There were a few early birds out on kayaks, but nothing with a motor sliced through the quiet. Down to her right where the incline sloped forward, the boathouses that belonged to the estates that claimed this side stood silent, the houses themselves hidden from view by trees and expensive landscaping. Out here were the properties that people with real money owned, the Edwards, Bluebell Barrington, and local celebrities like rocker Cain Black or NHL goaltender Travis Blackwell. They paid big money for privacy, and the natural lay of the land was a perfect setting.
As for Molly, her own little slice of heaven was four miles down the lake, a small stone cottage on a bluff not unlike the one she stood on. It had two bedrooms, one of which doubled as her office, a small but state-of-the-art kitchen she’d had designed and installed after she’d bought the place, and a large, open room that spanned the width of the house and looked out over the lake. It functioned as her family room and dining room, with a large stone fireplace as a focal point. She’d just taken delivery of a custom-built harvest table made from old barn beams reclaimed from the Manchester place. Beck Jacobs had delivered it himself a few weeks earlier.
When she first announced her plans to buy her own place, her parents had wanted her to stay in town. But Molly had always loved the lake, and when the cottage had come up for sale, she’d jumped at the chance to own it. And now, nearly two years later, she still got tingles when she walked inside. If it was possible to love a home as much as if it were a person, well, Molly did.
Thinking of Beck made her think of Nate. And thinking of Nate made those damn butterflies in her stomach take off as if someone had just tossed a hand grenade inside her and then run for the hills.
Sunday night had been a disaster. She’d been so sure Nathan would bring Chess that she’d done her best to doll herself up and dress to impress. Not so much for Nate--she knew he didn’t think of her that way--but for Chess. A girl had pride. No way was Chess going to look at Molly and see Bones Malone.
The whole exercise was stupid and counterproductive because what the hell did she know about being a femme fatale?
What exactly was a femme fatale?
Did anyone even use those words anymore?
She’d borrowed a dress from Jessica, left her hair long because Lainey said she’d be an idiot if she didn’t, and wore shoes that made her calves ache. She tried not to think about it too much, about what she was trying to prove, and with Kyle on her arm, she felt confident that Chess wouldn’t see her as a target, but as a grown-ass woman with a lot to offer, one men found desirable. If she were being really honest with herself, she’d admit that that was what she wanted Nate to think. But honest wasn’t exactly top shelf at the moment.
What she hadn’t counted on was A) Nate showing up alone. Or B) Kyle turning into a raging Neanderthal who somehow thought he owned her. He kept ordering her drinks, even after she made it very clear she didn’t enjoy fancy cocktails with fruit and an umbrella—she much preferred a beer or a Jack and coke. And on the patio, he’d actually stuck his tongue in her ear. Her freaking ear! By the time they made it to dinner, she regretted bringing Kyle with all the heat of a thousand suns.
Then there’d been the awkward dinner conversation, which ran the gamut from inappropriate to condescending.
Yes, to Jessica’s mother when she asked Molly if she was still single. Are you dating anyone? A quick heck no, even though Kyle stared bullets at her. A look that said, Are you serious when Jessica’s father asked if she was the receptionist at the vet clinic. And finally, a big hell no to some cousin in the wedding party when he asked if she wanted to hook up later. When she got rid of the Neanderthal, that was.
After that, it was all downhill.
Nate was distant, and her brother spent most of the night shooting her looks she didn’t understand. If the guy wanted to say something, then he should damn well do it.
Her nana had too much punch because she thought it was non-alcoholic (or so she said, but everyone knew Nana loved the booze) and fell asleep in one of the bathroom stalls. And her mother threw out her back trying to wrangle Nana Malone from the toilet seat.
By ten o’clock that evening, Molly had had enough. She called a taxi and left. Which she got flack for. From her brother, her parents, and from Nate.
Something is seriously up with you. From her brother.
That was rude to leave so suddenly. Her mother.
Kyle is leaving with one of the bridesmaids. Again, her mother.
And he’s so handsome. I think you just blew it. Guess who?
At that point, Molly was about to throw her cell phone out the window, but it pinged again.
Where the hell did you go? We need to talk. That was from Nate.
How could she talk to Nate about whatever it was they needed to talk about, when in fact she didn’t really know what that something was? Liar. She was in love with him. No way around it, but he was not in love with her. He was trying to be a pal. A good buddy. If she wasn’t careful, her behavior would alert folks that something was amiss. And if her secret didn’t stay that way, that would just about kill her.
Molly decided the best course of action was to keep her head down and avoid anything that had to do with the wedding. Or her family. Or Nate, for that matter.
And she’d been successful. It was Friday morning, and she’d managed to avoid Nathan and her brother, who’d taken time off from the clinic leading up to his wedding, for the entire week, and with her mother on the mend, things were looking up.
God love Millie Malone, and Lord knows Molly did, but her mother sure liked to complain. Loudly. To anyone who’d listen. And that was when she wasn’t interfering with Molly’s personal life.
