe and calm, like skydiving.
“Why on earth would you want to take monkeys on a field trip?” Emily pursed her lips and shook her head, causing her cap of silver curls to fly in every direction.
“Aunt Emily—” Molly chuckled softly “—I didn’t take the monkeys on the field trip. I took the children.” Molly groaned. “Although, I probably would have had better luck with the monkeys. Maybe they would have been better behaved.”
Emily sighed and patted her hair. “Molly, don’t talk in riddles. At my age, I don’t have time to figure them out.”
Bending to pick up her shoes, Molly caught a whiff of herself. Her nose wrinkled in dismay. “We went to the zoo,” she explained. “Little Darryl got lost. He made a wrong turn coming out of the bathroom and got swept away with a crowd from another school. It took us nearly an hour to find him, and when we did he was—”
“By the monkey cage,” Emily finished for her. “Isn’t Darryl one of Ralph’s grandchildren?” Molly could barely manage a nod. “Must run in the family,” Emily commented, giving Molly a soothing pat. “The last year I had his father Clarence in my class, he tried to jump into one of the fish tanks at the aquarium.” Emily chuckled softly. “I don’t know who was more scared, me or the fish.”
Molly nodded. Clarence’s escapades as a child were almost as well known as his son’s Darryl. It probably did run in the family.
“You’d better go soak in a hot tub now, dear. And give me your clothes. I’ll air them out.” She took a step closer and wrinkled her nose again. “Maybe I ought to air you out, too.”
Molly lifted her damp blouse to her nose and chuckled softly. “I guess I do smell pretty awful. On second thought, maybe we ought to just give these things
a proper burial.”
“How was he?”
Molly sighed. She was too tired today to try to follow her aunt’s thought patterns. “Who?”
“Darryl.”
Molly scowled. “That child has a way of always getting into mischief. Lucky thing I found him when I did.” Molly shook her head in dismay. “It never fails, Aunt Emily. Every time we take that child on a field trip, he manages to get into mischief.”
“Jonathan called, dear.”
Her spirits soared at the mention of Jonathan. “What did he have to say? Am I supposed to call him back?” Molly moved through the house, stripping off her clothes. Her aunt reached out two fingers and delicately plucked the articles from Molly’s hands, carefully holding them at arm’s length.
“No, I don’t think so. He said he’d call back. He’s over at the senior center with an architect friend of his. Been there all day, from what I gathered. Thinks he might have a solution to our problem.” Emily smiled and Molly sighed. She wasn’t certain anymore there was a solution to the problem. But she hadn’t confided that information to her aunt yet. She was still hanging on to a slim knot of hope.
“Knew we could count on that boy,” Emily commented, carefully staying a good distance behind Molly as she finished pulling off her clothes.
Molly chose her words carefully. “Aunt Emily, it’s not over yet. Even if Jonathan does have a solution to the code violations at the center, we’ll still have to raise enough money to fix everything. And don’t forget, there’s still the zoning commission to deal with.” She paused to peel off her socks. “It’s not over,” she repeated softly.
“Nonsense!” Emily snapped. “If Jonathan says he has a solution, I believe him. He’s a good boy.”
Boy! Molly smiled as an image of Jonathan in knickers and knee socks fluttered through her mind. Jonathan was definitely not a boy. Of that she was sure. Jonathan was a man. All man.
And dear Aunt Emily was totally enthralled with him. The feeling was mutual. Just the mention of Jonathan’s name brought a girlish smile to her aunt’s lips. Molly knew the feeling. It happened to her all the time.
Emily gathered the rest of Molly’s clothes and tucked them under her arm. “You know, dear, you worry too much. Take your bath now. And don’t forget to wash your hair.”
Molly’s soft laughter floated through her bedroom as she did a little pirouette. “Don’t you think I should wear my new perfume for Jonathan?”
Emily looked horrified. “Not unless you want to scare the pants off the man.”
That, Molly decided, was quite an interesting idea. A blush crept up her cheeks at her scandalous thought, and she ducked her head to hide her sudden smile. “Not a chance,” she returned solemnly.
“Is Jonathan picking us up here, Molly, or are we meeting him at the village hall?”
“Now, Aunt Emily, you know Jonathan is allergic to Nickodemus.”
“Don’t know why you don’t get rid of that cat,” Emily sniffed. “Plenty of folks would be willing to take the little beggar.”
“Don’t start that again, Aunt Emily. You know how I feel about Nickodemus. He stays.”
“No need to get sassy, dear.” Emily looked thoughtful for a moment. “If Jonathan isn’t coming for us, I guess I’ll walk over with you.” Molly didn’t miss the note of regret in her aunt’s voice.
“Aunt Emily, you don’t have to go with me. Did you have something else planned?”
“Thought I’d walk over with Ralph and Alma. That is, if you don’t mind. Don’t like leaving you alone, though.”
“Of course, I don’t mind,” Molly assured her. “And you’re not leaving me alone. I have Nickodemus,” she couldn’t resist adding as she picked up the sleeping ball of fur. She cradled the cat against her, and he let out a soft meow. Molly chuckled as the cat jumped from her arms. Evidently he didn’t like her new perfume, either.
“Still…” Emily frowned.
