by Amy Gregory
It wasn’t like she was totally trashed, completely falling down wasted. She was just—overly relaxed. So when James’s gray eyes turned on her at the same time as Brody’s matching ones did, she smiled, quite proud of her new sleeping arrangements. As her hand made its way out of her lap and toward the half empty wine glass one more time, Brody cleared his throat loudly.
“I think ya probably should…ah…switch to water, sweetheart.” Jesse whispered down at her.
A fit of nervous giggles escaped. “I’m not drunk, cowboy.”
“No, but you’re on your way, good looking,” Carter said in her other ear. “I know you’re stressed, Gorgeous, I’ll buy a bottle for us to share later…I promise. Let’s just get these last few details worked out, okay?”
“So, just how long were you planning on staying with Carter?” Molly looked back to James’s face across the table. She cocked her head and re-ran the words he’d just said over again in her head.
Molly knew he was waiting on an answer. She was pretty sure she knew it. She couldn’t remember. What was the question? Suddenly her cheeks felt very hot and she was tired.
James sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. There was stiffness to his voice, but it wasn’t thundering. “Molly…?”
Oh, yeah. James. “Um, what?”
James shook his head with a raised eyebrow. “I asked you, just how long you think you’re staying with Carter.”
“I love you.”
Karen lost it, her laughter starting the table in an uproar. “Oh, baby girl. This is why I always limit you to no more than one glass. Apparently, I wasn’t paying close enough attention tonight. Carter, give me her glass, I’ll drink the rest of it.”
“To answer your question, James, I’d like to have her move in with me—permanently,” Carter said as he pulled Molly closer, her head finding its way to his shoulder.
“After a week?” Brody hissed. “What the hell are you thinking? There’s no freaking way.”
“Brody.” Molly didn’t open her eyes. “You and Erin live together.”
“Again, not after a week’s time, that’s bullshit.” He turned to his parents, his voice louder than respectable in a restaurant. “Why are you acting like this is no big deal? What the hell is wrong with you two?”
Karen’s chin came up, but her voice was calm. “Son, it’s a very different situation. You were fourteen when you and Erin met. You started dating when you two were only twenty. Molly’s going to be twenty-seven in just a couple of months. It’s time. They would have waited, I’m quite sure, but with these threats, I understand Carter’s need to keep her close to him. I understand that kind of bond.”
“Not after a week, Mom. Don’t you see how wrong that is?” Brody sat back, crossed his arms and basically pouted.
“It’s no more wrong than you and Erin having a baby. You’re not married, either.” Karen’s words were softly spoken, but said volumes.
Molly watched Erin’s mouth drop open. She sat in shock. “I didn’t tell them, Erin. I promise. I don’t tell any of Brody’s secrets.”
In all honesty, Molly and Karen had talked about it, but Karen had known and not because Molly had told her. Molly kept Karen informed of how Erin was doing. She and Karen were both worried about Erin being out on the road so long, and she‘d promised Karen to watch over Erin as best she could. Molly knew how excited Karen was to become a grandmother, and it was secretly killing her that they hadn’t broken the news to them yet. Karen had felt so left out. That alone was reason enough for Molly to be mad at Brody. She didn’t want Karen’s feelings hurt and by them keeping something so huge from her, Brody was doing just that.
James turned on Molly, a slight chuckle to his words. “Secrets, Mol? So there’s more?”
Molly’s shit eating grin set the laughter going again. “Oh, there are so many. And so little time.”
Chapter Thirteen
Molly sat at the plastic table outside the Noland Racing rig the next morning, sandwiched between Carter and Eli. Both men were closer than probably necessary on a regular day, but they weren’t lucky enough to be dealing with regular days. Jesse, Karen, and James filled out the rest of the circle, all laughing as Eli and Molly went back and forth. The latest round of mock arguments was reaching epic proportions in the childish category as Molly tried to pick the spitball out of her hair that Eli had just shot at her.
