Chapter Five
Molly couldn’t contain her laughter as Sasha and Luke both jumped on Dale’s back, tackling him to the ground. The lasagna was cooking in the oven, and she had a few minutes just to enjoy watching them all.
Dale suddenly reared up, and both kids jumped back laughing as they circled him.
“I’m the tickle monster. I live to tickle children!” He reached out for both of them at the same time, and they all collapsed to the floor laughing so hard. “Come on, Mommy, come join us.”
“No, no, you’re not tickling me. Mommy has to go and check on food.”
“Lasagna queen,” Luke said.
She laughed. Grabbing her oven mitts, she glanced into the oven to see it all golden and bubbly. Lifting it out, she took a knife, checking that the pasta was cooked through all the way.
“That looks delicious.”
Dale entered, licking his lips.
“I’ve got to let it cool for ten minutes. Otherwise the kids will burn themselves.” This gave her time to open up the pre-made garlic bread and place it in the oven to brown up and for the cheese to melt.
This was a dinner that had taken her a long time to get right, and she was proud of how she’d done it.
Leaning against the counter, she stared up at Dale as he moved in close, his hand going to her waist.
The moment he touched her, she lost all thought. Covering his hand with her own, she licked her lips, trying to stay focused. Their kids were in the other room.
“Chloe came to see me today.”
“I saw.”
“She wanted to cause trouble. Asking me if Sasha and Luke were even mine.”
Pain pierced her heart at the thought of anyone doubting her. She wondered if he did. “Do you want a paternity test?”
“I don’t need one to know those two angels in there are mine, Mol. She tried to make out that you were screwing everything in high school, but you and I both know I was your first. You never went with another guy after me or before me.” He stroked her cheek.
“I know I didn’t, but sometimes men need confirmation.”
“I don’t need it. I know you’re mine.” He sighed. “Max said something, and I want you to tell me the truth.”
“Okay.”
“Back then, did you think that I’d gone on a date with Chloe after being with you?”
She took a deep breath and hearing his question awakened the pain she once felt as Chloe told her in great detail what they’d done. “Yes.”
“It’s not true,” he said.
“What?”
Out of everything she expected to say, those words were not it.
“I’m not going to say that I’ve never been with Chloe, but it was long before I was with you. Half of the football team slept with Chloe. She wanted to bag us all as some kind of championship to herself, but I was never with her after that. I didn’t want to date her.”
“Wow,” she said.
“Is that why you turned me down after? I thought we had something special, and then you just completely rebuffed me, and I figured I’d read everything wrong.”
“I was … hurt. The things that Chloe said cut real deep, and I wasn’t ready to hear them.”
He tilted her head back, and his thumb ran across her lips. “All this time you’ve thought I stepped out on you.”
“You did.”
“Only after you told me no. Every single time you told me we didn’t have a chance, and that you didn’t want anything to do with me, then I’d go with someone else.” He sighed. “I’m not a cheater, Mol. I’ve only ever wanted you.”
Tears filled her eyes as she thought about the time that had been wasted between them, all because of her.
He leaned in close. “I’m not going to waste another moment with you. You’re mine, Molly Tatum. You have been since the first moment I asked you out, and you know what?”
“What?”
“I’ve been yours as well. You may not see it yet, but you own me. I’m not going anywhere.” He slammed his lips down on hers, and she wrapped her arms around him, needing him close. Heat filled her body as the hand on her stomach moved up, cupping one of her breasts. He pinched her nipple, and she teased the hair at the base of his neck. “Fuck me, you make me want to take you right here and now.” He pulled away from the kiss moving down to her ear where he whispered the words. “Are you wet for me right now?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want my dick?”
She closed her eyes. “Yes.” She was so wet and ready for him.
Only when she heard the excited squeal of their kids did they both pull away, and Dale looked at her with a groan. “This is going to be torture.” He kissed her one final time. “Drawer where the knives and forks are.”
Her voice wouldn’t work, so she pointed it out as she grabbed the bread from the oven.
He hadn’t been with Chloe.
It had all been lies.
So much wasted time, and now she felt like a fool.
Even before Chloe had told her what had happened, Molly had been aware of her hatred of her. She’d never understood it. All she’d been was a member of the cheering squad. She didn’t care for the parties, so when she’d been able to, she always made her excuses. Her studies had meant a great deal to her. Then of course when it came to Dale, he’d been her biggest weakness. She’d wanted him, and so had Chloe.
Carrying the lasagna into the dining room, she saw Dale already had Sasha and Luke sitting at the table. Her son licked his lips, making her chuckle.
They sat down to eat like a real family, and she found herself touched to finally be able to call themselves that. As they finished their food, she excused herself to head into the kitchen to compose herself. She’d always wanted to be a family.
Everything that she’d done and that had brought them to this moment had all been for the best of them, but now she was starting to doubt that. Chloe had hurt her in high school, and because of that, Molly had turned Dale down. From that moment, it had changed the course of both of their lives. From the discussion she’d heard where he said he didn’t want kids, to now. So much time lost. Six years that they would never get back, and even as she mourned that time, she knew there was no way to change the past, but they could change their future.
She took a deep breath and gasped as Dale placed his hands on her shoulders.
“It’s okay.” He pressed a kiss to her neck.
Spinning in his arms, she hugged him tightly. “You can move in,” she said. He’d been wanting to do that for some time, but she always held back.
“What?”
“If you still want to move in, you can.” She pulled away, cupping his face. “Are you ready for that?”
“I’m more than ready. I’ve been ready for a long time.” He stroked her cheek. “I’ve got a few conditions though.”
