Taking the Fall (23 page)

They pulled into the parking lot of the park and Hunter cut the engine but didn’t disengage his fingers from hers. He looked out the window for a moment before turning in his seat to give her all of his attention.

“Always thinking of everyone else, huh? Shoving your feelings aside for the betterment of someone else.”

“Hardly. I crushed him, and it was cruel.”

“I think living a lie and giving him the false sense of happiness would be much crueler.”

“That was my thought, but it didn’t hurt any less to see the pain and devastation I caused him,” Molly answered leaning her head back against the headrest.

That sat in silence for a few moments longer when Molly knew it was finally time to part. It seemed difficult to get her body to respond to the commands of her brain to exit his car.

Then Hunter voiced the same thing. “I really don’t want to let you go. I’ve enjoyed having you to myself.”

How many times over the years had she dreamed and hoped he would say such words to her? Now that the day had come, she felt the need to pinch herself to ensure it was not a dream.

“I’d hate for you to mar your beautiful skin.”

I really need to stop doing that.

Hunter hooked his hand behind her neck and pulled her toward him, bringing her lips to his. His kiss was filled with so much, and Molly felt the need to weep. She still couldn’t believe she was finally sharing a kiss with Hunter Dennison, the boy who stole her heart over half her life ago.

And whether that thought was what made his kiss seem that much sweeter or that much more meaningful, she didn’t know, but all she could say was that he was a really good kisser. He was soft and gentle yet demanding and sure. He was equal parts gentleman and enigma, constantly making her want more. Making her question her own morals of what was acceptable. Mix in the softness of his lips and his scent swirled around her, making her dizzy with need.

She pulled away, not wanting to but doing it nonetheless.

“I really have to go,” she whispered as their foreheads still touched.

“I know.”

They agreed to speak to each other later in the day, and soon, Molly was in her own car heading back to her home and restaurant.

She just needed to get through the next forty-eight hours then she would be on a real date with the boy who grew into the man that she still found herself dreaming about.

Sunday had finally arrived. Even though they’d seen each other since their promise of now, when Hunter arrived at her door five minutes before seven, she still thought there was a chance this moment wouldn’t come. Molly had run around making sure the house was immaculate before he got there, which resulted in her not being ready when he arrived.

She opened the door barefoot and in her simple black dress with cropped sleeves and a square neckline. Molly didn’t dare think how old it was; she just knew it was the one staple in her closet, good for funerals, weddings, the occasional school functions, and now with an added occasion of a first date.

“Hey,” she answered, stepping back to allow him to enter before closing the door behind him.

Instead of stepping by her, Hunter stopped in front of her, and his eyes gleamed at the sight of her. He pulled the bouquet from behind his back, surprising her with the mixture of white and pink roses.

“Oh Hunter, they are beautiful. You are spoiling me,” she said as she stood on tiptoes and placed a sweet kiss on his lips.

“Then my plan is working.”

Hunter followed her inside as she excused herself to finish getting ready. The entire time she was in her bedroom, she wondered what he was doing. She quickly applied her mascara and eyeliner before indulging in the red lipstick she has been saving for a special day.

Because if a date with Hunter isn’t indeed something special, then nothing is.

With a final finger comb through her honey-gold hair and the quick addition of black beaded teardrop earrings, Molly carried her open-toed patent leather heels out to the kitchen where Hunter waited.

She wasn’t going to deny that she enjoyed looking at him very much. He was such a handsome man, but the way he carried himself just made him that much more attractive. He looked completely at peace in her kitchen in his dark blue suit. The light blue dress shirt and solid dark blue tie brought out the color of his eyes. His cheeks were shaved smooth and his dark hair was meticulously styled as always. Even his cap looked perfectly in place even though it was uncommon for someone younger than the greatest generation. Throw in all that had occurred between them in the last week, and she couldn’t believe she wasn’t turning into a complete puddle of mush at his feet.

She watched silently as he perused the photographs that littered the front of her refrigerator. Molly had a few select photos framed around the house, but most of her favorite candids wound up on the front of the fridge. Everything from first birthday oldies to holiday celebrations to just her and the girls being silly, Molly’s fridge was her scrapbook.

“Ready?” she asked as she kicked a leg back to put one shoe on before doing the same with the other.

His eyes never wavered so she stepped close to see which picture had captured his attention.

“This picture at the hospital was Thanksgiving night, right?” He pointed to a picture in the middle.

Molly studied the picture of Sammy in the hospital with a brand new purple and pink cast on her forearm, but like the usual trooper, Sammy also wore a smile from ear to ear. She had just turned five the week before. It was a night that Molly would remember vividly for the rest of her life—her youngest’s first big injury. Molly and the girls were leaving her parents’ house. Black ice covered the driveway, and Sammy had gone down hard, landing on her right arm. Florence had kept Jessica while Molly and her dad took Sammy to the emergency room.

“Yes, how did you know?” she asked curiously, drawing her gaze away from the photo.

“That was my first night on duty at Falls General, and I remember Dr. Degan saying how she had never seen such a happy child with a broken arm. I remember the nurses and doctor saying how they just couldn’t say no to the little girl when she asked for two colors on her cast.”

The memory and compliment had Molly smiling before she asked, “And that stuck with you?”

“Yeah, it was how I knew I had made the right decision to come back here for good.”

