Page 22 of Tangled Up In You

"Molly?" Hannah said. "Molly Trent?"

"It's me. Hi, Hannah," Molly said, as Hannah threw her arms around her and gave her a hug.

"I can't believe you're here. This is wonderful," Hannah said, as they broke apart. "I mean, sad about Phoebe, but great that she left the store to you. Were you shocked? Or did you know it was going to happen?"

"I had no clue. I spoke to her a couple of months ago, and she didn't mention it. It's still difficult to believe that she's gone and that I'm in charge of A Better You."

"I remember how close you two were. I'm sorry."

"Thanks."

"You look good, Molly," Hannah added.

"So do you. I heard you're married."

As Hannah showed Molly her ring, Adam muttered something about getting a drink and then headed to the built-in bar where Justin and Zach were hanging out. He grabbed a beer out of the cooler, popped the top, and took a much-needed drink. He couldn't remember when he'd felt this unsettled by a woman.

Justin and Zach were engaged in a friendly but heated discussion about baseball, including Dante's recent no-hitter. He joined in to distract himself, but while he threw in a comment now and then, he couldn't stop his gaze from moving to Molly. First, Gianna joined her, then Hannah. Then his sisters came out of the house, and his uneasiness increased. He really didn't need his sisters to become friends with Molly, but that was going to happen. They were tight with Chloe, Hannah, and Gianna. Whether he liked it or not, Molly was going to end up in the middle of his friend circle.

But the last thing he wanted was for Molly to be his friend.

As they finished a lively meal with great food and many laughs, Molly realized how much she'd missed these women. But it also felt like she'd never left, like the time between had passed in the blink of an eye. Chloe, Hannah, and Gianna were very much the same. Hannah still had her dry, sarcastic wit, while Chloe was warm and kind, and Gianna brought a creative energy to every conversation.

She loved hearing about their lives and their loves and meeting their new friends, Lizzie and Chelsea, and their spouses.

Lizzie was a talker. It was easy to see her as the manager of an inn. She seemed like someone who loved being the hostess. Even at Chelsea's house, she had taken charge of the schedule, from appetizers to drinks to their main course. But she wasn't pushy, just eager to make everyone happy.

Chelsea was quieter. She didn’t know if that was because she was still feeling sick or if that was more her nature. It was difficult to imagine her commanding a stage, but over dinner she'd heard a lot of stories about Chelsea's fantastic music career.

Adam said little during the meal. But his gaze had found hers several times. She wished she could read him better. She wasn't sure if he was happy she was at the barbecue or annoyed she'd become part of his circle.

It was definitely a tight circle. The women were close and so were the guys. Everyone was matched up except for Chloe, Adam, and her. If she wanted to be with her old friends, she was going to have to find a way to coexist with Adam. She really wished she hadn't impulsively kissed him.

She had a bad habit of acting on impulse, but she probably should have thought that idea through, especially since she was starting over in a new town, or at least a town she hadn't lived in for a long time. But it was too late for regrets, and they were a waste of time anyway. She would find a way to make peace with Adam and hopefully get the perpetual scowl off his face at some point.

As Leo let out an unhappy squeal, Chloe grimaced. "I think this little guy is done with this party," she said.

"He lasted a long time," Gianna said.

"He did. I need to take him home and get him to bed." Chloe's gaze turned to her. "I don't want to drag you away, Molly. Maybe Adam could give you a ride home." Before she could say she didn't need a ride, Chloe had turned to Adam. "Can you do that, Adam?" Chloe asked.

He hesitated. "Sure. No problem."

She inwardly sighed. He clearly did not want to get stuck with her, but he was too nice of a guy to say no. And she didn't want to make a big deal out of a ride that would only last a few minutes, so she simply said, "Thanks."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for cake, Chloe?" Lizzie asked.

"The last thing either Leo or I need at this point is sugar," Chloe said with a laugh. "I'll see you all soon."

"Well, I want some cake," Hannah said. "Who else is in?"

There was a chorus of assent. Molly got up to help, but Lizzie waved her back into her seat. "Hannah and I have got this."

As Hannah and Lizzie left, Chelsea came around the table and down next to her.

"It's really nice to get to know you, Molly," she said.

"You, too. You have a beautiful home."

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