Taming Molly: Heroes of Henderson ~ Book 2.5 A DuVal Cousins Quickie

by Liz Kelly

  It took a moment for that to sink in. And in that moment, the fairy princess sprouted wings and flew off into the crowd. Josh wanted to leave his beer and follow her—hell, he wanted to grab her shoulder, spin her around, and get right up into her face because that was complete bullshit. Bullshit, by the way, he would have paid good money to make true.

  He was finally given his beer, all fancy in a glass for God’s sake, and turned, intent on searching out Miss DuVal when a large, meaty hand landed on his shoulder.

  Dear God—the Father.

  “Josh, my boy. A word please.”

  Big Jim wanted a word. During a wedding reception. At the exact moment Josh just happened to be honing in on his eldest daughter.

  “I understand you’re looking for some Booster funds so you can make up your fancy Google-like glasses in order to benefit the football team.”

  Josh blinked, dragging his mind off Molly and on to his team. “That’s exactly right. I believe if I’ve got someone wearing them up in the press box, and I’m wearing them down on the field, I’d be able to see what’s going on defensively a whole lot better. It could be a big help to decide which offense to run.”

  “Might be misconstrued as cheatin’.”

  “I like to think of it as communicating.”

  “Huh. Well, now—here’s the deal. You might not be aware, but that lovely young lady you were just talkin’ to at the bar? The one in green? She’s my daughter, Molly. Now, Molly loves a good party—hell, she’s just a chip off the ol’ block when it comes to that. And this wedding has the makings of a great party. But she’s ruffled some Henderson feathers in the past and those feathers are eyein’ her up tonight. Now you—you’re the sort of fellow it might do Molly some good to be seen with. Someone who has kept a low profile and won’t do her reputation any harm.”

  “I’m not exactly sure how to take that.”

  “Oh, come on now. You’re a good-looking kid, but you’re a brainiac not a partier. I know she’s probably not your type, but—just for tonight—if you could run interference from the likes of Vance Evans and his ilk, the Boosters and I’d be grateful enough to throw a little faux-Google Glass money your way.”

  After delivering a big smack to Josh’s back, causing his beer to spill over the edge of his glass, Jim DuVal was off into the crowd.

  Josh was shaking the liquid off his hand when Vance came up from behind. “Big Jim ought to learn to keep his voice down.”

  “You heard all that?”

  “Every word. Nothin’ like gettin’ permission from God himself to go after the forbidden fruit.” Vance grinned. “Might be a bit of a moral dilemma for a man who has kept such a low profile.”

  “I see no issue whatsoever.”

  “I don’t know. Could sorta be misconstrued as cheatin’.”

  “Yeah. I’m going to keep thinking of it as communicating.”

  ***

  “Lolly is dating Brooks Bennett?” Molly reiterated the news in astonishment. “The Brooks Bennett?”

  “The one and only,” Lucy said. “There was some big scuttlebutt surrounding Lolly, Brooks, and Vance back on the Fourth of July—you should have been around for that. But that scuttlebutt was overshadowed by the wet T-shirt contest—which, thank God, you were not here for because—” Her sister’s eyes landed on Molly’s chest before she rolled them, “Well, it’s not like you’re afraid to show them off.”

  “The human body—”

  “Is a magnificent work of art,” Lucy finished. “I know. I’ve heard you say so a zillion times.”

  “I’m just sayin’ covering the body’s treasures has never made any sense to me.”

  In her mind’s eye, Molly saw images of Josh McCourt with his tuxedo shirt hanging open and his pants unzipped. Because if there were calendars made to showcase hot men with high IQs, she’d nominate Josh for the cover. There was just something about his combination of light hair and dark eyes that had struck her the moment they met. His intelligence glistened through those molasses-colored irises, creating a luscious contrast with the topaz of his hair. Looking at him made her think of that nut-covered toffee she loved to sink her teeth into and never got enough of. Pour all that into a tuxedo on a gorgeous summer evening and Molly’s artistic eye was stripping him down fast. She licked her lips.

