Page 88 of The Last Autograph

“She doesn’t have to know we’re seeing each other.”

Molly inhaled sharply at the insensitivity of his suggestion. “I can’t believe you just said that. I’ve had more than my fair share of men behaving badly in my life, and that comment is just another to add to the very long list.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”

“No, Jake. I can’t sit in the waiting room of your life while you struggle to find the right time to be with me… to take me out in public or introduce me to your friends.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted… for us to be private?”

“There’s a difference between private and secret, and I’m not prepared to be anyone’s secret, especially yours.”

He stood and paced the floor, his sadness almost palpable. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Molly measured her breath against her anger. She hadn’t meant to raise her voice, but sometimes, the situation called for it.

“I realize you’ve been struggling with your choices,” she said eventually, “and I don’t know how to help.”

“You help by just being here.”

“Maybe, but whichever way you look at it, us being together is messed up on so many levels, and unfortunately, people you’re close to keep reminding me of that fact every chance they get.” Molly picked up her bag from the floor and cradled it in her lap.

“You’re leaving?”

“I think it’s for the best, don’t you?”

They stood at the same time, Jake with his hands in his pockets and Molly slightly unsteady on her feet.

“So that’s it?” Jake asked. “You’re just going to walk away?”

“For now.”

“Well, to be clear, I don’t want this, Molly. Not at all.”

“So what do you want me to say?” she murmured. “That I’m strong enough to deal with your mother’s animosity? That it doesn’t hurt when Alexia’s friends look down their noses at me while she stirs her version of shit that you talked about? Or that I’ll turn a blind eye when you spend two weeks with your ex, and I’m the last to know? Because I’m not that girl, not even close, and right now, I need a little time.”

Jake held her gaze. “How much time?”

“I’m not sure.”

In the silence that followed, Molly stepped forward and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. “I’ve never really considered myself an unhappy person yet here I am, feeling miserable because of a boy. I honestly thought I was over all that.”

“Hey, come here.” He gathered her closer and, as she rested her head on his shoulder, held on tight. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Will we?” She pulled back, her eyes misting with tears. “I don’t even know if that’s possible anymore.”

Molly wept silently as she drove home. She’d made a choice, and now, struggled with what that choice would mean for them both. She’d seen several sides of Jake Sinclair since getting to know him, some of which didn’t impress her much, but that didn’t mean the two of them weren’t suited.

However, there’d been way too many times in her younger life when she’d been miserable over a boy, and that was the last thing she wanted as she knocked on the back door of thirty.

She’d just walked inside when her text alert chimed. She went to hang up her jacket, then realized she’d left it at Jake’s.Shit.

Molly opened her phone.

CeCe:What’s up?

Molly:Nothing much. But I think my fling with Jake may have run its course.

CeCe:No way! So it’s over?

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