Mollywood (Carved Hearts #2)

by L. G. Pace III

  Finally, my constant presence had become obnoxious enough that Mason barked at me to get lost and called me ‘a pain in the ass’. Mac had laughed about it, which at age fourteen was way more humiliating to me than Mason’s rebuke. I remembered rushing back inside the empty restaurant just before I burst into angry and embarrassed tears. My dad found me with my head down in the back booth and pulled me into a hug.

  “Shhhh. Don’t cry, Mollybelle. Ignore Mason and Mac.” He’d whispered pulling out that infectious smile of his. “They’re just trying to look cool for the guys. Come on. Help me check the briskets. Mom will be here soon and you can help her slice the pecan pies.”

  The vivid memory of Daddy choked me up and suddenly many images of him assaulted me. His outrageous laugh that people always compared mine to. His dimpled grin. His wavy hair and silly comb over that I was sure Mason would be imitating soon. The memories sliced me like sharp glass.

  A lot of the time, I think my Dad had been at a loss with what to do with a daughter. He only had brothers and most of his cousins were male. Our bonding time was spent in the kitchen, and that was alright with me. My biggest regret besides marrying my ex was moving away and missing Daddy’s last few years of life. If I had to do it all over again, I’d have stayed closer to home for culinary school and worked alongside him in the family joint. Hindsight was always 20/20.

  I realized my children would never have a chance to know him and it was like I’d lost him all over again. This epiphany really choked me up and I had to sit down on the dilapidated patio and just breathe for a couple of minutes. Daddy’s absence for my journey into parenthood hadn’t occurred to me until that moment, and I was powerless to stop the tears that followed.

  About twenty minutes later I pulled up to truck two. When I climbed aboard the much bigger Wrapgasmic truck, Sanchez greeted me with a giant bear hug.

  “Congrats, Little Mama!” He grinned, and Carly and Isaac both smiled from ear to ear. A genuine giggle escaped me, but I wanted to strangle Stacy for not letting me break the news myself. “So much for sampling that case of wine we shipped you.”

  “Thanks, Sanch.” I replied with a wink. “Wine keeps.”

  “I knew you were P.G.” Carly stated, looking smugly from me to Isaac. “You owe me ten dollars.”

  I wanted to tell her there was no way she could have known shit, since Joe and I were there and didn’t suspect it, but I figured it was a pointless conversation and let it drop.

  “So how was Napa?” I turned back to Dirty S. in a hurry to change the subject. “Did you have a good time? Get any culinary inspiration?”

  “It was his honeymoon, Molly! Of course he had fun!” Isaac cracked, and Sanchez turned as red as the food truck’s paintjob.

  “I tried a new recipe today. Want me to make you one?” He replied, as eager as I was to shift the conversation back to business.

  “Damn straight!” I replied, putting on an apron in order to get a front row view to his demonstration. Sanchez proceeded to paint the inside of a wrap with garlic parmesan butter and assemble a pasta bolognaise wrap. He’d chopped the pasta into smaller, manageable bites before folding the bolognaise sauce in, and I was proud of my star pupil for intuitively getting the texture issue.

  “Voila!” He handed me his invention and I eagerly bit into it.

  “Oh, Sanchez!’ I cried after several seconds of savoring the superb flavors, “I think I’ll retire and put you in charge.”

  “Hell no. He’s way stricter than you are.” Isaac chimed in and I snorted.

  “Can you email me the recipe so I can teach it to truck one? We’ll call it “Bangin’ Bolognaise. In honor of your Napa experience.” I smirked and Isaac cackled. Sanchez let out an embarrassed groan, but his proud smile told me he was pleased that his creation had made the menu. One of the great things about the business I ran was that my hand picked employees let me get away with what would probably otherwise be considered sexual harassment.

  “I have another one to add to the breakfast menu.” He offered softly, as I took another mouthful of the delicious wrap. I had to stop after three bites because I knew I’d be hurting if I kept eating.

  “Outstanding. Can I try it tomorrow? I really need to fly. Joe and I are breaking the baby news to his sister tonight.

  “Sure.” He replied. “I’ll be here at six a.m. Thought I’d do a test batch and see what the customers thought.”