For some reason, she thought his response had more than one meaning. She couldn’t think of anything else besides how her stomach began to flip as his smile overtook his already ruggedly handsome face.

Hunter turned and took a step closer to her, perusing her appearance closely and obviously liking what he saw as the full wattage of his smile took effect.

“You look amazing, Molly. Pretty as a picture, but there is just one thing missing.”

Confused, she reached for her ears making sure both earrings were in place, and then looked in the mirrored back of the hutch. However, she was unable to figure out to what he was referring to.

When she turned back to look at him, that signature sexy smile was still in place and his decadent dimple winked back at her. He took the last few steps that separated them and placed his hands possessively at her waist. Leaning in, he whispered, “Your beautiful and natural blush.”

He moved the scant inch that separated their lips and touched his firm one to hers. Within a moment, the innocent touch turned more sensual as she opened her mouth for him and his tongue moved right in with knowing and skillful intent.

Soon, she found herself dizzy from his significant kiss and she knew that the blush he referred to was not limited to her cheeks, but rather her entire body in this instance.

He moved back slightly, but his hands remained at her waist when that grin took over his face once more. What a dangerous grin it was; it could do such bodily damage to her insides within seconds, as he confirmed, “Now, that’s perfect.”

Hunter ushered her out, using his hand to guide her at the small of her back as they walked out the door and down the stairs to where his Jeep waited. Once inside, he grabbed hold of her hand, not letting go until they reached their destination.

When they arrived at the French restaurant forty-five minutes later, the maître d escorted them to a private table overlooking the well-kept garden. Molly couldn’t help but notice there were no other diners near them and she wondered if Hunter had anything to do with it. The quaintness of where they sat truly gave the illusion that they were alone—celebrating finally being together.

With an order of a bottle of Pinot Noir, Hunter and Molly were left to perusing their menus. Hunter placed his hand on the table palm side up, and she smiled before placing her smaller hand in his.

She had stared at their joined hands for a moment before his voice brought her from her thoughts.

“Know what you want?” His deep timbre caressed her skin with the quietness of his tone.

Molly raised her eyes and he met hers with an intense gaze that she knew she would never tire of.

Yes, yes I do. But it isn’t anything on this menu.

She found herself biting her lower lip and his gaze dropped to the action. When he raised his eyes once more, there was a newfound awareness and yearning in it.

Molly suddenly felt very warm and the need to use her clutch to fan herself was growing stronger.

“I know what I’ll be ordering.” She closed the menu with her one hand and placed it down on the table.

Hunter did the same and continued to gaze at her.

She had to admit, she liked how he looked at her.

“You mentioned your decision to come back here from Boston. Was it tough for you?”

“Yes and no. When the position opened up here, I had toyed around with taking it. The amplified pace of MGH’s Emergency Room was beginning to take a toll on me.” Stopping only long enough to place their order with the waiter, he continued, “I wasn’t sleeping, and I was always consulting with a colleague for the care of a patient, even on my off time. My parents knew of the impending opening. They begged me to consider the position once I had completed my boards for primary care. The truth was that I didn’t need the excitement of trauma any longer. I had worked hard to cement my position, but it also meant I needed to sacrifice many things. With me taking the position here, it meant I would be closer to Leah and able to give her more attention in comparison to what I had been giving her. Even though I tried to make the time we had together worthwhile, it was difficult for me to juggle the demanding shifts and all it contained.”

“So, now that you’ve done so, professionally do you miss it?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I was proud of what I did. Trauma was always what I wanted and I was good at it. However, the endless gunshot victims and stabbings made me question my devotion to it. I could patch them up or triage them to the surgical team, but no matter how many people I helped in a shift, most of the time these patients would just come back with the same injury, or another of its kind, the next night. It was daunting.”

“I can imagine.” She rubbed his arm.

“I was working an insane amount of hours and was only home long enough to sleep before I was back at it again. I missed Leah. I missed my family, as well as the much slower pace of here.” He took a sip of his wine before finishing, “So, after much debate, I applied for the job and was offered it a week later.”

“I don’t understand what there was to debate. It sounds like you already had your mind made up,” Molly said taking a sip of her own wine.

The way he avoided her gaze and seemed to stiffen in his seat told her exactly what he had been debating.

Me.

Now it was her turn to apologize. “I’m sorry even being in the same town as me was enough to have you considering passing up on what turned out to be such a great choice for you.”

With his sexy smile in place, he said, “Looking forward, remember.”

His repeating her mantra was enough to break the illusion of guilt.

Before too long, the conversation flowed lighter as they each dove into their entrees.

By the time the bottle of wine had run dry and both plates were almost empty, Molly believed this was the best first date in the history of first dates. The fact that she was sure she was biased was simply a moot point. She couldn’t ever remember enjoying herself so much.

Hunter paid the bill, and she knew she needed to tell him this much. “This has been a lovely date, Hunter. More fun than I can ever remember having in a long time. Thank you.”

“Me, too. However, this is just the first of many dates for us.”

She loved the sound of that.

Hunter stood and helped Molly do the same. As they headed out of the quaint restaurant and toward his Jeep, she couldn’t help but be disappointed that their time together was ending.

“Are the girls still saying with their dad for the night?”

Afraid of the implication of what such a question could mean, she hesitated in answering.

He read her face perfectly. “Oh, beautiful, don’t get me wrong. There is nothing I want more than to fill such hours with that, but my reason for asking decides whether our date ends now or not.”