Molly moved toward the counter to stow her purse. Her gaze passed over a piece of paper positioned next to last night’s empty pizza box. Mols, I’ll be back in a few with coffee. I know you need it. D. The small smiley face at the end of his note sparked a smile to part Molly’s lips. It quickly slipped away. Wait. How did he get in here? She scanned the room. The wall left half-painted last night when they’d quit for the evening had been completed. Did the man ever sleep?
“Good morning.” The deep voice filled the store. “Is it okay if Duke joins us?”
Molly whirled around, and her breath hitched at the sight of Derek standing at the entrance dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap turned backwards. He looked like the college boy from years past. In his hands were two large coffee cups and a brown bag. At his feet was the puppy she’d seen the first day he returned to Whispering Slopes. The animal’s tail moved like windshield wipers in a downpour. The puppy let out a yelp as though asking permission to enter.
How could she refuse? Molly smiled. As a little girl, she’d always wanted a puppy of her own. But moving from home to home, she’d learned not to get attached to any pet or their owners. “Of course Duke is welcome.”
Derek bent down and released the leash from the dog’s leather collar.
Molly knelt, and the puppy’s toenails scuffed across the floor as he raced toward her, his body not yet catching up with his oversized paws. He skidded to a stop, and Molly scooped the animal into her arms. “Aren’t you the cutest thing.” She giggled as Duke covered her cheek with his tongue.
Derek glided around the room and approached the counter. “I think he likes you.” He reached inside his pocket and removed a dog treat. “Come on, Duke, you big flirt, we’ve got work to do.”
Molly placed Duke back on the ground so he could investigate the snack.
“Did you get my note?” Derek asked as he moved closer.
The scent of pine trees after an early snow tickled her nose. “I did.”
Derek offered one of the cups. He placed the bag on the counter and began to dig inside. First, he removed two napkins and spread one out in front of where she stood. He reached back inside the bag with an extra napkin and held her gaze. “You’re going to love this.”
Molly watched as he slowly removed a large, glistening glazed doughnut. Her second favorite.
“Try this.” He passed the decadent morning treat to her.
Sinking her teeth into the sugary pillow, she closed her eyes for a second. “Ah...it’s still warm.”
Derek nodded. “That’s when they’re the best.” He plunged his hand inside the bag again, this time forgoing the napkin. He pulled out his portion and took a massive bite.
Molly laughed and quickly covered her mouth. “I think you could finish it in two bites.”
He flashed a sheepish grin and took another oversized bite. He chewed and swallowed the treat. “I think you’re right. Remember the doughnut shop we used to hit during exam week? What was the name of that place?”
How could she forget? It was the reason she’d gained the dreaded freshman fifteen. The fifteen pounds they said every college student gained their first semester away at school. It was also the first place Ryan had ever taken her to. After cramming for their art history exam, he’d suggested they were in need of sugar to keep them going. It had been the start of a relationship that lasted their four years in college.
Following graduation, they’d agreed to go their separate ways after he accepted a job overseas. Seven years later, both still single, they’d reunited at a mutual friend’s wedding, and quickly gotten engaged. Even now, at the age of thirty-two, Molly still hadn’t surrendered her love of doughnuts. She’d had a fondness for them long before she’d ever met Ryan. “The Doughnut Hole. To this day, I haven’t found a place that makes a better German chocolate cake doughnut.”
“I remember you loved them. I tried to order that flavor this morning, but they were already sold out.”
Wait. First, he’d remembered she loved mushrooms, and now her favorite doughnuts?
“Well, thank you. That was thoughtful. Can I ask a question though?”
“Sure.”
“How did you get inside my store?”
Derek raked his hand along his stubbled chin. “Oh yeah. I hope you don’t mind, but last night, after we finished, I called Rusty and asked if I could stop by his place to grab a spare key so I could come back in and finish that wall. Don’t worry, I’ll return it when we’re done.”
Molly raised her left brow and took the last bite of her doughnut.
“And I promise not to make a copy.” He winked before taking a swig of his coffee. “I knew I wouldn’t sleep well last night, so I figured I would finish up the wall over there.”
“I could have completed the work this morning.” Molly folded her arms over her chest.
“I have no doubt you would, but I’m anxious to paint the children’s section. I think it’s going to be great.”
Derek’s steady and confident tone settled her weary nerves. “But will it be enough?” Would making all of these improvements have an impact on her bottom line? A year from now, would she still own this business? She ran her hand along the smooth surface of the counter. Would sweet Grace be a permanent part of her life?
“Of course, it will be great. But we have a lot more work to do. I guess that’s the reason why I couldn’t sleep and why I decided to come in early to paint. Time is of the essence. We need to move as quickly as possible. I was surfing the internet last night, and I scored some of those child-sized rocking chairs. I put eight on hold if you want to go take a look at them this afternoon. The sooner we can get them here, the faster we can paint them.”
“Where do I need to go?”
Derek shook his head. “Not you—us. We’re going to take a road trip to Lexington later today. The caffeine is starting to kick in, so I can paint the bookcases.”
