Page 8 of Rufus

Mia had asked Molly’s permission for her father to carry out that security check. Molly had agreed readily, knowing she had nothing to fear from the little Rufus would be able to learn about her online and the formal documents of her having been taken into care after her mother’s abandonment.

And the minutiae?

Well, Molly had never been arrested. Despite how often she moved on, her job record was spotless and her references excellent. Other than that, there was no official minutiae.

The fact Mia had offered her the job, that Molly had worked at the shelter for the past three months, and both Mia and her father were friendly toward her, told her that Rufus hadn’t found anything detrimental about her during that security check.

Because there really was nothing to find.

About her, at least.

Her mother was a different matter, but as she was long gone, possibly even dead, none of her crimes were relevant to the here and now.

At least, that’s what Molly had been telling herself for the past three months. Even if, inwardly, Molly knew her reason for applying for the job at the animal shelter, of spending time with Mia, had everything to do with her mother’s crimes.

“All’s well that ends well” was a good idiom to live by, and Molly had been doing exactly that since she started working here.

She gave Rufus a hopeful smile. “I would love to come, if you’re sure I won’t be intruding?”

“I told you, Mia asked for you to come with me if you wanted to do so,” he dismissed.

Which still wasn’t the same as Rufus wanting her to accompany him, but Molly wasn’t going to let that deter her from seeing Mia and her only hours-old daughter.

Once she’d showered and changed, told Meg, one of the other full-time employees, where she was going, and asked her to keep an eye on Honey, she was able to meet up with Rufus in the reception area.

He was once again dressed in his formal shirt and tie and three-piece-suit, and looking every inch the successful businessman he was.

Making Molly feel unsure about being in an enclosed space with him for the time it would take to drive them to the hospital.

She was even less sure after he’d already flustered her by helping her on with her jacket, opening the door for her to leave the building first, and then done the same with the passenger door of his SUV before closing it and going round to get in the driver’s side.

Molly had dated occasionally in the past, never anything serious, but enough to know that men her own age usually weren’t as polite in their attentions to women.

The inside of the black SUV was all leather and lacquered wood, but it was the male musk of Rufus and his expensive aftershave or cologne that Molly drew into her lungs with every breath. It was a masculine and sensuous mixture, the strongest scents of which seemed to be cedarwood and mint.

Molly was so aware of those scents, of Rufus, that she didn’t know what to say now she was actually alone with the man who featured in all of her nighttime fantasies.

Rufus, understandably, was almost quivering beside her with the excitement of knowing he would shortly be seeing his new granddaughter.

Molly knew that Elizabeth was the name of Mia’s deceased mother, but she had no idea where the name Anoushah came from. No doubt it had special meaning for either Mia or Darius. It was certainly beautiful and unusual, in any case.

They stopped briefly on the way so that Rufus could buy some flowers for Mia.

“It’s family-only at this stage, I’m afraid,” the nurse behind the reception desk at the private hospital told Molly regretfully after Rufus had told her he was the new baby’s grandfather and duly handed over the flowers to her after she’d said she would put them in a vase.

“I’m Mia’s sister,” Molly assured her lightly, even though she and the red-haired Mia looked absolutely nothing alike. “I’m sure if you ask Mia, she’ll tell you that’s who I am. Won’t she, Daddy?” She turned to Rufus.

He looked stunned for several seconds before responding to the plea in Molly’s eyes. “Yes, of course,” he confirmed abruptly.

The nurse smiled. “I was just concerned because we’re expecting Mr. Kingston’s five brothers, his cousin, and all their wives to visit later this afternoon.”

It was the first Molly had heard about Darius’s large family. They were obviously a close one if they all wanted to visit the new baby and Mia later today.

“Maybe I shouldn’t go in?” She voiced her uncertainty.

“Yes, you should.” Rufus took a firm hold of her arm to ensure she would remain standing beside him.

“Mrs. Kingston’s room is the second door on the right down that hallway,” the nurse directed warmly.

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