Page 22 of Right in Front of You

CARTER, AGE 19

I picked up my phone, then hung up and paced back to the window. The daisies Joelle had planted in front of my house opened to the sun this morning, and I smiled, noting my good mood each time the flowers grew just that little bit more. She was softening me. My best friend was slowly turning me into a respectable individual. How had it happened? Maybe because I’d seen the happiness that life could bring through her?

Jo and Nick. The perfect couple.I sighed.

I once thought I’d experience their kind of love with Daisy, but she died. At one point in my life, I’d wanted to die as well. Sometimes I still did, but then I saw all the happiness around me and it was infectious. The scary thought was that I really wanted to share it with someone, and the first person who popped into my head was Molly. I hadn’t seen her in almost a year, when she came back to Hope Bay for Jo and Nick’s parents’ wedding. I was pretty sure I complimented Molly on her ass, though saying that she had nice buns might not have been as tactful as I’d thought.

I looked at my phone again and searched for Molly’s number on my contact list. Why was this so hard to do? What if she said no? I couldn’t take that chance. But betting that Molly couldn’t reject me face to face, I jogged over to my parents’ house to borrow Max’s car. My father had gifted an old truck to me. I’d been fixing it for a year now, taking it apart and putting it back together again. That old girl could run another hundred thousand miles without sweat – but seeing how part of the engine was on the garage floor, I didn’t have time to fix it now.

Half an hour later, I parked in front of Molly’s apartment. Molly didn’t want anyone to know where she lived, so standing by the buzzer to her apartment felt a little stalker-ish. Jo had given me the address in secrecy, but now that I was here, I doubted whether it was a good idea. I leaned against the wall and eyed the buzzer again when I heard my name called.

“Carter?”

I jumped up to see Molly smiling at me from the sidewalk. She was wearing gray scrubs and looked absolutely gorgeous.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Actually, I came to see you.”

“How did you know where… it was Jo, wasn’t it?” She frowned.

“Yes, it was. But I promise that I didn’t and won’t tell anyone.”

“It’s okay. I trust you. Did something happen back home? Are your parents feeling okay? Oh, my goodness, is it Jo?”

“No, no. Everyone is fine. I made this trip for… personal reasons.”

“Oh. Something I can help with?”

“Yes, you definitely can.”

Her mouth curved up on each side and that was the moment I felt this trip was worth it. Molly looked as beautiful as ever; in fact, she looked like the most refined woman I’d ever seen. She waited, looking at me, cocking her head to the side inquisitively, and then chuckled. “Are you going to tell me what it is, or do I have to guess?”

Oh, right.

“Well, I was wondering whether you’d care to have dinner with me tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, well, I understand if it’s not a good time.”

“It’s not.”

Shit.

“I have prior commitments at the hospital.”

“They make you work while you’re studying?”

“It’s actually volunteer work.”

Of course Molly would be the type of person to volunteer. And she was undoubtedly great at it too.

“But right now is a good time.” She smiled, and I suddenly felt the sun shine brighter. “If you don’t mind doing lunch, that is.”

What?She’d actually go out with me?

“Not at all. My car’s parked on a side street.”

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