  Stupid Josh.

  Molly could count on one hand the number of times she was unable to flirt her way into a date. The only boy involved that she actually remembered was Josh McCourt, whom she had immediately dubbed “Hot Poindexter.”

  “Speaking of clothes,” her sister said, interrupting her train of thought, “and before you start taking yours off, have you heard that Lolly is opening her own couture business in Henderson? The House of DuVal.”

  “I love the name.”

  “She’s partnered up with Annabelle Devine to create special occasion and debutante dresses. In fact, Lolly designed that glorious concoction Aunt Genevra has on.”

  “Lolly? Made Aunt Gen’s wedding dress?”

  “I know. She’s been hiding her light under a bushel, right?”

  “Maybe she’s just coming into her own,” Molly said quietly, desperate to share just how much she’d been coming into her own lately. “Lucy, I’ve got some good news—”

  “Why is the new assistant football coach looking at you so intently?”

  “The new what?” Molly scanned the crowd, her eyes tracking right to Josh. He was about to take a sip of his beer, those sultry dark orbs calling to her from over the rim of his glass. When their gazes connected, he lowered his beer and winked.

  Molly did her best not to smile.

  “He’s rather hunkalicious all decked out in that tux,” Lucy said.

  So I’m not the only one who noticed.

  Molly forced her gaze from Hot Poindexter and looked at her sister. “Josh McCourt is no football coach. Pretty sure he’s some sort of computer geek.”

  “Yes, but now he’s geeking up plays for the offense. To hear Daddy talk about it, Josh is the Second Coming.”

  “Really? Daddy likes him?”

  “Daddy likes anyone who’s going to get Henderson’s football team back into the playoffs.”

  “So if I was seen hanging around Josh….”

  “Unless you speak computerese, you’d be bored out of your mind.”

  “Probably,” she hedged. “But if I were bored, then it would appear to all the old busybodies as if Josh McCourt had tamed me. I’d be welcomed back to Henderson sooner rather than later.”

  “He’s from Oxford.”

  “I’m willing to overlook that. Once everyone sees how tame I’ve become, I’ll quietly slip into town, start up my own House of DuVal business, and hit everyone over the head with my brilliant contributions to society before anyone knows what’s happened.”

  “What contributions to society?”

  Molly shook her head. “Haven’t exactly figured that out yet.”

  Her sister sighed. “Molly, you’re twenty-eight. You don’t need anyone’s permission to move back to Henderson.”

  “Hmm. Sort of feels like I need a lot of people’s permission. Starting with Dad’s and ending with Aunt Charlotte’s. It’s pretty obvious she still hasn’t gotten over not having the chance to stuff Jacey into her old, ratty deb dress.”

  “You’ve been holding that glass of wine for a while now. Why not take a sip? Might soften your edge.”

  “I don’t have an edge,” she snapped, “and I don’t like white wine.”

  “Then why’d you order it?”

  Molly sighed. “It’s a ladylike beverage and I don’t want people to know I’m not drinking.”

  “Why in the world aren’t you drinking?”

  Molly gave her sister a look she hoped conveyed everything.

  Lucy shook her head and tossed the word, “Boring” over her shoulder as she walked away.

  Chapter Six

  During the past hour, Josh McCourt had been browbeaten by Brooks Benne
tt about not inciting members of his baseball team to play football. Brooks scoffed and stomped away when Josh causally mentioned he didn’t realize Brooks was the head coach. Then Josh met two guys from out of town who introduced themselves as Pinks and The Outlaw. They seemed to be directing traffic at this wedding reception as much as Vance was. After that, Josh had been enchanted by an exceptional little number in a turquoise dress named Piper Beaumont until Vance came over growling and snatched her out from under his nose. He even managed to introduce himself to the bride and groom who were as gracious as they were dazzling to look at. And through it all, he continuously stole glances at Molly DuVal.

  And always, always, Molly had been looking right back at him.

  Hmm.

