Page 24 of Moonlit Kisses

I stand, then help her up. “See ya, guys. We’re out.”

Everyone says goodbye and I lead Molly out through the crowd, which doesn’t seem to have thinned out any.

“I genuinely liked your friends. They seem like a great bunch of guys.” She finishes her sentence with another yawn.

“Yeah. We’ve all known each other for a while now. Been playing as a team since we finished high school.”

“I bet Gary and Layla are excited for their new baby.”

I turn to glance at her in the limited light inside my car. She’s genuinely excited for my friend. A man she’s only just met. I hate to compare her to Mona, but she never gave my friends the time of day. She seemed to think she was better than them. Better than everyone.

“I didn’t know they had been trying to have a baby. I felt like a real asshole to learn that tonight.”

“It’s probably not something they wanted people to know. You shouldn’t feel bad about it.” I pull into the parking lot at the sports field and stop behind Molly’s car. “Thanks for tonight. It was heaps of fun. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“Thanks for joining us. The boys enjoyed having you there.” I lift my chin toward her car. “Get in. I’ll follow you back to your motel to make sure you’re safe.”

Her head snaps up to mine. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’m fine.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to make sure you get home safe.”

She gives me a tight smile but doesn’t argue. Hopefully, she’s learned that I don’t back down easily on things that are important, and her safety is important to me. I reverse, giving her space to leave the parking lot and then follow her fifteen minutes down the road to a dive motel. Slowing, I watch her drive into the central parking lot of the motel, which leads to the rooms. I don’t like where she’s staying; it looks too rundown.

I wonder if I should stop and walk her to her door? Perhaps that would be too much? I’ll see her at work tomorrow. I don’t think she’d appreciate my chivalry at this point, since I’ve already hijacked her evening.

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