Molly did one last stretch and checked her watch. She had a couple of hours before she was to meet up with the gang downtown at the park. It was where they’d launch their tubes and flotation devices to float down the river to the next town over, where they’d have dinner at the pub on the water before buses pulled up to bring them back to Crystal Lake. She had her gear ready to go, and the only thing to do was shower when she got home and leave.
She was about to head back the way she’d come when a small dog ran out from underneath the tall grass that hugged the side of the trail. It was white and wiry and ran around her, barking up a storm as its tail wagged crazily.
She recognized it immediately. The little schnauzer mix belonged to Nash and Honey Booker. They’d adopted the little guy a few months earlier and lived not far from Molly.
“Hey, Zeus,” she said softly, bending down and offering her hand for him to sniff. “How’d you end up so far from home?”
“She followed me.”
Molly froze and looked up at the sound of a very deep, very British voice. A man stood a few feet from her, dressed in running shorts and not much else. He was tall, muscled, with myriad tattoos that covered most of his chest and abdomen, as well as an entire sleeve of ink down his left arm. His hair was on the long side, the ends damp with sweat, and his eyes blazed blue when he smiled at her.
The guy could have been a criminal, a murderer, or a rapist, but Molly found herself smiling in return because there was something about him. Some gentle quality that hung in his eyes maybe?
He was one hell of a specimen.
He nodded over his shoulder. “Been following me for a while now, and then she ran ahead. I guess she heard you.”
Molly scratched behind the dog’s ears and straightened. “I know the dog, and she’s a he, and his name is Zeus.”
“Oh.” The man laughed and looked at the dog. “Pardon me, mate. I guess the pink collar had me heading in the wrong direction.” He winked at Molly. “I’m Link, by the way.”
“Molly.”
“You look like a Molly.”
“What’s a Molly look like?”
“Oh, you know.” He took a step closer. “Real easy on the eyes. Killer smile.” His eyes dipped lower. “Killer legs.”
Molly chuckled. “That line work
for you? In general, I mean?”
“Every time. Like a charm.”
“Must be the accent.”
“Maybe.” He rolled his neck and then shoulders. “Or maybe I’m just a genuine bloke who has no problem letting a woman know she’s beautiful.” His grin deepened. “Or could be because I’m the only boy in a family of six girls, raised by a single mother to boot.”
“You’re definitely not from around here.”
“What gave that away? The accent?”
“The tattoos.” Molly pointed to the largest one that covered nearly every inch of his chest. “That looks like a coat of arms or something.”
“It is.” He glanced down. “It belongs to my dad’s family. I suppose there’s some old stone manor out on a lake that has a massive tapestry hanging on a prominent wall. The aristocracy do cling to the past like a junkie holds fast to his needle.”
“That’s interesting.” Molly didn’t know what to say, since there was a hint of rancor in his tone.
“Not really. In addition to being an absolute bastard, my dad was actually the bastard of a bastard, and there are still bloodlines across the pond that care about that kind of crap.” He seemed to mentally shake himself. “Anyway. About the dog. I would like her--”
“Him.”
“Him. I’d like to make sure he gets back to where he belongs.”
“Oh. Right.” Molly called Zeus over. “I’m headed back past Nash’s place. I’ll make sure he gets home.”
Link pointed in the direction she’d come from. “You going that way, then?”
“Yes.”
“Mind if I join? I’m headed back that way myself.”
The two fell into a comfortable pace somewhere between a heart rate that was brisk and one that allowed for conversation. They didn’t talk about anything deep or life changing. It was more of Molly answering questions about the area and Link giving away as little information about himself as possible. About two miles back up the trail, he came to a stop.
“This is me,” he said, pointing to the large stone post with a plaque embedded in it. Manchester.
“Here?” she asked, more than a little surprised. “I know Beck, the guy that owns it. I didn’t realize he was letting anyone stay here.”
“Not for long,” Link replied, the lightness of their previous conversation all but gone. “At least that’s the plan now, eh? We’ll see what next week brings.” He looked at her for a few more moments and then smiled. “Maybe you can show me around a bit? You know, the local sights. Be my tour guide.”
This man was flirting with her, and Molly wasn’t going to lie—it felt kinda good. He looked like he could be the kind of man to make her forget the one she couldn’t stop thinking about. She needed someone like him. A diversion.
“Maybe,” she replied slowly as a thought struck her. She’d given Kyle the boot Sunday, and that boot included their so-called date floating down the river. “Do you have plans this afternoon?”
His smiled widened. “You asking me on a date?”
“No.” She laughed. “Tour guide, remember? And what better way to see this area than to float down the river? A bunch of us are doing it this afternoon. It’s kind of like a tradition. We tie onto each other like a small armada, and someone has tunes, and we kick back, float, drink some beer, and chill. It’s a lot of fun.”
“Sounds like what I need.” He nodded. “What time are you picking me up?”
“You really want to come?”
“Was the invitation genuine? Or were you just being nice?”
