Page 53 of Homecoming Heartbreaker

For the first time Mack saw the anger in Jameson’s eyes, but quickly realized it wasn’t directed at Molly but at her father. “Your father was an adult, who chose to steal to fund his gambling habit. I offered him help. He chose to steal from me instead. The only person in your family who understood the gravity of his crimes was you, Molly. You were so young but you instinctively knew the difference between right and wrong. Your family, not so much.”

Jameson patted the space next to him and when Molly sat down, he cupped her cheek with his broad, gentle hand. Mack swallowed, touched by the tenderness in his father’s eyes. “It was such a bad time, Mol, and I was off my game. I focused all my attention on Travis and I neglected my other boys.”

Jameson’s eyes connected with Mack’s and he saw the deep and intense apology within those dark depths. Mack acknowledged his apology with a nod and a small smile.

And in one look, Mack released that his past was over and it was time to create a better, brighter future.

Jameson looked at Molly. “I neglected you, too, Molly darling. I know that you felt lost and alone. I’d heard your family was in financial trouble again and I paid the rent for six months a week or two before you took the money. Because I was juggling so many balls in the air, I forgot to tell you.

“But you should’ve come to me, Molly,” he added, his voice a little stern.

“I know. But you had your own family stuff going on—”

Jameson released an irritated growl. “You are a part of my family, Molly. You always have been. From the moment your father died, you became mine. Not in a legal sense, but here.” Jameson thumped his chest, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “And you should’ve confessed a long time ago.”

Molly sucked her bottom lip between her pretty teeth. “I know. I’m so sorry.”

“So you should be,” Jameson grumbled. He crooked his finger at her. “Come here, baby girl.”

Molly dropped back down to the bed and rested her head on his chest, her closed eyes leaking tears. Mack looked at Giada, who was dabbing at her own eyes with a tissue. His eyes were also, annoyingly, damp.

Mack walked over to the window and stared down into the parking lot below, his thoughts whirling. Jameson and Molly would be fine but he wasn’t fool enough to believe she’d forgive him that easily. But now that they knew his dad would be fine, his only goal was to win Molly back.

He wanted, needed, her in his life, in his bed, as the mother of his children. Because frankly, he couldn’t conceive of a life without her in it. He’d only existed the past fifteen years, but over the past two months, he’d lived and laughed and loved.

This was going to be the fight of his life and winning her back was all that mattered.

Molly left the hospital feeling mentally exhausted and physically drained. But knowing this dreadful day couldn’t get much worse, she decided to head across town to confront her family, to end her relationship with them...

Permanently.

From her seat behind the wheel of her car, Molly stared at the small house she’d purchased for her mom, noticing the grass lawn hadn’t been cut for a while or the shutters repainted. Vincent’s truck sat in the driveway, a trickle of fresh oil running down the pavement. A rusted bicycle still sat under the tree, as it had for the past ten years, maybe more.

She didn’t belong here. These weren’t her people. Oh, not because they were poor but because they refused totry. Because they’d always take the easy way out, they couldn’t stop playing the victim and because they made such damn awful decisions.

And because they routinely lied to her. And used her.

Molly left her car and walked up the cracked path to the door. On hearing an expensive engine, she turned and sighed when she saw Mack’s Mercedes pull up behind her car.

She couldn’t deal with him now. Or, possibly, ever.

Molly glared at him as he approached her. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. Then she waved her question away. “I don’t actually care. Just go away, Mack.”

“There is no way I’m going to let you confront your family alone. I told you that before and it still holds.”

“How did you know I was going to be here?”

“I know you, Molly. I knew that when you left the hospital, this would be your first stop.”

He knew her? Really? What rubbish! “Yet, you don’t know me well enough to talk to me when a problem arises, to work with me to find a solution. No, you thought you could just charge in and make decisions for me like I’m an incompetent idiot!”

Before Mack could respond, the front door opened. “Will you two please stop yelling? Vince is asleep.”

Molly stepped onto the porch and addressed her mom. “Then I suggest you wake him up, Mom. We’re going to have a talk and I’m not leaving until I’ve said what I need to.”

“You can’t just come over here and make demands,” Grant told her, his face contorted into an ugly sneer. He pushed past Vivi to step onto the small porch.

Mack stepped forward, putting himself between Molly and her brother. “She can do whatever the hell she wants to since she’s the one funding this suckfest. Go get your brother because, by God, if I have to haul him out of bed, he’ll regret it. So will you.”

---