Page 74 of Restless
Chapter Thirteen
Unlike CJ’s other visits to the house Molly lived in, his mother hadn’t brought him. He’d rode his pussyped over. He wouldn’t have a meal later with his family. While Mom was in the hospital, all bets were off. Aunt Bunny saw to their breakfast and made sure the house was clean and food was stocked. Uncle Digger chauffeured the younger kids to school. Diesel stayed on premises at night. Aunt Fee had moved Gunner to her place. Lolly and Aunt Zoann sent over food. Aunt Kendall had checked in with them, but with Uncle Johnnie still missing, she barely saw to her own children. Once Aunt Bailey turned against him thanks to Harley, she ignored not only CJ but Rebel and their brothers.
For a little while after he arrived at Molly’s house, it felt like a refuge. Her wild statements and how deeply she sometimes lacked logic were familiar to him. They had settled on making a cardboard hydraulic claw.
Admittedly, he was doing most of the building because it required some engineering skills. Luckily, he understood some mechanics thanks to years of working on bikes with his father.
“I still think my last idea was the best one,” she complained, sitting on her bed and leaning against the wall, her hand resting on her belly.
She still wasn’t showing, and he had yet to tell her not only had Dad given him money to help her but a contact too.
“We should’ve tried it.”
He lifted his head before he settled the longest piece of cardboard into place. This was their third attempt at the build. The first one Molly cut in half to see what was inside. The second one she fucked up with water.
“Where the fuck would I have gotten chickens to test your theory they’d survive electrocutions?”
“Duh. The chicken store.”
“A farm?”
“No, silly,” she said with a little sniff. “The chicken store. Where they sell all types of chickens. Even designer ones.”
What the hell was a designer chicken?
Fuck, who knew if they really had chicken stores? He returned to the project, proud of their accomplishments. It was almost finished. Then, they could start using it to test what it could and couldn’t lift in terms of weight and height.
“I’ve been thinking.”
Never a good sign, but whatever. “About what, Mo?”
“You and me. Us.”
Definitely not a good sign.
“I want to be your girlfriend.”
“You’re Ryan’s girlfriend. Maybe, pregnant by him. Youcan’tbe my girlfriend.”
“I thought I couldn’t be your girlfriend because of Harley.”
“Her, too,” he agreed, to keep shit simple, even if he spouted a bunch of fucking excuses.
His relationship with Harley was complicated, and his feelings were diminishing. Explaining the details to Molly took patience. He wanted to focus on their project.
“I like you so much, though. You’re nice to me. Ryan doesn’t care that I love him.”
CJ grunted. Ryan was a dickhead. “I’ll talk to him, bae. If he hurts you again, I’ll fuck him up.”
This claw was ricketier than the first. The cardboard wasn’t as thick, a decision CJ regretted.
“Can I ask you another question?”
“Ask as many as you want, Mo,” he said, wondering if they,he, should do a fourth build.
“How do you and Reb Elle have so many nice clothes? When those other ladies took me shopping, they said I could buy whatever I wanted. Then I saw the price tags and I was scared they’d holler at me. There was one T-shirt I loved, and it cost twenty whole dollars.”
Pushing the folding chair back from the small table he’d bought her to set up their project, he stood and walked to her, sitting on the side of her bed. Her blue-gray eyes were wide and earnest. She wore her hair in a high ponytail. Her breasts pressed against her tank top, though CJ studiously ignored her hardened nipples.