  Be bold, Vance had told him. After three weeks of unparalleled success with the football team, Josh was feeling bold.

  He decided to own it.

  First stop, the bar. He found a guy with the name tag Harry and asked a question he hoped Harry would know the answer to. “What does Molly DuVal actually like to drink?”

  Harry’s gaze shot over to Molly, and he smiled big, grabbing a glass and nodding his head. “Well, it sure isn’t that swill she’s holding on to like her life depends on it, I can tell you that. Now, I haven’t actually had the pleasure of meeting that particular Miss DuVal, but from the bits and pieces I’ve overheard, she’s bound to enjoy this a little bit better.”

  Harry handed Josh a tall glass with a pretty red-orange mixture at the bottom that bloomed into yellow by the time it got to the top. Then he splashed tequila over it. “Should do the trick,” Harry said. “But be careful.”

  “With the woman or the drink?”

  Harry smiled. “Exactly.”

  Josh maneuvered through the crowd but almost backtracked when he saw the circle of vultures that had formed around his fairy princess.

  Bold. The word clanged loudly inside his head like a metal gong.

  So he boldly stepped through the ring of fire and into the nice warm center, interrupting the conversation and taking Molly’s untouched wine out of her hand. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “White wine doesn’t suit you.” He placed the glass in her hand. “I’ll be over by the dance floor. Waitin’ on you.”

  Then he backed off slowly, his gaze intently holding the astonished look in her pretty green eyes.

  Yeah. That got her attention.

  He turned and made his way through the crowd, a bold smirk of victory pulling at his lips.

  ***

  Yeah. That got my attention.

  Molly took a sip of her pretty new drink and thought she’d let Josh McCourt cool his heels for about five minutes before she chased after him.

  Or not.

  Grabbing Tucker Davenport’s hand, Molly pulled him through the crowd, brushing right up against Josh as she stepped onto the dance floor.

  Stashing her drink might be the prudent thing to do, but she was desperately thirsty, and how much tequila could one drink hold anyway?

  “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doin’,” Tucker said. “You’re just swinging me around out here trying to make Mr. Oxford jealous.”

  Molly countered with a brilliant smile. “Now Tucker, you know you’ve always been the love of my life.”

  “Says the town flirt.”

  “Just testing out the man from Oxford’s mettle.”

  “Well, because I like to dance, I don’t mind being a pawn in your little game. Now finish that drink so we can make a scene out here.”

  “I’m not making any scene, and I’m not guzzling down this drink,” she said, moving daintily around the dance floor. “I’m sipping it. Like the lady I am.”

  “You’re wasting a good song, is what you are.” Tucker turned around and yelled, “Next!” Before Molly could protest, Tucker had swung her cousin, Vivi, into a jitterbug.

  “Looks like you lost your partner.” The low tone of his voice captivated her, just as it had when he’d whispered in her ear. She couldn’t blame the attraction Josh was stirring up on the alcohol because she hadn’t had much. And that thought made her a little suspicious.

  “Why exactly did you bother bringing me this pretty drink?”

  “Why were you pretending to drink wine?” he countered.

  “How do you know I was pretending?”

  “Because while you were watchin’ me for the past hour, I was watchin’ you.”

  His sexy grin did a good job in the fluster-me-silly department. So much so, she stammered out a lie.

  “I was not watching you.”

  “You were,” he stated as he slid his arm around her back and pulled her up against him. “Your eyes were all over me, and I can’t blame you because I look damn fine in this tuxedo.”

  Molly’s face bloomed with a reluctant smile, though she tossed out, “Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

  “Maybe a little.” His whiskey-colored eyes smiled down into hers. How he’d gotten both his arms around her, hooking his fingers together at her lower back, she’d never know. What she did know was that Hot Poindexter, with his yummy hair and eyes and those broad, broad shoulders, was making her nervous—and that was something new.

