by Nadia S. Lee
The interior was bigger than Molly had imagined. He had a sizable TV in the living room and one black leather couch large enough for him to stretch out on. Various electronic gadgets, including tablets and laptops, covered the small wooden coffee table. The dining room had a table just large enough to seat four, and everything was quite sparsely furnished without any pictures or comfy rugs.
Typical bachelor, she thought fondly.
On the other hand, maybe he kept the place lightly furnished so if he had to move, he could go quickly. Seeing all this only cemented what Uncle Bob had said, and it didn’t sit well in her belly.
It’s just the donuts, she told herself. She’d probably had too many.
“Have you decided where you’re going to keep Emilia?” she asked.
“Uh…maybe a room upstairs?” He huffed, dragging his hand through his hair again. “I guess my bedroom’s the only place. The other one’s my home office and no place for a baby.”
“Okay. Lead the way.”
His office was the first door to the left. It was wide open, and the room was stuffed with three big desks and a bewildering jumble of large monitors and keyboards and…things. He was right: it wasn’t suitable for Emilia. Or any baby.
The bedroom was at the end of the short hall. He opened it, and Molly blinked at the warmly decorated space. The bed was neatly made, spring-green sheets taut on a king-size bed. On the nightstand were a clock radio and a family photo of him and his parents framed in silver. He couldn’t have been more than twelve or so in the picture, and his shy grin at the camera tugged at her heart. A rocking chair sat by the window, and a giant poster made up of funny Internet memes entirely covered one of the walls.
“I was thinking maybe I could put her near the rocking chair,” he said.
“That’s perfect.” She could imagine him rocking Emilia to sleep at night, and the image gave her warm shivers that tingled all over her skin.
“Think so?”
“Uh-huh. Just enough space for a crib, too.”
“A crib?”
“Well, yeah. How else is she going to sleep?”
He was nodding and frowning at the same time. “Uh. I guess she can’t stay in the infant seat.”
Molly laughed softly. Man. He really was clueless about this. “No.”
“She just looks so comfortable in there.”
“I agree, but she needs a bed. Just like you wouldn’t want to sleep on a couch all the time, no matter how comfy it is.”
“You’re right. I’ll get one from a furniture store or something.”
“You know… Sondra Marks may have one you can take off her hands. Her youngest is about old enough to graduate from a crib.”
“Really?”
She smiled. “I’ll text her and ask.” She set Emilia on the floor, pulled out her phone and contacted her best friend.
A long story, but Charlie needs a crib. If you haven’t tossed yours out, can he have it?
A minute later, a response came. You’re kidding, right? Why does he need one?
Like I said, a long story.
You owe me that story.
Of course Sondra would say that. She knew all about Molly’s unrequited crush on Charlie. So, the crib?
Sure. But he has to come haul it off.
Thanks, girlfriend. You’re a doll.
Don’t I know it!
Can we come by right now?
Did you just say WE?
Molly rolled her eyes. I don’t think he knows where you live.
Oh ho ho. Is that the excuse now? Yeah, sure. Come on over.
She put her phone away. “Good news—she says we can have it.”
“Great!”
“We have to go get it. I think your SUV’s big enough, though.”
He beamed at her, and her brain short-circuited for a moment. He’d never smiled like that at her before, like she held the answer to the biggest mystery in the world.
He picked up Emilia’s seat. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”
She shook herself mentally. “I’ll show you the way.” She turned and quickly exited the bedroom before she did something stupid, like blurting out how she felt about him.
* * *
Molly joined Charlie in his SUV. The inside was surprisingly clean for a guy’s car, and sure enough, it could easily carry Sondra’s crib. Molly hugged herself, speaking only when it was necessary to give Charlie directions to Sondra’s place. For some reason, the SUV seemed stifling, even though Charlie hadn’t turned on the heat that high. The skin on her neck and arms prickled as though electric needles kept jabbing at her.
She wished he would look at her as a woman in her own right, someone other than just Sam’s little sister…but it seemed like she was making a fool of herself wishing for things like that. The sad fact was that hers was an unrequited bedazzlement. He probably never even suspected the effect he had on her.
What if she fell for him even more, only to realize he’d never return her feelings? They’d grown up in the same town, and maybe he just couldn’t see her as anything other than Sam’s little sister.
The drive didn’t take much time. Sondra was the same age as Molly, but was already married with two children. She’d found the love of her life in high school and that had been that.
As Charlie parked his car in front of a three-level house with a huge yard, a five-year-old girl ran out the door with a huge grin, her golden ponytail swinging with each leap.
“Auntie Molly!”
Molly jumped out of the car. “Hey, Donna.”
The child gave her a tight hug. “Mommy said you were coming by. Wanna see all my candy? I got some totally cool stuff.” She finally stopped and noticed Charlie. “Hey! You’re the lollipop guy.”
Charlie smiled. “That’s me.”
“Is it true you’re a CIA spy?”
Molly choked.
He laughed. “No. Why? Is that what people are saying?”
“They say you know things. Mommy said so.”
