Page 56 of It's Always Been You
Maddy rolls her eyes. “You’re my dad, so of course you’re my favorite. I’m talking about people who aren’t my parents.”
I see the emotion cross Jeremy’s face. The way his eyes go a little damp when Maddy saysdadandparents. Molly told me a little about his and Emma’s story and how Maddy’s adoption was only finalized the day I showed up at their office. I wonder if this is one of the first times she’s said those words.
“Well, Molly is my favorite person too. I hope one day I get to be hers again.”
“You will,” Maddy says confidently. “You’re really nice, and you also invented a phone. That’s so cool. But it doesn’t come in pink. Why not?”
I shrug, trying to look casual. “I didn’t think anyone would want a pink phone, so I didn’t make them in pink.”
Maddy looks at me incredulously. “Who wouldn’t want a pink phone? I definitely would. But I like the purple one too.” She gives Jeremy a side-eye.
“Don’t even think about it, Little Red. No phone for you.”
She crosses her arms and huffs. “It’s so unfair.”
She sounds so much like a teenager, and Jeremy sounds so much like an aggrieved parent that I have to laugh. Have I mentioned before that I love it here?
Before I have a chance to respond, I hear the front door open, and a few seconds later, Molly comes strolling in. Like it does every time I see her, my heart stutters, as if it wants to jump out of my chest and land right at Molly’s feet. I hear Maddy’s excited, “Molly!” but I barely register it as I take Molly in.
Her hair tumbles down her back in the wild curls I love. She’s wearing pink leggings that mold to every gorgeous curve of her legs, striped socks, and a hip length blue sweatshirt that saysSmash the Patriarchy. Her lips curve up in a smile as she searches the room, and when her gaze lands on me, her smile spreads. Her eyes light and she makes her way straight to me, plopping herself in my lap, much to my surprise and delight.
“Hey, fiancé,” she says, voice full of humor.
“Hey, Rory,” I answer, and I can hear the smile in my voice. Everything about her proximity lights me up. The strawberry scent of her shampoo surrounds me, and I breathe her in, dipping down to press a kiss to her neck, loving the way she shivers a little.
It takes me a second to realize the room has gone completely silent and every eye is on us.
“Well,” says Rachel, breaking the silence, looking from Molly to me. “It looks like there might be a part of the story no one has filled me in on yet.”
“Rachel, you honestly have no idea,” Molly says.
“Well, I’m certainly about to.” Rachel comes over and sits on the coffee table right in front of us, leaning back on her hands. “Tell me everything.”
Molly and I look at each other and burst out laughing. And then we do exactly what Rachel Parker asked, and we tell her everything.
Chapter Twenty
Molly
“Fucking hell,” I mutter as I climb out of the car on the tarmac of the private airstrip at the Allegheny County Airport for our flight to San Francisco. My eyes are glued to my phone, and I can feel my rage rising, ready to explode.
“What’s wrong?” Gabe asks, taking my tote bags from me and swinging them over his own shoulder.
I glare at my phone. “Harvey Randall and Asshole Brad are what’s wrong. It’s suddenly critical that Brad review the trust I’m drafting once it’s done. That little shit isn’t even an estate planning lawyer. He wouldn’t know a trust if it stood up and announced itself to him. He’s just trying to horn in on my territory. It’s not enough to convince his uncle to toss him some of the work. He wants it all and won’t stop until he gets it.”
“Well, if he thinks he’ll be successful, he clearly doesn’t know you very well.”
I tear my eyes away from the offending email and stare up at Gabe. “You know what? You’re completely right. Fuck him.”
“Damn straight, Rory baby.”
Gabe guides me up the stairs of the waiting private jet, and I stop short just inside the plane.
“Ho-ly shit,” I say, staring around at the cabin.
In the few weeks I’ve been living in Gabe’s house, it’s been remarkably easy to forget he’s a billionaire. Except for a few situations, mostly dealing with my house repairs, the ring I currently wear on my left hand, and the way he got an entire Lego collection transported across the country unscathed, he doesn’t act like a billionaire. He just acts normal. But this airplane that sports his company logo everywhere is extremely not normal.
“You like it?” Gabe asks, grinning.