“Stop it, Hunter, you big baby. It’s not my fault I’m a better dancer than you. Suck it up.” She ran her fingers through her hair with no luck. “Carter, help me. Did it fall out?” she said as she dropped her head so Carter could see.
“It’s out, baby girl.” James snickered
“Okay, D. You have to prove yourself tonight after the race, otherwise you can’t claim the title of best dancer.”
“Dude, I’ve danced with you already. I remember your moves…or lack of.” Molly’s eyes went wide as the comment slipped off her tongue. She bit her lip, waiting for the retort that was coming.
“Oh…Molly, you better run girl,” Jesse laughed. “If there’s one thing Hunter’s more proud of than his racing, it’s his dancing.”
Molly started to scoot her chair out as Eli was getting up, but Carter stopped her. “No, Gorgeous, don’t you dare leave my sight. Hunter, sit. You can’t chase her around here, it’s not safe.”
Both Eli and Molly stuck their tongues out at Carter and launched into a fit of hysterical laughter together.
“Can you behave yourself, kids?” James looked between the two overgrown children. Molly snuck a look at Eli out of the corner of her eye, pretending to be covert. When he grabbed her around the waist, unexpectedly pulling her out of her chair and onto his lap, she squealed.
“Hey, Hunter, little tidbit for you…do with it what you may, but my girl there…she’s very ticklish.” James nodded at Eli.
“James, you big brat, I hope you remember Father’s Day is around the corner,” Molly snapped back, trying to wiggle out of Eli’s grip.
James winked in response. “Hey, Sterling, can I talk to you?”
As Carter stood, Molly fought Eli’s hold a little harder. “Wait, where are you going? Eli let me go, you big meanie. James, what do you want to talk to him about?”
“Hunter, hang onto her for a few minutes for me, bud,” James said, inclining his head in Eli’s direction.
“Wait, Carter.” Molly held out her arms, wanting to save him from the ensuing interrogation slash speech she had a feeling he was in for. He leaned down and brushed her lips with a soft kiss, then another by her ear before he whispered into it, “It’s okay, Gorgeous. I love you. I’ll be back soon.” As he stood, he ran his forefinger down the tip of her nose and over the lip she was biting. His lips made a small kiss motion in the air before he turned to walk away with her father.
She watched James put a hand on Carter’s shoulder and squeeze as they walked further and further away. After they turned and she could no longer see them, she slipped off Eli’s lap and looked to Karen for answers.
~
“So, I’m assuming you knew we’d have to talk sooner or later.” James patted Carter’s shoulder before he shoved his hands in his pockets.
Carter took a deep breath before answering. Mirroring James, he shoved his own hands in his pockets. “I assumed we would, yes, sir.”
“You can call me James. There’s no need to start with formalities now, son.”
Carter nodded at the request and waited for Molly’s father to continue.
“It’s been a crazy week around our house, I have to tell you. First Brody calls all bent out of shape because you walked into my daughter’s life and stole center stage, then we started getting those damned threats.”
Carter silently acknowledged James, but waited for him to go on. He had been himself around James, but he hadn’t been able to read the man yet. Karen was easy—she was sweet, kind, and very open with her affection for all of them. Even Jesse and Eli had been swept away with her loving, mot
herly ways. But James was more distant, watchful, and not so quick to accept him with arms wide open the way his wife had done.
“I’m not going to lecture you or tell you anything generic you don’t already know. Obviously you know about Molly’s past. You know where I’m coming from…and Brody, for that matter. He’s not always such an asshole, for lack of better words.” James glanced over at Carter. “He’s been an asshole to you, I know. I apologize. He’s worried. We all are, Carter. You’ve admitted yourself how fast this relationship has taken off, but Karen’s right, Molly’s getting older. Erin has mentioned to Karen on more than one occasion how lonely Molly was becoming. She always did a great job of hiding it around us.” James blew the air from his lungs as he shook his head, as if it was hard for him to admit it when he said, “I can see where she’s ready to settle down.”