“Donna Marks!” Sondra gasped, hustling after her daughter. She was a dirty blonde like her daughter, with pretty blue eyes and delicate, pixie-like features. Ever since she’d become a mother, she’d worn nothing but jeans and dark-colored tops, saying they stained less. “My goodness, what are you telling him?”
“But you said—”
“That’s quite enough.” Sondra made a face. “Sorry. I can explain…”
Charlie shook his head with an easy grin. “It’s all right. There was some talk about a crib…?”
“Yes. It’s upstairs.” She turned and called over her shoulder, “Kenny, can you show Charlie where the crib is?”
“Sure thing, hon.” Kenny gestured at Charlie from the porch, and the two men disappeared into the house. Donna went after them, yelling something about Junior graduating to a big-boy bed.
“So what’s this about a baby? I’m dying of curiosity,” Sondra said.
“You want to see her? She’s sleeping in there.” Molly gestured at the infant seat in the back.
Sondra peered through the window. “Oh my goodness, she’s precious!”
“I know, right?”
“So… Is she…you know”—Sondra jerked her head in the direction of her house—“his?”
Molly shook her head. “No.” She gave her friend a condensed version of how the baby had ended up with Charlie.
“Wow. That’s crazy. Who would do such a thing?”
“Somebody super vile, obviously.” Molly scowled.
“Still…the baby has provided you with an opportunity…” Sondra poked Molly in the ribs gently with her elbow.
“I guess.”
“You don’t look happy.”
“I don’t think he even knows I exist.”
“Sure he does. He drove you here, didn’t he? Can’t drive a person who doesn’t exist.”
“You know what I mean. He only sees me as somebody who’s helping with the baby, not as a woman he should be dating.”
“You mean you overheard my brothers.” They thought Sondra gossiped too much, so they never said much around her.
“They were at a restaurant. Public space. No expectation of privacy.”
Molly’s lips twitched with amusement. “You suddenly become a lawyer?”
“Nope. Even better. I asked your dad.”
Molly snorted a laugh. “My poor dad. He had no idea he was encouraging you.”
Sondra chortled. “He loves me. Anyway, this is your chance! Use the baby as an excuse to spend more time with Charlie. If nothing else, you’re helping out a little baby. So… Good karma, right?”
Molly sighed softly. “Yeah. I suppose so.”
Sondra peered at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Well. Earlier he smiled at me, and I honestly got tongue-tied. No matter how awkward he is around women, the guy isn’t stupid. He’s going to figure out I have a crush on him, and then it’s going to be sooo awkward. He’s like a son to my parents. I mean, they invite him over for holidays and stuff. If things get awkward between us, maybe he won’t feel comfortable coming over. I hate the idea of him just sitting there in his house alone.” And saying the possibility out loud made it sound a hundred times worse.
Sondra squeezed Molly’s hand. “You’ve got such a big heart, Molly. But don’t you think you’ll wonder later on if you should’ve gone for it?”
“Probably. But family is complicated…even if the person involved is almost family.”
Chapter Five
Charlie gave Molly a sidelong glance on the way back. She seemed so…withdrawn. Had he done something to upset her? If so, he couldn’t imagine what. But then, he wasn’t that good at reading women.
Most of his life, girls had hung around with him because he could do something for them. When he’d been younger, it was the homework, especially algebra and trig and science. In college and beyond, when women had come to see him, it was always because they needed his help with abstract math or something technical.
Molly was one of the few who never did. She was too young then, five years his junior, and since he’d spent so much time at Sam’s house, he’d helped her out a few times with her math homework. No big deal.
This reversal—needing help from a woman in an area he knew nothing about—was new to him. And probably Molly wasn’t interested in ongoing support. After all, it was likely a pain in the butt…and she’d just opened a jewelry design shop, so she was bound to be busy.
Perhaps he should offer to make it up to her. “So. I was thinking…”
“Yeah?”
“You were the best babysitter in town…”
She smirked. “Still am.”
“Right. So I was thinking maybe I should, um, pay for your time.”
Her head swiveled in his direction so fast, he worried she might’ve pulled a muscle in her neck.
“For helping out with the situation,” he clarified when she kept staring at him.
She shot him an unreadable look. “Is that…really what you want to do?”
He was about to answer “of course,” but the sight of the sheriff’s car pulling in front of his house distracted him. He wasn’t the type to jump to conclusions, but Wayne Perkinson sitting in his driveway probably wasn’t a good thing.
The sheriff stepped out, one big, veiny hand over his Stetson. He always looked the same—same cowboy boots, same squinty expression. From the tight set of his mouth, he didn’t like whatever he was here for.
Charlie parked his SUV and climbed out. “What’s up, sheriff?” he asked.
“Howdy, Charlie. Why are you talking all hushed like that?”
“There’s a, uh, baby sleeping in the car. Don’t want to wake her up.”
Wayne grunted. “I see. Well, since you brought it up, I guess that makes things easier.”
Molly came over. “Hey, sheriff. What makes things easier?”
He let out a short, exasperated sigh. “I got a complaint about the two of you.”
“You did?” Charlie pushed his glasses up. “About what?”
“Child endangerment and amoral behavior.” Wayne closed his eyes, probably to prevent them from rolling too much and falling out of their sockets. But that didn’t stop his face from scrunching like he’d bitten into something rotten.