“Starting to kick in?” Derek could run to Lexington. “I can help with the painting, but I need to talk to you about something first.” Her upper teeth dug into her lower lip.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I just wanted to explain something.” Her stomach twisted. “The file Annie dropped off yesterday, it pertains to an adoption.”
Derek’s brow crinkled.
“I plan to adopt a child—a little girl. Her name is Grace. Annie is going to drop her off this morning so I can spend some time with her.”
“Wow...adoption. That’s pretty life-changing.”
She gulped a breath of air. Derek was right. If the adoption was successful, her life would never be the same again. But it was her dream. To have a family, someone she could love and who would love her in return. It’s what she desperately wanted.
“Can you afford it?”
Molly bit down on her lip to keep her mouth from blurting out what was going through her mind. Who did he think he was to question what she did with her life? But in truth, she knew it was an intelligent question for him to ask. He was aware of her dire financial situation. It made perfect sense for him to question why she’d want to bring a child into the picture.
“Oh man. I’m sorry, Molly. My question was totally out of line. Please, accept my apology.”
“No, you’re right.” She dropped her arms to her side. “I can’t afford it, but when I started the adoption process, my business was doing well. It was before the big chain store moved in and demolished my dream of owning my own business.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. She tried to hold back, but it was no use.
Derek stepped closer. “Please don’t cry. We’ll get your sales booming again. You’ll be able to make a home for Grace. I promise.”
Molly let his words sink in, but she wasn’t sure if she could believe him. What if she couldn’t bring her store back to life? If she was forced to close the shop, s
he’d lose her opportunity to adopt Grace. Her dream of having a child would be shattered, along with her heart.
Derek cleared the napkins, downed the last of his coffee and grabbed the empty bag. “Well, we better get started painting. I’m excited to meet Grace.”
Was this guy for real? In less than twenty-four hours, he’d orchestrated the painting of her shop, along with the construction of new bookshelves, and he’d ordered chairs for her. His words appeared sincere, like he cared what happened to her business and with the adoption. But was it all an act? In the brief time he’d been in Whispering Slopes, his store was already successful. She’d seen the crowds coming and going. He didn’t want to fail. Still, he appeared concerned about her well-being. Was it possible he wasn’t the same man who sabotaged her wedding day?
* * *
At nine o’clock on the dot, the brass bell over the door sounded, announcing Grace’s arrival. Duke sprang from the pillow Derek had placed in a nearby corner and sprinted toward the front of the store.
Molly placed her brush on the tarp. If she’d turned a second later, she wouldn’t have seen Grace’s face light up with joy as the child dropped to the ground to greet the rambunctious puppy. Like earlier with Molly, Duke smothered the child’s face with wet kisses.
Derek turned to Molly. “Duke loves kids.”
“Well, who do we have here?” Annie bent over and scratched the puppy’s head.
“This is Duke.” Derek squatted next to the child. “And you must be Grace. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Grace, this is Mr. Derek. He’s a friend of Miss Molly’s.” Annie made the introductions.
“Hi,” Grace chirped to Derek before turning her attention back to Duke. The dog licked the child’s hand as though she had drips from an ice cream cone on her skin.
Annie gazed toward the children’s section of the store. “I’m not so sure how much help Grace will be with the painting with Duke here.”
“That’s okay. It will be nice to have her around,” Derek responded in a gentle tone.
Molly saw the warmth in Derek’s eyes as he watched Grace play with Duke. Did Derek like children? Did he dream of having a family of his own like she did?
“Okay then.” Annie tugged on her purse strap. “I’ll be back at noon. Grace, I’ll see you then, and we’ll get some lunch.”
The child remained oblivious to all of the adults in the room. Molly couldn’t blame her. Grace probably didn’t trust adults. Molly hadn’t as a child. It would take time to break through those walls, but she would keep trying. The joy she felt in Grace’s presence was something worth fighting for.
* * *
Three hours later, Derek sat behind the wheel of his Escalade SUV. When the light turned red, he snuck a peek at Molly. Her right knee bounced up and down. She looked as though she carried the weight of the world on her slender shoulders. “You okay over there?”
She nodded, but her body language told a different story. Earlier, he and Molly had finished up the painting while Grace had focused all of her attention on Duke. Now, fifteen minutes into their road trip to pick up the chairs, Duke was back at Derek’s shop, and Grace was with Annie. Molly hadn’t uttered a word since they left the bookstore. “Grace seems sweet.”
Molly’s eyes remained glued to the windshield. “I don’t think Grace likes me.” Her tone sounded defeated.
“What makes you say that?” Derek eased his foot off the gas pedal and took in the landscape filled with endless blue sky and treetops beginning to change color.
“This is my second visit with her, and we’ve barely talked to each other.” Molly sighed. “I don’t feel like we’re connecting.”
Having been raised in a small family with no siblings or cousins, Derek didn’t know too much about kids. “Maybe she’s just shy.”