The thought of his girl sad, upset, or as her dad said, lonely, broke Carter’s heart. She had become his world in such a short time. Other than the times she’d been upset due to the threats and well, the panic attacks, she was so full of light, so funny and ready to laugh at anything. That was how he wanted to keep her. Carter was going to make it his life’s work to always keep her smiling, whatever it took.
“I think the thing Karen and I are most concerned with is how she latched onto the first guy to come around.” James shrugged his shoulder when Carter gave him a raised eyebrow. “I know that comes across sounding like I’m trying to be a jackass, but she’s really never dated much. Look at it from our viewpoint, you meet and the next week she’s…well…moving in with you?”
“I know we’re moving fast, James. I didn’t intend for things to be such a rollercoaster. A small part of it has to do with our chosen profession, it’s so damned difficult to have a relationship on the road like this. I know…I’ve tried in the past, it doesn’t work.” Carter absentmindedly kicked a water bottle cap that was lying on the concrete floor. “The other part of the rush is the situation she’s in. The thought of something happening to her, it scares me to the core, James. I know as her fath—,“ Carter caught himself.
“That’s okay, son, she is my daughter. She has been since the day George called me when she was just eleven years old. We knew at that moment she was ours. Took us awhile to get her, but we finally did.”
Carter smiled at the love in the other man’s voice for Molly. It radiated from him.
“I know as her father, then, you understand how I feel. Obviously you’ve had more time with her, but I really love her, James. I know it sounds so freaking crazy for me to say that about someone I haven’t known very long, but…I do.”
He decided since he was putting his cards on the table, he’d go all in. Carter quit walking. He turned to James and waited for the words to form in his head. He blew out a breath and shrugged. “I wanted to wait and let you get to know me, for her and I to get to know each other even better than we already do. I wanted to do this the conventional way, the old fashioned way. That’s not how the cards fell, but I will tell you, I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe, to cherish her, protect her and to love her. James, I want to marry her. I’d like to have your permission to ask her when the time is right.”
Carter watched the older man’s eyes flash in surprise, but he didn’t eye him in anger and there was no longer any suspicion. He could see the understanding in her father’s face as it became clear how serious Carter was about Molly.
“From what I can see, I think you’re a good man, Carter. I’ve watched you with my daughter. You’re good for her. She doesn’t trust easy, you have that…don’t ever break it.”
“I promise, sir. I won’t.”
“I have to tell you, George has really been the one in your corner.”
“George?” Carter raised his eyebrow.
He had known the man his whole racing life. While he respected the man wholly and would sit back and drink a beer with the man any time, any day, and would even go so far as to say George was a good friend, he was surprised at James’s assertion.
“George and I raced together as boys. We’ve been friends ever since. Let’s just say, he picked up on something when he introduced you and Mol. He’s been keeping me posted ever since.”
The smirk on the older man’s face finally brought a blush to Carter’s cheeks. “Oh, really? I’m pretty sure I haven’t done anything to embarrass myself.”
“You’re all right.” James finally grinned, and then his smile faded. “I know you know about Molly. You just have to realize what George would do if you hurt her. He’s known her since she was just starting to race. He was there when her world was turned upside down. He was the one that saved her life and that man would kill to save her again if he needed to.”
James took a breath. “And you can bet all your money, I’d be right behind his ass. That little girl means more to me than anything, Carter. George seems to think an awful lot of you, and that’s high praise. Plus, you’ve won over my wife. That is a feat in itself. She doesn’t let too many people get close to Molly. She’s taken to you, and that’s a compliment you can be proud of.”
Carter wanted to ask some questions he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to ask Molly. They were on the tip of his tongue, but something stopped him. Part of him was afraid of the answers James would give him. Those were the answers that made him sick to his stomach.