“I wouldn’t have invited you if it wasn’t.” Molly kind of stumbled over her words. “I think you’ll like it.” She scooped up Zeus and started back toward the trail. “I’ll be back in an hour and a half.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
It took her a good twenty minutes or so to get to the Bookers’ place, where she found a frantic Honey, a crying little Gabriel, and a worried Nash on the phone. They thanked her profusely for returning Zeus. Apparently, the toddler had opened the door for the dog, not understanding the little bundle of fur would go on an adventure and run away. The adults hadn’t realized the dog was missing until Gabe pointed to the door and said, “Doggie gone.”
By the time Molly got home, she had barely thirty minutes to shower and change, throw her gear, including a bright purple floaty that could fit up to four people, along with the air pump into her vehicle, and drive to the Manchester place.
Link was waiting at the end of the lane and slid into the passenger seat. He tossed a black backpack behind him and grinned at her.
“Let’s do this non-date thing.”
She laughed. The guy was an absolute flirt, but the ease of his personality, the teasing in his voice, and the lightness in his eyes made him irresistible. And this had been one hell of a week. She could use a little bit of whatever it was he had. Because spending the afternoon on the water with Nathan and her brother’s questioning looks was enough to make her stomach clench. But with Link to take her mind off things, she just might get through the day without taking a hit from either one of them.
Or a knife to the heart.
Chapter Six
Nate was up before the sun. He’d slept like crap, which he blamed on the fish he’d eaten the night before, but in fact it most likely was because of the bottle of tequila he’d shared with his brother. He suspected that he’d been responsible for most of the consumption.
He’d spent a good twenty minutes in the shower, leaning against the tiles, hoping the hot water would work some kind of magic and get him the hell out of this foul mood, but now, nearly two hours later, he sat on the back deck, nursing a coffee that had long gone cold, and wondered how this day was going to play out.
Molly had shut him out. Completely. And he had no idea why. At least, not a rational one. The whole Chess thing was ridiculous, and even if he’d been a little heavy -handed when it came to Kyle, he was doing what best friends do…looking out for her. He’d bent over backward trying to be her friend, a good friend, the kind that looks out for someone, maybe tells them something they might not like to hear even though it’s for the best, and she paid him back by bringing Kyle to the damn dinner on Sunday, totally disregarding everything he’d said. And before he got a chance to talk to her, she split. Up and left without a word to anyone.
The fact that Kyle ended up acting like an ass didn’t make Nate feel any better. In fact, the two of them got into it at the end of the night. Thankfully, it had been in the parking lot, or there would have been hell to pay. As it was, Jessica wasn’t too happy, and neither were her parents.
He scowled and sank deeper into his chair.
The sun was out, the birds were singing, and the squirrels scurried around the big oak tree looking for treasure. He squinted. Damn if he didn’t spy a doe with her babies just past the treeline of the ravine that ran behind his parents’ place. It was Disney on steroids. All it needed was a princess. Or a dwarf. Maybe a witch with an apple. Any other time, he would have appreciated how nature wrapped herself around his family home, but today, it was a glaring example of what things looked like on the outside, when on the inside, it was nothing but a rotten mess of crap. An illusion. A lie.
He grimaced. Jesus, he was overreacting, but decided to blame that on the tequila as well.
“Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.” His mother plopped onto the chair beside him, a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.
“Is there a right side?” he muttered, more to himself, but his mom had sharp ears. He glanced her way. Sure enough, her eyes were focused and her mouth tight. She had big-ass rollers in her hair, half of which were nearly unraveled, and there was a coffee stain on the front of her fuzzy mint-green bathrobe. He noted it wasn’t the expensive Meng silk kimono he’d given her a few years back for her birthday. She had on her glasses, which only made her look more determined.
And that instantly put him on guard.
She set down her mug and le
aned forward. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong with you? You haven’t been yourself since you came home last weekend.”
Nate groaned silently. He didn’t want to have this conversation with his mother. Not today. Actually, not tomorrow either. She was like a pit bull, fierce and unrelenting when it clamped down on something, which meant he was pretty much screwed. No way was she letting this go.
“Is it work?”
He knew her MO. She’d peel away each layer, starting from the top, until she got what she wanted. Aside from the fact that it was useless to resist his mom, she was Vader that way and could turn anyone if she wanted to. He had no time for this. He decided to cut to the chase and lay it all out there.
“It’s Molly.”
Her expression immediately changed.
“Molly? Is she okay?”
He saw the concern and shook his head. “That’s not what I mean.” At her questioning look, he continued. “She’s not sick or anything like that. She’s just…she’s…”
He thought about Sunday night again, and then he thought about how she’d snubbed him this past week. How she’d gone for wings at the Coach House on Tuesday night with some guy no one seemed to know, and that was after he’d put it out there in the group chat with Zach, Moll, and the boys. Everyone was busy, and she never replied, so he’d played a round of golf with some old hockey pals instead. She’d gone for wings without saying a word to him, and the only reason he knew was because Beck had met up with a potential client at the Coach House and he’d seen her.
All of the above pissed off Nate, and he didn’t bother to hide it.
“She’s better than fine, if you want to know the truth. She’s living her life, hanging out with Kyle Langley, or other random men no one seems to know anything about. Which, you know, is fine and all, but not when she’s ignoring her best friend and—”
That Thing You Do (A Crystal Lake Novel Book 2) Page 5