“Aunt Emily, is something wrong?” Her aunt had been acting a little peculiar the past few days. Molly had attributed it to her concern over the senior center, but now she wasn’t so sure.
“Wrong? What could be wrong, dear?” Emily smiled and Molly felt a twinge of fear skate up her spine. That wide-eyed, innocent look didn’t fool her for a moment.
“Aunt Emily, is something bothering you?” She watched her aunt carefully.
“Oh, for Pete’s sakes!” Emily exclaimed in exasperation. “You’re as bad as Ralph. Such a worrywart. Nothing’s wrong, except the smell in here. Now go take your bath, or you’ll be late for the meeting.”
A frown creased Molly’s brow as she padded to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. She had been so wrapped up in Jonathan the past week that she hadn’t spent much time at home. Nor had she seen her aunt all that much. But when she had, her aunt had seemed preoccupied.
As the tub filled, Molly liberally splashed bubble bath into the water. After unbraiding her hair and running a brush through the tangled mess, she eased her aching body into the tub and let out a deep sigh. The water coaxed and eased the weariness from her, and she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
It had been a wonderful week, she decided happily. Since the night they had run into Paul and she told Jonathan the whole story, their relationship had changed.
Jonathan was pretty remarkable, she decided with a smile as she spread a thick layer of soap bubbles up her arm. He was warm, loving, considerate. And, she reminded herself for the hundredth time, trustworthy.
The thought widened her smile, and she closed her eyes again. The steaming water soothed her aching bones, and she felt the tension leave her.
Jonathan. He was never far from her mind, she thought dreamily, stifling a yawn. She had carefully avoided thinking about the fact that he was scheduled to return to Portland in just a few days.
They hadn’t talked about it, at least not openly. They had carefully avoided the issue. But Molly knew she would have to face the fact sooner or later. The thought of life without her laughing, red-haired giant brought on a round of despair. Sinking lower in the water, Molly laid her head back and closed her eyes, willing the unpleasant thoughts away. She just couldn’t imagine Jonathan leaving or her life without him. She was almost certain he felt the same way. They had spent every single evening together this past week. Jonathan would pick her up from school, they’d stop somewhere for dinner and then head for the senior center to do “research.” Private research, Molly thought with a wicked grin. She couldn’t believe it was just going to end. She wouldn’t believe it. Something would come up. She just knew it.
The ringing of the phone broke into her thoughts. Molly sat up and shook her head. The phone rang again and she frowned. Where was Aunt Emily? Had she left already? Grabbing a large terry-cloth towel, Molly stepped from the tub and hurried to her bedroom, trailing a stream of water. She grabbed the receiver just as the phone stopped ringing.
“Hello? Hello?” Molly frowned. Certain it was Jonathan, she quickly dialed his grandmother’s house. The phone rang eight times before she finally hung up. If it was Jonathan, he would call back, she reasoned. After quickly drying off, Molly wrapped another towel around her wet head and pulled open her closet.
Since meeting Jonathan, she had taken much greater pains with her appearance. And after raking through her closet twice, Molly still couldn’t decide what to wear. Sighing in frustration, she closed her eyes, stuck out her finger and chose the garment she touched. The dress was yellow cotton, with peasant sleeves that accented her slender shoulders. The gathered folds of the bodice draped delicately across her breasts, and the full skirt fell to her knees and had a shallow ruffle at the hem. She smiled. It was one of her favorites. She laid it across her bed and went to dry her hair.
After carefully applying a thin layer of makeup, Molly pinned her hair up. Studying her reflection, she frowned. Jonathan preferred her hair down, and as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she realized she did, too. Quickly she loosened the hea
vy strands of her hair and brushed it until it shone.
She slipped her feet into delicate yellow sandals and sprayed herself with the last of some French perfume she had received for her birthday. Satisfied with the results, Molly grabbed her handbag and left the house.
The village hall occupied a large stone building that sat in the center of town. The mayor’s office and most of the town’s municipal offices were housed in the same building.
Climbing the steep stairs, Molly found the building ablaze with lights. The senior center was a popular place and most of the town’s residents knew that its fate would be decided at tonight’s meeting. The town, she had learned in the past week, was equally divided on the issue. Some favored the idea of having a brand-new shopping mall, while others, like Aunt Emily, who wanted to save the senior center, were very much opposed. It was going to be a very interesting evening.
The building was mobbed, Molly noted, as she pushed through the group of men standing outside the room having a last cigarette. She nodded to a few, who politely tipped their hats and made a path for her. Her eyes darted around until she finally spotted Jonathan in the front of the room. He was deep in conversation with Mayor Taylor and another man, who she didn’t recognize. Judging from the look on Jonathan’s face, the conversation was serious.
Molly made her way to the front of the room, taking time to chat to a few people. When Jonathan spotted her, he smiled and waved, then pointed to a row of empty seats in the front of the room.
Not wanting to disturb his conversation, Molly slid into her seat. Where was her aunt? she wondered, turning to survey the room. She finally spotted her a few rows back. But Aunt Emily, Ralph and Alma were engaged in conversation and didn’t even glance in her direction. She would have preferred that her aunt sit by her, if only for comfort, if the meeting didn’t go well.
Turning back, she found Jonathan’s eyes on her, and a warm glow inched up her spine.
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