Page 5 of My Stupid Heart

“Some of the other players.They know I was one of the better players and now they’re saying that because of my mom—though nobody really knows why—that the team isn’t going to make it to the playoffs.Mom kept her relationship with Coach Adrian private, so people are speculating, but nobody really knows.”

Ryker’s nostrils flared.“It’s not because of Molly.It’s because that dickwad can’t take rejection and decided to make it personal.”

Molly glanced down at her lap where her napkin resembled confetti.“The cops can’t prove he installed the cameras or that he keyed my car.He shows up atjustenough places where I am to make it seem like he’s following me, but he never interacts with me.So they won’t file a restraining order.The most they could do was post the cop outside the house, and that only happened after—” Her throat grew tight and she lifted her head to glance at Sasha.“After we came home and found Anthony nailed to the side of the house.But the cops can’t even confirm that Adrian did it.The cameras only showed a hooded figure again.He took great care to keep his face hidden.”

A fat tear slid down Sasha’s cheek and Molly reached over and wrapped an arm around her daughter.“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“It has to be him, Mom.I can’t think of anybody else that would do any of this.He’s lost his mind.”

Molly swept away a few of her own tears and nodded, swallowing past the hard lump in her throat.

“I already have Adrian’s address,” Ryker said, standing up.“I’m going to go scope him out.I’ll pick up pizza for dinner on my way back.”

Molly reached out when he stepped past her, and she locked her hand around his wrist.He stopped abruptly and gazed down at her in slight surprise.Those butterflies in her belly took flight again.“I know this is moot, but be careful … please.”

His smile caused those butterflies to fly around like they were on their third shot of tequila and feeling great about life.“I will be.Don’t worry.”

She gave his wrist one more squeeze, then let go.

“While I’m gone, make a list of anything you need done around here.I’ll have quite a bit of time to kill while I’m here and you’re at work and half-pint is at school.”He winked at Sasha.

“School ended Friday,” Sasha said.“I’m done.Nothing but dance until September.”

“Then you can help me with whatever your mom puts on the list.”He winked at her again and then took off, leaving Sasha and Molly on the deck in the warm early evening sun.

The front door closed, and the mechanical lock engaged.

When Molly and Sasha moved into the house, all the guys made sure the place had a state-of-the-art security system.If it wasn’t for Brendan and his love of his hometown, Molly and Sasha would have moved elsewhere a long time ago.Jackson Hole was incredibly expensive, and even though she made a decent wage as a dental hygienist, it wasn’t enough to afford the house they were in or Sasha’s dance school.

Unfortunately, the kind of life insurance Brendan had was invalid because he took his own life, so she and Sasha ended up with nothing when he passed.She received a small amount from the Navy every month, and would get his pension eventually, but even that wasn’t enough to keep them afloat.

Rob and Skyler bought the house, and she paid them rent, and Barnes and Briar paid for all of Sasha’s dance classes.

Molly stopped refusing the gifts and the help because it fell on deaf ears, so instead, she just considered herself incredibly lucky for the enormous extended family she and her daughter had.

But all this crap with Adrian was quickly causing Jackson Hole to lose its appeal.And if Sasha was serious about pursuing dance, they would have to go elsewhere.She’d outgrown the local dance studio a few years ago.

“You’ve gone quiet,” Sasha said, sipping her lemonade.“Ryker will fix this.If anybody can, it’s him.”

“I know,” Molly whispered, pressing her lips together but unable to curl up the corners into a smile.She pulled in a deep breath.“This was where Dad was from and we’ve stayed here to honor his memory.And because Gran and Gramps were here.But they’re gone now and …” Glancing up at the clouds for courage and wisdom, she took a deep breath before bringing her gaze back to her daughter.“How would you feel about relocating?”

Sasha opened her mouth and a small croaking sound came out.

“I know you have friends here and starting at a new school would be hard.But you’re already in a special online program so you can focus on dance.I’m sure they have a lot of those programs and are better in bigger cities.”

“You don’t want to leave just because of Adrian, do you?”

Molly shook her head.“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.After Gramps died last year, actually.We stayed so you could be close to your only living grandparents.To keep that connection to your dad alive.But now … what do we have here that we couldn’t find somewhere else?”

“Ryker will find him, Mom.”

“I know.”

“Then, once he’s dealt with Adrian, we can talk about this again.Once the fear isn’t so … consuming.”

Molly huffed a laugh.“How did you get so smart and logical for fourteen?”

“I have a smart and logical Mom.”

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