Breaking Molly’s heart... He couldn’t bear that.
“God, Zeke, if you can’t do it for yourself, do it for Molly. Let the past go. All of it. It’s just a tiny piece of who you are.”
You decide your own path... He kept hearing it, echoing in his head.
“Call her right now,” Daisy said. “Go see her. The way you feel when you look at her, Zeke—that should call the shots.”
He missed Molly so much. He needed her. He loved her.
Love. All this time, that was what he’d been so afraid of. Not marriage and not parenthood. Love.
He pulled out his phone and texted.
Can we talk? Please?
His held his breath. He deserved all her anger, all her hurt, all her disappointment. He had no idea how she’d react.
His phone pinged a second later.
I’m at the taco truck in PC. It’s a family affair today.
Family affair.
“Go,” Daisy said. “Your future awaits.”
* * *
At her tiny station in the food truck, Molly diced the last tomato for the chunky salsa, wondering what Zeke would say. He’d apologize, she figured. For how he acted. For leaving. Her. Them—her and Lucy. He’d probably ask her to come back to the office. Danica had texted her about an hour ago to mention that Zeke had arrived at Ford’s housewarming party and looked like absolute hell, which had made Molly feel better and then worse. She didn’t want Zeke to be miserable.
I’m sticking to my dating hiatus, Danica had added, but wow is Ford hot.
That had made Molly smile. She’d give the dating hiatus another day at most. Maybe even by the end of the housewarming party. Dawsons were simply that irresistible. And nice—even if some of them, one of them, was beyond stubborn.
Molly finished the tomato, trying to keep her mind on her task so she wouldn’t cut her finger off. She was now helping out on weekends during the lunch rush, chopping, slicing, replenishing the napkin dispenser. It was past two o’clock and the line had quieted down. Molly’s mom was sitting up front in the passenger seat with Lucy, who’d just had her own lunch while Nana read her a story.
“Isn’t that Zeke’s car?” her dad said, gesturing out the order window.
Molly came over and looked out. “Yup. He wants to talk.” Her eyes welled, and she tried to blink back the tears.
“A guy that smart isn’t going to let the best thing that ever happened to him go, Molly.”
“Oh, Dad,” she said, throwing her arms around him.
She went up front, put on her peacoat and hopped out. Zeke looked as bad as he could look, which meant still gorgeous but very tired.
“You might not want to stand too close,” she said to him. “I probably smell like tomatoes and onions. I’ve been chopping for salsa.”
“Oh, I want to get very close. I love everything about you, Molly Orton. Your hair, your face, your body, your brain and the fact that yes, you do smell like salsa right now. I love you. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize what I have.”
Molly stood stock-still. “You love me?”
“I love you and Lucy more than anything. I built up some strong defenses against what scared me most. I thought that was fatherhood. But what I was really scared of was love. In general. And specifically. But I do love you. If you’ll forgive me, if you’ll give me a second chance, I’ll spend my life proving to you how much.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you—twice,” he said, wrapping her in a hug. “I’ll be making that up to you and then some.”
“Yeah, you will,” she said with a grin. “And at least it was all part of getting us to this moment. I love you, too, Zeke. So much.”
Molly’s mother came out of the truck, holding Lucy. “Your dad needs me on lettuce shredding, so would one of you mind taking the baby?”
“Ba ga!” Lucy said, holding out her arms to Zeke. She wore thick fleece pj’s with a bear ears hoodie.
“I wouldn’t mind at all,” Zeke said, holding out his arms. Of course, the moment he had her snuggled against him, Lucy reached her little fingers to his ear and grabbed on with a giggle. “Hey, Lucy, if your mother agrees to marry me, I’m going to be your stepdaddy. I promise you right now, I’ll love you and care for you with all my heart.”
Molly gasped, her eyes welling.
“My precious girl,” Zeke continued, his eyes so tender on Lucy. “Whenever those arms of yours reach out to me, I’ll be there. I’ll never let you down, I’ll never neglect you, I’ll never disappoint you. I love you and I’ll be the best stepfather there ever was. Know why? Because I said so. If only I’d known a lot earlier it was that simple. That I decide my own path.”
“Oh, Zeke,” Molly whispered, dabbing away tears.
Molly caught her mom’s eyes widening, Abby’s hand flying to her heart.
“Oh, my goodness,” Abby said. “Am I actually interrupting a proposal?” She hurried inside, and Molly glanced at the order window to see her parents staring out, moony expressions on both their faces.
Zeke touched Molly’s cheek and the errant spiral curl that had escaped her ponytail. “So I was thinking we could be partners in life, partners in business, partners in parenthood. If you’re interested.”
Molly actually swooned. She might faint with happiness. “Oh, I’m interested.”
“Maybe you could take Lucy for a minute? I need my hands for this.”
She took her daughter, holding her close, barely able to breathe, to think.
Zeke got down on one knee and held out a black velvet box. He opened it, a gorgeous diamond ring sparkling in the February sunlight. “Will you marry me, Molly?”