  Because it was a known fact that Molly had no problem pressing her chest up against the opposite sex. But this felt different. Way different. Like she was past not-in-control and heading straight toward out-of-control. With her intention of setting a ladylike precedent, that kind of feeling would just not do. In an effort to steady herself, she pressed her free hand against his chest, pushing back to create a little more space between them.

  He acquiesced, raising the side of his upper lip into a sly smile—like he knew he was knocking her off her game. “Too close for comfort?”

  How was she supposed to answer that? Yes, yes, but no?

  Her lashes lowered, and she gave a small shrug.

  “Now don’t you go getting all shy on me, Miss DuVal. I’m dancing with you because you’re the kind of girl who’d sneak into the boy’s locker room.”

  “And here I’m dancing with you hoping your low-key and studious reputation is going to help salvage mine.”

  “Not a chance. The words low-key and studious have been banished from my vocabulary. I’m Mr. Bold where you’re concerned, and saving your reputation is definitely not my objective. It’s completely up to you not to be caught somewhere you shouldn’t be. However, I will do my best to restrain myself from going all statistical theory on you.”

  Molly laughed—and immediately noticed how good it felt. Laughing. In Henderson. Surrounded by people who knew her name. “What are you doing here?” she blurted out. “I mean, no offense, but these aren’t your people.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Says the out-of-towner.”

  “I may live out of town,” Molly grumbled, “but trust me. My heart and soul are stuck right here in Henderson.”

  “That should give me a fighting chance, then.”

  “To do what?”

  “Steal your heart while you aren’t lookin’.”

  He said it so soft, so sweet, Molly just started to melt. Right there. In his arms.

  Because you’re lonely, Molly reminded herself. And apparently vulnerable.

  The last thing she needed was some wild one-night stand with Hot Poindexter. Especially now that he was the new assistant coach and creating a buzz around town. Better shut it down.

  “Josh, these aren’t your people.”

  “But they’re your people. Some of them know my name. Your father knows who I am. I dare say he even likes me.” Josh nodded over her shoulder. When Molly glanced back, she saw her dad giving Josh the thumbs up.

  “What’s that about?”

  “He’s under the flawed assumption that I’d be that good influence you were talkin’ about.”

  “He put you up to this? That’s why you are dancing with me?” Honest to God, her heart broke just a little bit.

  “Right. Like it was your father who suggested I throw
an extra shot on top of your tequila sunrise and then press my manly parts right up against your very intriguing girly parts in the middle of the damn dance floor.”

  “Well….” Molly stumbled, a little distracted by Hot Poindexter’s manly parts—and a bit unnerved he was talking about them. “What was that thumbs up for?”

  “My guess is that he wants you to move back to Henderson. I figured my manly parts would give you a good reason.”

  Molly stared into his eyes until she finally realized that Josh McCourt was pulling her chain. She burst out laughing.

  “No?” He smiled. “Not a good enough reason? Give me a minute, and I’ll think of something else.”

  “Josh,” she said, laying a hand on his shoulder for the first time. “You’ve made me laugh, and I’m having fun at a big Henderson social event for the first time in a very long while. That’d be reason enough for me to want to move back. But the truth is I already want to come home. I’ve spent my time in exile, and I’m looking to redeem myself.”

  “Redeem yourself?”

  “The town gossips love me. But my extended family? When I’m the subject of that gossip? Not so much. I came to this wedding planning to show Evie Jackson and her snobby followers that I deserve a place in this town. I want to show everyone that I’m not the same girl I was before.”

  “Yeah—no.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “No. Absolutely not.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Now that I’ve finally gotten my hands on the infamous Molly DuVal, I expect Molly DuVal—not some watered-down, boring version.”

  Molly sputtered. And blinked.

  “Exactly. Stop with all the woe is me bullshit and show up to this party like the rock star you are.”

  Molly felt her mouth clap shut.

  “Down the drink and put both hands on me. Pretend you’re having fun.”

  She started to follow his orders, but once the glass was at her lips she balked. “My father’s not gonna like this.”

  “Your father loves the rock star. He just has the unfortunate duty of being your father.”