  “Do your thing, Dirty S. I trust you. And I’ll be here by seven…so save me one.”

  Checking my phone I saw I had a text from Joe reminding me of when we need to leave. I hurried back to the apartment feeling sticky from the warm weather I wanted a cool shower and to change before we headed out to Driftwood to meet Tamryn’s family for dinner.

  I stood staring into the closet for a good ten minutes before I decided comfort would win out over vanity. I’d just finished tossing on my lilac maxi dress and flat silver sandals when I heard Joe unlock the front door.

  “Hey.” I called out, and headed into the living room to greet him.

  “Hey.” He met me in the hall and gave me a swift peck on the lips. “I’m going to change really fast.”

  “Sounds good.” I replied, trying to muzzle my disappointment at his cool greeting. Since I had a couple extra minutes, I returned to my vanity. I scrunched my damp hair and spritzed on a bit of perfume. I put on a quick coat of mascara and a little lip gloss. My eyes traveled to the heart-shaped wooden box propped on my vanity that Joe had hand carved for me the previous Christmas. It’d taken me a few days to figure out how to open the puzzle box, but once I finally did, I found a gold heart necklace inside. On the inner bottom surface, he’d carved ‘Joe loves Molly’ as if he was carving it into a tree. I traced my fingers longingly over his words and quickly put the necklace around my neck.

  By the time I was done, Joe was already in his dress jeans. I leaned against the doorframe and admired his perfect bare back. Watching him shrug into his black collared shirt was like watching soft-core porn.

  “So both my crews know.” I announced, mostly to fill the resounding silence in the room.

  He caught my eye in the mirror. “Oh yeah?”

  “Yeah.” I replied. “Stacy has a mighty big mouth.”

  “How’d they like Napa Valley?” His conversational tone had me on high alert. It was stilted and far too polite.

  “Sounds like they had a great time. I’m kinda jealous.” I kept my voice playful.

  “Good. That’s what honeymoons are for.” I wondered if this was an intentional dig at me for not agreeing to his not quite marriage proposal.

  I sat down on the bed as I watched him slip on his boots. “Where’d you go on your honeymoon?”

  He froze, looking up at me for a couple of seconds as if I was a bomb and he was trying to decide which wire to cut. At first, I wasn’t sure he’d answer me. He took a deep breath before responding. “Sandals, Nassau.”

  I nodded, imagining Joe rolling around in the sand with his perfect Barbie Doll wife. “Sounds nice.”

  He stood upright and crossed to the bed, offering me his hand. I took it and allowed him to help me up. His earthy green eyes dropped to the thin gold chain around my neck. He reached out like he was going to touch my cheek and with a complex frown he pulled away at the last second.

  “We’d better get on the road.” He turned and walked out of the room, leaving me speechless.

  It was a quiet trip out to Driftwood. I’d tried to get into the driver’s seat of my car, but Joe shook his head and took the keys from me. Frankly, I hated driving in Austin, so I was relieved. The rolling hills made for lovely scenery on the way out of town, and I allowed my mind to wander back to the business and logistical concerns the crews had voiced earlier.

  We turned into the graveled parking lot and pulled up next to the fence facing the vineyard. The familiar smell of our favorite place failed to excite me the way it usually did. Our first date had been here at The Salt Lick. We’d been b
ack once a month since then, but the invisible wall between us killed the mood. I undid my seatbelt and opened the door before he’d even put the car in park,

  I felt his hand on my elbow and I froze in my seat, waiting to be scolded for being careless or perhaps immature.

  “I love you.” He sounded somehow exasperated and sincere simultaneously. I turned to survey his face. He’d apparently developed a poker face after all, because I had no idea what to make of his complicated expression.

  “I love you, too.” I exhaled, unable to mask my frustration. It had been a long time since I’d felt so alone, and the fact that I felt it with Joe was devastating. I clambered out of the passenger seat and headed in the direction of the tantalizing smoke smell. I choked back the lump forming in my throat. I wouldn’t ruin this moment for Joe by collapsing into tears like a blubbering idiot. He caught up to me long before we were at the door and his arm came around me. He tenderly kissed my temple, and I felt a pang of regret for being so reactionary.

