Page 36 of Protecting What Is Mine

16

Mollie

I watch Hank drive away and am suddenly all-too-aware that I’m now home alone. I don’t like the feeling of being afraid in my own house. Add in the realization that I feel this way because of Clint—and it’s downright unacceptable.

Remembering that Sam left Clint’s number on the table, I wander back inside. I refuse to live in fear, and the only way I know to fix it is by taking control of the situation. I swipe my phone and dial the number.

After only one ring, I hear a deep and raspy voice on the other end of the line. “Yeah?”

“Clint?” I ask, confused.

“Who’s this?”

Definitely not Clint.

“This is his cousin, Mollie.”

“Ahh. Hang on.”

I hear the muffled sounds of a phone changing hands, and then Clint’s voice. “I have to say, cuz, I wasn’t sure you’d have the stones to call. Figured I’d have to drop by again in a day or so.”

The truth of the matter is, neither did I. I guess sometimes it’s better to do than to think, especially when the alternative is him stopping by again.

Fingers crossed I don’t live to regret this.

“Why did you come here today?” I demand. “And why on earth are you so concerned about who I’m dating all of a sudden?”

Clint clears his throat. “Look Mol, like I said before, I’m trying to help you. Sam too, if she wasn’t so goddamned thick-headed. We should get together—just you and me.”

I scoff. “Help? Is that what you call it? Yeah, I saw the bruises on Sam’s arm. You want to get me alone, so you can do that to me too? No thanks.” Clint is quiet long enough that I think he hung up. “Hello? Are you still there?”

My finger is hovering over the ‘end call’ button when I hear him. “What if we meet some place public, that way you don’t have to worry about me doing something?”

“Like where?”

“I’ll be at The Saddle tonight. Why don’t you stop in? You’ll probably know practically everyone there anyway, right? So, what do you have to lose?”

Decision time. I know if I asked Sam or Hank about the idea, their heads would explode. But if I’m going to do this, I suppose The Saddle is as good a place as any. “Alright. What time?”

“Nine o’clock work for you?”

I hate that I can hear the smile in his voice. “I guess.”

“See you then, cuz.”

Heaven help me, what have I done?

When Sam returns home with Vanessa, I put my anxiety about meeting Clint aside and paint on a happy face. Sam’s however, is much more over-the-top than mine—a fact that doesn’t seem to slip past Vanessa. Sam goes out of her way trying to erase any hint of the conflict that happened earlier today. She makes the-most-exciting-ever dinner and picks the-most-exciting-ever movie to watch and makes the-most-exciting-ever popcorn. By the time Vanessa heads to her room to change for bed, she and I are both giving her mother a serious case of side-eye.

Before Sam disappears to read Vanessa her nightly bedtime story, I casually mention that I have to run out for a while.

“Oh yeah? You and Hank have a secret rendezvous?” She winks.

“Don’t I wish. No, it’s nothing.” I look away. Desperate to focus on anything other than her. “Just an errand I need to take care of. Need anything while I’m out?”

Sam brings a hand to her hip, a clear sign she’s not convinced about my story, but when Vanessa calls from the bedroom, she drops the issue. “No hon, I can’t think of anything. Thanks though.”

I smile my best, most authentic, I’m-not-at-all-terrified-about-this-awful-plan smile and head for town.

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