Page 77 of Moonlit Kisses

–molly–

As we turnonto the street, my fingers instantly find comfort in twisting my bracelet.

“So, you and Max, huh?”

I snap my head toward Martin and narrow my eyes. “What do you mean?”

He fidgets in his seat. “Are you together? More than boss and employee? More than friends?” He glances across at me. “I mean, it’s none of my business, but I’m happier knowing you’ve got someone and you’re not completely alone.” He clears his throat. “Not that you’re alone. Youdohave us, we just need to find our feet.”

“Uh yeah. It’s pretty new. We started as boss and employee, then developed a friendship. It grew into more.” I shrug. “I moved in with him on Sunday. It’s pretty serious.” Once I agreed to move in, Max drove straight to the apartment and we packed my stuff. He was a man on a mission.

Martin pulls into the parking lot and we climb out of his truck to stroll toward a vacant picnic table. “You don’t think it’s too fast?” Hmmm. My muscles tense. I’m not sure where he’s going with this line of questioning, but I’m old enough to make my own decisions. It’s not like he’s been part of my life. He gives me a tight smile. “I’m sorry. I crossed a line, it’s none of my business. It’s hard to take off the dad hat sometimes. Max is a good guy. I’m sure he’ll be good to you.”

I shrug. “He’s been nothing but fantastic to me so far. I can’t see that changing. Ever.” I take a bite of my sandwich as Martin opens a home-packed lunch box filled with vegetables, crackers, cheese, meat, and hummus. “I should make lunch for me and Max rather than him buying it for us every day.”

“Beth insists on packing me a healthy lunch every day. She allows me to buy my lunch on Fridays.” He smirks at me. “It’s her love language to care for and feed her family.” He dips a carrot into some hummus and chews thoughtfully. “She fell in love with you. Couldn’t stop talking about you when she got home. That’s why Holly wanted to meet you, too. She’s steadfastly in the Molly fan club as well.”

I blush. “They’re both incredibly sweet. I thought it was coincidental that your daughter’s name is Holly and mine is Molly.” I chuckle.

“Yeah, it is, and it isn’t. Nicole and I liked a lot of the same things. We often had the same thoughts at the same time. We were unquestionably in sync in that way.” His body’s still here, but his mind is somewhere else. He slowly comes back to the moment. “Look, Molly. I can apologize to you for the rest of my life, and I’ll happily do so, but nothing is going to change how things happened all those years ago. I need you to know that I have regretted my response to Nicole’s pregnancy every single day of my life. It wasn’t my finest moment and it’s not something I’m proud of. I lost so much because of my youthful stupidity. I only hope that one day you can forgive me and we can develop some sort of relationship.”

I reach across the table and place my hand over his. “Thank you. I’m sorry I responded so badly at dinner.”

He covers my hand with his. “You don’t owe me an apology, Molly. I should have been more thoughtful in the way I shared the events of that time with you.” He smiles sadly. “I would like the opportunity to get to know you, though.”

“Me too.” We both release a heavy breath. There’s no point in holding a grudge. He genuinely wants to build a relationship with me, and I’d be stupid to turn down the opportunity to get to know my family. I think Mom would want me to put the past behind me and open my heart to Martin and his family.Myfamily.

“So, uh, I can’t believe I have to ask you this question, but when’s your birthday?” He drops his eyes to his food.

“August thirty. I’ll be–”

“Twenty-seven this year.”

I smile. “Yeah.”

“I figured you were born around there somewhere.”

We study each other for long moments. It’s comforting seeing my eyes staring back at me. “It surprised me how similar I am to Holly and Noah. I always thought I looked so much like Mom.”

“Yeah. It’s uncanny. The first time I laid eyes on you, I couldn’t stop staring. The resemblance was remarkable to Nicole and to your sister and brother. I went home and told Beth about you. She didn’t believe me until she laid eyes on you the day we bought the car from Max.” He glances away, then his eyes lock back on me. “When she had to come and pick me up from your place that day we worked out that you are my daughter. Beth wanted to pack you up and bring you home. We lost Nicole all of those years ago and then we lost her all over again that day.”

The breath in my lungs seizes. I was so overwhelmed that day and I’ve been caught up in my own grief and loss as well as coming to terms with meeting my father, that I hadn’t taken the time to consider his and Beth’s loss. I’ve been so selfish. “I’m sorry you had to find out about Mom like that. It would have been tough.”

He shrugs. “Is there anything you can share with me about you? What’s your favorite thing to do?”

A genuine smile spreads. “I love to sketch. My stepdad, Jack, taught me and my brother, Ethan, how to draw. Ethan mostly drew cars, but I’ll draw pretty much anything.”

“Really? Holly’s always sketching new designs for her clothes.” The tension disappears between us as we find some common ground. Conversation flows more easily as we chat about Holly’s passion for design.

I glance at the time. “Oh, my gosh. I need to get back. I only get thirty minutes for lunch.”

“Sure.” We quickly clean up our mess and head back to the workshop. Martin parks out front, then turns in his seat toward me. “Uh, would you like to come over for dinner one Saturday night?” I freeze. I’m not sure I’m ready to face his whole family at once. “You can bring Max with you.”

“Do you mind if I think about it and let you know?”

He shakes his head. “Of course. No pressure.”

“Thanks. And, uh, thanks for today. This was … nice.” I open the door and climb down.

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