Molly’s mouth slackened. “Child endangerment? Amoral behavior?” She put a hand over her chest. “Us?”
He cleared his throat. “There’s a law on the books here that forbids unwed couples from raising their children. Bad morals, you know.”
Charlie choked. “‘Their children’?” He flicked an index finger back and forth between Molly and himself. “You’re saying we had the baby sleeping there?”
“I’m not saying anything of the sort, Charlie. Course, I’m not ruling anything out, either.”
Molly gaped, then said, “You know how ridiculous that is? How could I have hidden this supposed pregnancy all this time? It’s not like I wear potato sacks around town.”
Wayne held up his hands. “Hey, just gathering facts.”
“And I’ve never even heard of this law. And my dad and brother are both lawyers.”
A muscle in the sheriff’s weathered cheek ticked. “It’s an arcane law.”
“How arcane?”
“From the founding of the town, from what I gather.”
Charlie’s jaw ached from the tension. You’d have to be an idiot not to see who was behind this nonsense. “Lemme guess. Beatrice Bodin ran to you, didn’t she?”
“Really?” Molly turned to Wayne. “That’s what this is about?”
“You know how she is, excessively concerned and all. I said I would look into it.”
“Why didn’t she think of this ‘arcane’ law with Josh?” Charlie spat, furious.
Wayne sniffed and scratched the tip of his nose. “Probably because the amoral couple’s supposed to be jailed for nine months.”
“What?” Molly shrieked, then put a hand over her mouth, her eyes darting to the car. Thankfully, Emilia kept on sleeping.
“Look, I’m not arresting anybody. I just want to make sure the baby’s all right.”
“As you can see, she’s fine. We fed her, among other things, to make sure she’s taken care of.” Molly crossed her arms.
“Don’t get huffy with me, Molly. Just doin’ my job. The woman wouldn’t go away until I promised to drop everything and come over here.” He scowled. “I don’t particularly enjoy this.”
A bit of sympathy stirred for the sheriff. Beatrice was wealthy and influential. She could make Wayne’s life very difficult, maybe even cost him his job in the next election. That witch. Charlie shook his head. What he wouldn’t give to bring her down a peg or two…
“And this ridiculous ‘amoral couple’ law?” Molly demanded, her voice low but no less forceful for it.
Wayne squinted. “There has to be some kind of evidence that you were involved in”—he coughed into his fist—“sinful behavior.”
“I’m sure helping a friend out isn’t a sin, sheriff. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do,” she said, her spine going straighter.
“Precisely my thinking.” Wayne nodded. “It isn’t as though you were speeding through the town, endangering innocent lives.”
Charlie almost snorted. Wayne had an obsessive hatred of speeding. “So…?”
“So nothing. But the baby there… How did she end up with you?”
Charlie told him succinctly, sticking to the facts.
Wayne grunted. “Send me the video if you don’t mind. Lemme take a look and see the suspect.”
“Sure thing, sheriff. Can I email it to you?”
He looked pained, but nodded. “That’d be the easiest, wouldn’t it?”
“Probably.”
“All right, then.”
His expression said he was anything but all right with it. He hated technology. “The child should really go with her family, but since we don’t know—”
“I don’t mind taking care of her until you figure out who left her at my place. I don’t want Emilia tossed into the system.”
“Emilia?” Wayne’s eyebrows rose.
“I named her that. After my mom.”
“A good, hardworking woman, rest her soul.” Wayne touched his hat. “But are you really equipped to take care of a baby? You’re a young, single man. What do you know about infants?”
Molly stepped up. “He has me. You know I’m the best babysitter in town, right, sheriff?”
“Of course. People used to fight over who would get you.”
“So. Emilia is in safe hands.”
Wayne nodded. “All right, then. Since the…suspect left the baby with you for now and you seem to have capable help, we’ll have you take care of her until we know more.” He started to leave, then stopped and turned back to them. “This isn’t coming from me. Anybody asks, I’m gonna deny it.”
A nasty feeling settled in Charlie’s gut. “Okay. Go ahead.”
“Beatrice Bodin is a proud woman. Steve firing her like that…Spike’s involvement with Amy…that confrontation she had with Josh…they all humiliated her. She’s out for blood, and she won’t care who gets hurt while she gets back at those she feels are responsible for making her lose face in town.”
“You saying you think she’s going to stir up more trouble?” Charlie asked.
“I know she will. She had a determined look when she came to see me. If I were you, I’d watch my back. She’s got too much in the way of money and connections to restrain herself. Believes she’s above everything.”
Charlie clenched his hands. “That woman’s a waste of oxygen.”
“Like I said, better safe than sorry, Charlie. Molly.” Wayne tipped his hat, then climbed into his car and left.
* * *
Molly went to her parents’ after helping Charlie move the crib into his house. She wanted to talk to them before they heard any weird rumors. Besides, she needed to discuss a few things with her father. Although Sam was a brilliant lawyer, he used to live in Manhattan, so he might not know all the old, outdated laws of the town. Her father, on the other hand, had practiced law in Silver Springs all his life.