“I have to apologize again for Brody, he has been an ass. I’m sorry about that. You’ve handled it with dignity, though, and I appreciate it. We don’t need more drama added to the mix. Karen and I have been really over-protective of him and more so of Molly, but Brody’s made it into an art form. He’s been the one traveling with her the last handful of years. He’s had to step up and keep her safe from the creeps out there. You were there that night with that Martins guy. Molly has to deal with that all the time. Brody’s a little jaded and he’s had a hard time seeing that your intentions are good. He’s been through quite a bit with her.”
Rubbing his hands over his face, James looked down. Carter could tell he wanted to go on, but didn’t know if he should. For the second time, Carter didn’t interrupt. He braced himself for what might be coming.
“When we brought Molly home, it changed Brody. I don’t mean in the typical, become horribly jealous, fight, rebel kind of way. I mean, after she was stable enough to move and we got her home to Pennsylvania, he took her as his own. I think he understood how bad things had been for her. They may have talked about it, I don’t know. She doesn’t talk about it now, and back then, we wanted them to bond, so we didn’t push him to tell us what they discussed. We let them have their secrets. We knew what kind of hell she’d been through from the little she revealed and from what the doctors and psychiatrists told us, plus what she spilled out in the numerous nightmares she’s had over the years.”
James looked back up at him. “Carter, you just have no idea. She was in pieces when we got to her. I’ll never forget walking into that hospital and seeing her lying there so broken. Tubes coming in and out of her, the black and blue marks, all bandaged up. They told us they didn’t know if she’d make it through the night.”
The air left Carter’s lungs. He shut his eyes as one hand went to his stomach the other covered his mouth. There was nothing he could say.
“You have to know this, Carter. If you want to love her, you have to know just how bad it was so you can understand where our love and protection comes from. So you can understand her. Brody’s not trying to single you out, he doesn’t hate you. He just fears if she’s is out of our reach, that she’s in a position to be hurt that badly again. We about lost her, Carter. She was so close. She doesn’t know how close, but it was touch and go for awhile.”
Without opening his eyes, Carter simply answered, “She knows.”
“She told you?”
Carter opened his eyes to see the shock in James’s face. He nodded. “She doesn’t know exact details, but she knows she about didn’t make it. She remembers certain bits of the
time in the hospital.”
“Oh my God, Carter, you don’t know what that means.”
He looked back at James. Carter actually had no idea what it meant. After what he’d just heard, he was nervous to find out.
“Carter, the fact that she told you anything means something. The fact that she told you details…means everything.”
Carter tried to push the lump in his throat back down. The silence following James’s words was knee-buckling. He had been standing still for most of their conversation, but the exhaustion hit him like a brick wall. He had no reason to be tired. He had slept like a baby the last two nights, even with the stress of the threats looming in the background. With Molly curled up against his chest, he’d slept peacefully. All he wanted was more of those nights.
Carter’s heart ached for the little girl in the hospital, for George who had saved her life, for the family that had put her back together. Seeing her face in his mind sent fire through his blood. The love and laughter that she offered him now came from a woman healed and ready to move on. After several quiet moments between the two of them, James’s words broke into his scattered thoughts.
“Well, Carter, I’ve said my piece, threatened to kill you like any good father would. Like I said, she doesn’t trust or love easily. She’s given you both. Please take care to never hurt her.”
Carter needed their conversation to be over. He needed to have Molly back in his arms to hold. He hoped like hell he didn’t break one of her ribs, because he planned to hold on tight and he was never going to let go.
“I give you my word, James.”
~
“Mom, Dad.” Carter stood to welcome his parents. “You were supposed to call when you got here. I’d have met you at the bike trailer.”
Molly smiled as she stood next to Carter, nervous to meet his parents and one of his two brothers. She glanced at her own parents, who were just off to the side along with Eli and Jesse, and then up at Carter. She watched Carter embrace his brother in a tight hug.