  We turned the corner and Tamryn and Robbie were milling about by the entrance. Their two daughters were chasing each other around in the grass nearby.

  “Hi, y’all!” I called to the girls, as Joe closed the distance and kissed Tamryn on the cheek. He offered his hand to Robbie, who shook it.

  “Molly!” Joe’s five year old niece, Jamie, ran at me full force. Joe intercepted her, swinging her into the air with one arm.

  “I get a hug first.” He growled, ruffling her hair. Jamie’s older sister, Tressa, approached me for a shy hug.

  “You look pretty tonight.” I gushed, noticing the way she tugged at her dress self-consciously. She lit in a sunny smile.

  “Thanks, Miss Molly. So do you.” She sounded like she was thirty years old instead of nine. Joe gave Tressa a loud smacking kiss on the cheek and she wiped at it with an eye roll. He was a completely different person when the girls were around. He lightened up palpably, and I breathed a little easier.

  “It’s so good to see you. You look great.” Tamryn smiled at me and I gave her a halfhearted grin in response. She looked pulled together as always, as if she was ready for a martini night with the girls. Nothing was out of place on the petite brunette, from her beige Jimmy Cho’s to her model-tall husband and his perfectly groomed sideburns. Here I was in my floor length knit dress and loose, beachy waves. I hadn’t even bothered to cover my tattoos in my spaghetti straps. She was being kind, and I knew it.

  “Oh, thanks. It was just too hot for me today…” I laughed, feeling the heat blossom in my cheeks. I should have known better than to underdress. I wanted to go hide in the restroom, but little Jamie grabbed my hand.

  “Can I sit by you, Aunt Molly?” She’d never called me that before, and I bit the inside of my lip to contain the hormone rush headed for my tear ducts.

  “Of course you can, Sugar.” I cooed, flashing her a wide smile.

  Since it was a weekday, we didn’t have to wait for a table. Our server ushered us past the open pit and into the main dining room. I took my seat and Jamie plopped down beside me.

  “Good. I’m on the ‘tattoo side’.” She said narrowing her eyes to study my full sleeve. I glanced bashfully at Tamryn, who shrugged. Joe scooted in next to me, and he ran his hand delicately down my back.

  We ordered and I answered several questions from Jamie regarding my ink, when I heard Tamryn say to Joe, “I love this place. Thanks for inviting us. What’s the occasion?”

  Joe didn’t hesitate. “Molly’s pregnant. She’s due in April.”

  Robbie gaped at him and then at me. Tamryn slapped her hands over her mouth and squealed. She jumped to her feet and frolicked around to our side of the table where she threw her arms around me.

  “Oh my God! I’m so excited!” She cried, releasing me and wrapping her arms around Joe’s neck from behind. Without turning to face her, Joe patted her arm in a patronizing manner that seemed to imply he was expecting this sort of reaction. People at neighboring tables were eyeing us with bemused smiles. “You sneaky little shit! I knew something was up when you texted me!”

  “Mom. Language!” Tressa corrected her, and Tamryn shot her a look of reproach.

  “You don’t look like you’re having a baby to me.” Jamie sniffed as she stared at my stomach.

  “It’ll be a little while till you can tell.” I replied, though I suspected that was a complete load of bullshit.

  Tamryn started back around the table and Joe added. “Tamryn.”

  “What?” She smiled, and I braced myself when I saw the roguish grin on Joe’s face.

  “It’s twins.”

  Round two of her wild, squealing jig began just as the servers appeared at our table. She rushed around and plopped down across from me. She reached over and took my hand.

  “Two babies!” She released my hand so that the servers could sit down the heaping platters of mouthwatering meat. “I can’t wait to tell mom. Oh! Unless you want to, Joe.”

  Joe shrugged and scooped a forkful of potato salad. “Go for it.”

  His reaction didn’t surprise me. Joe had a rocky past with his parents, and though they were now on speaking terms, it still didn’t happen very often.

  Tamryn was still beaming as she buttered a roll. “Oh, Molly! I can’t wait to throw you a shower! I’ll take care of everything. You’ll have you hands full with the move.”