“I thought about that, but I get the sense she doesn’t trust me. Given her experience so far in foster care, I’m not surprised. But I want her to know I’m not like the others.”
As a child, Derek had always trusted adults—especially his father. Maybe he should have been more like Grace and kept his guard up and his expectations low. “You just need to give it time, Molly.”
A brief silence lingered inside the car.
“Maybe so. I suppose I’m feeling a little sorry for myself.” She pulled down the window visor as a ray of sun peeked over the mountainside. “I guess I’m just a little jealous of your dog.”
Derek laughed. “Duke? Why?”
“Grace obviously fell in love with him. I couldn’t tear her away from Duke to help us with the painting.”
“I don’t think that had anything to do with you. You shouldn’t take her reaction to Duke personally. What kid wouldn’t rather play with a puppy than do manual labor?”
“You’re probably right.” Molly didn’t sound too convinced.
“Of course I am. You’ll have a breakthrough with Grace. Just be patient.”
A few miles up the road, Molly was still quiet. Derek had hoped the time together in the car would give him the opportunity to discover what she’d been doing the past two years, apart from running her store and pursuing adoption. Had she dated anyone since Ryan? Had she traveled anywhere exciting? But more importantly, would she ever be able to forgive him when she heard the entire story from him? Never one to beat around the bush, he needed answers. “So, do you ever hear from Ryan?”
“Are you serious?”
Oh boy. Bad timing. She couldn’t walk away from the conversation. “Look, I know you might not want to talk about Ryan or your wedding day, but if we’re going to continue to work together, it’s something we need to discuss.”
“I haven’t talked to or seen Ryan since the day of the wedding.” She ran her palms along the tops of her thighs. “He was your friend. Don’t you hear from him?”
Derek simply shook his head.
“So there’s no point in us talking about Ryan.”
Derek’s stomach knotted. This wasn’t going as he’d planned, but he needed to make things right with their past. Ryan had been his best friend. They’d shared a childhood, along with many major events during their lives. First, they’d both had a crush on Lindy Jamieson in the first grade. In the end, they’d decided girls had cooties and their friendship meant more.
When Ryan told Derek he was in love with Molly and planned to propose, Derek had been the first to congratulate him. At the time, he’d been truly happy for his friend. He’d still believed in marriage and family. But that had all changed the morning of Molly and Ryan’s wedding. The day he’d realized he didn’t know his father. Didn’t want to know him. A man who had broken his wedding vows. Still, his decision to tell Ryan marriages didn’t last was wrong. Molly deserved to know the truth about that day, but now, with her arms crossed and her lips pursed, Derek knew this discussion was over...at least for the time being.
Chapter Seven
Molly and Derek stepped inside Anderson’s Woodworks. She drew in a deep breath, and warm memories churned in her mind. In the summer following her sixth birthday, Walter and Angela Corbett had welcomed Molly into their custom-built ranch home.
Walter had owned and operated a sawmill on three hundred acres of rolling farmland in southern Virginia. Molly had spent hours with Walter watching the variety of woods as they were processed for furniture, flooring and staircases. She’d loved the aroma of freshly cut walnut, oak and maple trees. For the first time in her life, Molly had felt loved.
The couple had been unable to have children of their own. They’d been working with the local foster care system with hopes to adopt a child. Tragically, two weeks before the adoption process was to be finalized, the couple died in a car accident. Molly had never forgotten the sound of the school principal’s high-heeled shoes tapping down the hallway as she escorted Molly from her classroom.
“So, do you think these will w
ork?”
“What? I’m sorry, did you say something?” She needed to get a grip. Derek was trying to help her, but so far, this outing had done nothing but stoke memories, most of which she’d rather forget.
Derek took one of the small oak rocking chairs. “These are the ones I saw online. I reserved eight of them. We can purchase them today if you’d like. Or we can keep looking.” He scanned the aisles of furniture.
Molly ran her hand along the smooth wood. She’d started a tally of all of the expenses mounting to pay for this makeover. She hoped her financial situation would improve like Derek promised, and she’d be in a position to reimburse him and Rusty. “These are perfect. Thank you for taking the time to do some research. I appreciate it.” Her rude behavior earlier in the car ignited a wave of guilt. She hadn’t been ready to talk with Derek about Ryan and what she’d overheard that day. Would she ever be?
After a moment of silence, he gazed in her direction. “You’re welcome.” His eyes skimmed the wooden floor. “I’m sorry about the ride over here. I shouldn’t have mentioned Ryan. Since we’re working together, I thought it might be good to talk about what happened, but I was wrong.”
In truth, it made perfect sense to discuss what he’d said to Ryan the day of the wedding and try to clear the air, but her heart wasn’t cooperating. After two years, the pain festered like a wound unable to heal. He’d ruined her chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a wife and a mother. How could she ever trust another man after what Ryan had done? Derek had set the wheels in motion that day when he talked to Ryan, and now that he was here in Whispering Slopes, his presence had torn off the scab. Molly’s throat seized. “Let’s get those chairs.”
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