She was speechless for a moment. “You think I’d say no to making my own twenty-year-old dream come true?”
He slightly tilted his head. “Wait, your twenty-year-old dream?”
“I’ve been secretly in love with you since seventh grade, Zeke Dawson. So yes, I will absolutely marry you.”
“Ah,” he said with a smile. “Suddenly a few things make more sense. Yup, Molly Orton, I’ll be making up a few things to you. Count on it.” As he stood, his gorgeous blue eyes sparkled like the diamond ring, which he slid on her finger. He kissed her, then kissed Lucy on the cheek. “Like I always said, I knew the right woman could turn me around.”
“I kind of love how neither of us knew I was the right woman. Well, I did after a while. But I waited twenty years, what was another couple weeks?” She kissed him, her heart so full.
And for someone who’d never believed in fairy tales, Molly’s longtime crush on Zeke had a very happy ending.
* * *
Don’t miss Melissa Senate’s next book in the Dawson Family Ranch Series, Wyoming Matchmaker, available April 2021!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Their Second-Time Valentine by Helen Lacey.
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Their Second-Time Valentine
by Helen Lacey
Chapter One
Kane Fortune knew he was considered the go-to guy by his family and friends. Perhaps because he was single and generally accommodating of others without being a pushover.
Today was no exception. Picking up his nephew from day care hadn’t been on his agenda for the afternoon. But his sister-in-law had called, saying she was held up at a doctor’s appointment, and since his brother Adam was out of town, Kane was next on the list.
Besides, he adored his nephew, Larkin. The kid was cute and Kane really enjoyed his uncle duties. He eased his Ranger pickup int
o a space outside the day care center, got out and ignored the pain in his knee. The old football injury still gave him grief occasionally, but he pushed himself forward and headed through the gate and up the pathway and entered the building.
The center was typical of its kind, he figured, with its brightly painted walls and blue linoleum floor. Paintings dotted the hallway walls, many of them collages of dozens of tiny handprints, others of family scenes and an assortment of animals. The pictures made him smile as he made his way to the reception desk. A fiftysomething woman he didn’t recognize stood behind the desk and greeted him as he approached. He quickly explained who he was and that he was there to collect Larkin, and the woman gave him a curious look before clicking keys on the computer in front of her.
“Fortune, you said?” she queried, concentrating on the computer screen.
“Yes, Kane Fortune. I’m Larkin Fortune’s uncle.”
“I’ll just need to see some identification.”
Kane quickly took out his driver’s license and passed it over the countertop. The receptionist, obviously a temp, perused his license, still clicking keys on the computer, taking her time to confirm his place on the list of family members approved to pick up his nephew.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“This will just take a moment,” she replied. “It’s for safety. I’m sure you understand.”
Kane tapped fingers on the counter and heard the swoosh of the automatic doors and heels hurriedly tapping over the linoleum. A woman rushed toward the counter, a handbag over one shoulder, a diaper bag flung over the other. Late twenties, he figured, with long blond hair and brown eyes. He looked at her, trying to be discreet, noticing her curves and flawless skin. She was incredibly pretty, and the scent of her fragrance was quite distracting. He shook off the feeling and turned his attention back to the receptionist, who was still concentrating on the computer screen.
“I’m here to pick up my daughter, Erin. I got a call to say she was having separation issues again today,” the woman said hurriedly, and then stepped back a little to look at him, clearly realizing she’d cut in on his interaction with the woman behind the counter. “Oh, I’m so sorry... I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“No problem,” he said easily. “You look like you’re in a hurry.”
She nodded, obviously frazzled. “I had to leave work early. You know how it is with kids. Never enough time to get things done.”
Actually, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to correct her. He wasn’t about to admit that he mostly liked his single, commitment-free life. A life he wasn’t planning on changing any time soon. Kane didn’t do commitment. In fact, he really didn’t do relationships. He hadn’t had a serious girlfriend for over five years. Truth be told, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a date. Months. Maybe six or seven. Or the last time he’d met someone who piqued his interest.
But there was something about the woman in front of him that made him want to prolong their conversation. He glanced at her left hand. A platinum wedding band.
Of course she was married. He experienced a foolish rush of relief. Married meant off the market.
“No problem,” he said, and ushered her toward the counter. “Go ahead.”
Relief flooded her expression. “Thank you,” she said on a rush of breath. “That’s very kind of you.”
She quickly turned her attention to the woman behind the desk and spoke for several seconds about collecting her child. The temp asked for identification and she complied, pulling out a wallet from her handbag. Other things spilled out onto the floor—a hairbrush, a makeup compact, a small calendar with a pen attached by a string.
He bent down to pick them up and she followed quickly. Their heads collided and they pulled back, both rubbing their temples, laughing a little. His hand touched hers and he quickly snatched it back as a jolt of something that felt a lot like electricity coursed up his arm. Stupid, he thought, and gathered up her belongings, passing them to her. She struggled to hold the items in her small hands and fumbled as she stood.
“Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. I’ve been dropping things all day,” she said, and pushed the belongings back into her bag. She stood up straight and turned her attention back to the receptionist, passing over her identification. “Ah... I’d like to get my daughter now, if that’s okay.”
“Just a moment,” the older woman said.
Kane tapped his fingers on the counter again, his impatience growing. Another staff member came out through a door to the left and moved behind the counter, a cell phone at her ear. After a brief conference, another worker finally brought Larkin out to him, and Kane was delighted that the little boy waved his arms frantically when he spotted him.
Kane took his nephew into his arms and a strong wave of affection washed over him as the little boy clung to his shoulder.
“He’s so adorable,” the blonde woman at his side said with a smile. “And he looks so much like you.”
Larkin actually looked like Adam—but since he and Adam were brothers, Kane could easily see why she’d pick up on the family resemblance. “I guess he does.”
A tiny frown suddenly marred her forehead, as if she was trying to figure out Larkin’s parentage, and then realized. “But you’re not his father?”
“No,” he said, and smiled. “Uncle. He’s my brother’s son.”
She nodded and dropped her gaze. The whole town knew the complicated story of Larkin’s paternity. He was about to make a casual comment when another child was brought out to the reception area. But this one wasn’t chuckling like Larkin—this child looked very unhappy, with tearstained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. She was cute, though, and looked to be around two years old. Once she was in her mother’s arms, the crying stopped, and she hiccupped and buried her face in her mom’s shoulder.
“Thank you again,” she said to him as she carried her daughter past him. “Bye.”
Kane watched her leave the building and then grabbed Larkin’s backpack before heading off. He had a car seat in the back of his Ranger, compliments of Adam, who had also provided him with a crib and high chair for his home for those occasions when he watched his nephew. Adam was one of those over-organized parents and although Kane sometimes laughed at Adam’s compulsion to do the right thing, he also admired the way his brother had stepped up to fatherhood since finding out about Larkin.
It had been a hard road—since Adam had only found out that Larkin was his son after the child was left on the doorstep of the local pediatric center. When the presumed orphan needed a bone marrow transplant, the whole town had rallied and begun searching for a suitable donor. When Adam turned out to be a perfect match, it wasn’t long before the truth of Larkin’s paternity came out. The child was the result of his brother’s relationship with Laurel Hudson, his college girlfriend. Years after she’d ended it, they’d had one night together, a night that had resulted in Larkin. Unfortunately, Laurel had suffered an episode of postpartum panic and left her baby in Rambling Rose and had then been involved in a car wreck that left her comatose for months and, when she awoke, without memory of her life, Adam or their son. Thankfully, her memory had returned and they’d worked it out, and Kane was pleased his brother had found his happily-ever-after.
Once he’d settled Larkin in the back of the vehicle, Kane headed for Adam and Laurel’s home. His own place was in town, in the center of Rambling Rose, a small two-bedroom bungalow he’d shared with Adam until his brother had married Laurel and moved into the guesthouse on the Fame and Fortune Ranch, which was owned by their cousin Callum Fortune.
Sitting in between Houston and Austin, Rambling Rose had grown a lot in the last couple of years—new restaurants, a luxurious day spa, stores—businesses were popping up regularly, some courtesy of the Fortunes’ construction company. Their newest contribution was the Hotel Fortune, which was due to open on Valentine’s Day. Ka
ne had been working at the hotel for the past six months, heading the construction team, a job he’d secured thanks to Callum and his other cousins who in their individual ways were turning Rambling Rose into a thriving township.
He liked his job and the people he worked with, even with the drama of the past month. A balcony collapse had nearly pushed back the opening, and the ensuing investigation into the incident was ongoing—because the authorities hadn’t exactly determined it to be an accident. Kane didn’t want to believe it was a deliberate act of sabotage, although like most of the Fortunes, Kane had his suspicions. After all, there were a lot of people who resented the name Fortune.
He knew where the spare key for the guesthouse was hidden and quickly got the baby inside. It was a quarter to four by the time he’d fed and changed Larkin and then put him down for a nap, and half past four when Laurel, who managed the art gallery in town, arrived home.
She looked frazzled and gave him a quick hug. “Thank you for saving the day,” she said when she returned from checking on her son and met him in the kitchen. “You know, you’ll make a good dad one day.”
Kane grinned. “I’m happy enough being a good uncle for the moment.”
Her brows came up. “Good enough to pick him up again on Thursday afternoon?” she asked sweetly. “I have a meeting at the main gallery in Austin and I’m not sure I’ll get back in time, and Adam’s flight doesn’t get in until after five. I could ask Brady,” she said, referring to his and Adam’s younger brother, “but he’s got his hands full with the twins and getting settled in to the new house. If it’s too much to ask, I can work something else out. I know the hotel opening is only a few days away, so you probably need to concentrate on that.”
Kane considered his plan for Thursday afternoon—which was just hitting the gym for an hour after work—and replied. “Of course, no problem. The plans for the opening are all set—nothing to worry about.”
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