  “Huh?” I asked, reaching greedily for some ribs. Now that I’d laid eyes on the spiced pork and burnt ends, I was ravenous.

  “Well, you’ll need a bigger place. And obviously one at ground level.”

  Joe cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Tamryn.”

  “Joe…you can’t seriously think it’s gonna be easy for Molly to go up and down those stairs in a few months. And how’s she supposed to carry two newborns up and down the stairs all the time.” She was using what Joe called her ‘arbitrator voice’. Tamryn was no longer practicing trial law, but arguing with her about even the most trivial topic could be brutal. “One of those infant carriers was heavy enough to kill my poor back. Is she going to leave one in the car and come back for it later? Seriously…”

  I forced myself to swallow the large bite of meat without tasting it at all. I got a mental picture of her hypothetical scenario and felt my pulse accelerate. I looked over at Joe and his uncomfortable glance in my direction made it obvious he’d already considered this.

  “So does this mean you’ll be making an honest woman of her?” Robbie chimed in. His friendly smile seemed to imply he was trying to shift the conversation back to a happy topic. The look Joe shot him wiped that smile right off the poor man’s face.

  “We just found out on Friday, y’all. Joe and I have a lot of things to figure out.” I put a comforting hand on Joe’s shoulder, and he held my eyes. I refused to look away, and his expression softened.

  “Well, we’re here to help. You just say the word.” Robbie offered, and I wanted to hug him for keeping things simple. I mouthed the word ‘thanks’ and Robbie winked. Tamryn and Joe were in the midst of some private silent exchange, so I turned to the little girl on my left.

  “Two babies. One for you and one for me.” Jamie said to her older sister. Her serious expression was hysterical. She turned and looked past me at Joe. “Do I get to name one?”

  “Nope.” He responded without a moment’s pause.

  “Why not?” She looked genuinely annoyed.

  Tamryn burst into a surprised chortle. “They’re not kittens, Jamie.”

  After the fairly painless dinner ended, we said our goodbyes, promising to come out to their ranch for brunch soon. Joe fell silent on the way back to the car. I had an ominous feeling of foreboding, but pushed it aside as emotional shrapnel from all we’d been through in the past few days. I decided I’d steel myself and break the ice. As we pulled out onto the highway, I sucked in a breath.

  “I’m sorry if you’re still upset with me, but we need to talk about—” My phone rang and it was Elaine’s ringtone. Joe huf
fed. Impulsively, I hit the green button.

  “Elaine?” My curt greeting was met with a long pause. I could feel Joe staring but didn’t look in his direction.

  “Molly. Hi.” She sounded breathy and her voice was pitched high which I knew meant she was nervous.

  “I got your messages. I’ve been swamped. What is it you want me to do, exactly?”

  “Umm…Molly. I’m really sorry.”

  “Really?” My sarcasm was blatant, and Joe whipped his head in my direction. “For which part? Fucking my husband behind my back or stealing my restaurant for a song?”

  “All of it. I thought we were in love. I believed everything he said about you. I’m such an idiot.” She choked on a sob and I rubbed my temple.

  I understood all too well how easily Drae could cast a spell on a girl. Even an intelligent girl, and Elaine was a whole lot smarter than me. She was kind of a plain Jane. The unassuming, mousy type who’d be warming the bench at the prom. I imagine she thought she’d won the lottery when Draven turned his attention on her. At least, I always thought those things about her and had never considered her any sort of threat. It took balls; I’d never have guessed she’d had for her to start an affair with my husband, and the cutthroat way she’d bought me out of my business was downright Machiavellian.

  Elaine let out a deep breath and pressed on. “I hate to bother you with this, but my lawyer has concerns that Draven will get visitation rights. He thinks a statement from you might help my case. I don’t think he’d hurt Marco, but…”

  Marco.

  Drae had told me that they’d had a boy, but hearing that they’d named him after Draven’s father somehow jarred me. I was more disturbed a moment later when I heard little Marco jabber in the background. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard, and when Elaine murmured softly back to him, any lingering doubts I had about helping her dissipated.

  “Look, I’ll make a statement if you need me to, but this isn’t the best time.”

  “You will?” She sounded on the verge of tears again.