She rolled her eyes teasingly. “I figured you would.”
“I’m not taking the couch or the spare bedroom. I sleep in your bed, nowhere else.”
“Okay. What else?”
“Trey and June have offered to take the kids so that we can have a short vacation together. I want you to consider it.”
She was aware of what June and Trey had offered. “I’ve never been away from them.”
“You and I have never really had the chance to get to know one another. I want that without any children interrupting us. I love them, Molly. I love you as well, and I feel that our chance has been lost. I don’t want to lose another moment.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Is that an okay you’ll think about it, or an okay you’ll do it?”
“It’s an okay I’ll do it. It will have to be after this weekend though. June’s arranged for Aria to come in and practice. I think she’s hoping to take over when June’s pregnant,” she said.
For the first time in a long time, she actually had some hope.
****
Trey and June had both agreed to have Sasha and Luke for one week. That was all Molly wanted. She didn’t want to be away from them for any length of time. The truth was, neither did he. He spent the rest of the week moving his stuff into her home, and she’d gotten him a key made. His nights were now spent looking forward to going home, and she’d included him in their favorite meal night. So on Thursday they had steaks. Sasha let him know that at any time he changed his mind, Mommy also allowed that.
To him it felt strange to be a father. He’d watched her around town. First when she was pregnant, then when Sasha came along, and he’d wondered what it would be like to be the father of her baby. He knew he was, but to actually be acknowledged, now that was another thing.
Of course, a lot of people in town were still pissed at him, and often ignored him now to speak to Molly. He didn’t mind. Even though Molly was constantly telling them that Dale had tried to do the right thing, he’d told her to stop. The people wanted to believe what they believed, and if they wanted to paint him as the bad guy, he didn’t care. All that mattered was what Molly and his kids thought.
“What are we all staring at?” he asked as he joined Max and Trey outside the tattoo parlor, staring across the street toward the bakery. He caught sight of Molly, Sasha, and Luke, and he was about to wander over there when Max grabbed his arm.
“Aria’s in there,” Max said.
“So? My family is in there.”
“Yeah, well, June has given us orders not to go inside. She doesn’t want Aria distracted.”
“Then why is the shop still open?” he asked, watching as Molly served a customer. She still wore the ring that he’d given her, and even though he’d been tempted to ask her to marry him, he’d also known that would be a huge mistake.
Baby steps.
They’d made big ones the past week. He’d moved in, and his nights were now spent with her in his arms.
“June’s orders, but we’re not allowed to interfere,” Trey said. “I was the one to tell her she needed to get a new baker in. She wanted to keep on going through her pregnancy. I had to get the doctor to warn her of the risks of lifting heavy ingredients. It’s not like she uses small bags of flour. Nope, she lifts big ones.” Trey showed them with his arms how large they were.
Dale tried not to laugh. His friend had fallen hard and fast for June. It had been a struggle seeing as they all had a history of not being very nice to her.
Max kept staring across the street, and he nudged him. “You want to say hi to Aria? Apologize to her?”
“I’m good. Do you think her hair is natural?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t pay enough attention to her when I was in high school,” Trey said. “I’m heading back inside.” Trey entered the parlor, while Dale and Max stood staring across the street.
“I’m happy for you and Molly,” Max said. “I know I’m an asshole, but she really deserves some happiness. You both do.”
“Thanks, man.”
Max slapped him on the back. “You’re welcome.”
“You like Aria, don’t you?”
“I don’t know her, man. I’ve got to head out for a bit.” Max turned in the opposite direction and left.
Rubbing his chin, Dale frowned. This was the first time that Max had ever left a possible challenge. Something was going on between him and Aria. He didn’t know what it was, but he was going to find out.
Moving across the street, he entered the bakery. His stomach began to growl the moment he inhaled the sweet and savory scents of baking.
Molly smiled at him and rounded the counter, moving toward him. She suddenly stopped, and he waited. “Can I hug you?”
He rolled his eyes, grabbing her hand and tugging her close. “I think it’s safe to say you can do whatever you want with me.”
“I didn’t know if you had any more conditions or terms. What are we doing anyway?”
He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’d say that we’ve got two children together.”
“Yes, we have.”
“I’m now living in your house.”
“You are, and you take out the trash. That is a huge step up for you.”
He loved seeing her smile, and he realized in that moment, that they’d not had this since they’d dated in high school. Neither of them had teased or talked in such a long time. The times they’d tried to talk, it had always ended up in arguments where they ended up saying rotten shit to each other.
“It’s a huge step up. I’m sharing your bed.” He let that one whisper against her ear. They’d not had sex. By the time they both got to bed, he just wanted to hold her in his arms. Sasha sometimes woke up at some point with a nightmare. It didn’t happen every single night, but he’d been told she’d grow out of it. He was starting to wonder who these people were, and what made them experts in the human mind.
Still, he couldn’t complain, not really. They knew more than he did.
“You are sharing my bed.”
“So I think it’s safe to say that maybe—and don’t get too shocked by this—maybe we’re dating.”
She gasped. “Are you going to ask me out? Make it all official?”
“I think I should, so here goes. Molly Tatum, mother of my children, I fancy you lots. Will you be my girlfriend?”
The laughter was a delight to his ears. She tugged his head down, kissing him. “Yes. A million times yes. I will be your girlfriend. Can I admit something to you?”
“You can admit anything to me.”
“I kind of fancy you, too.”
“You are both so sweet,” June said, hands on her hips. Her stomach was getting larger every single day.
“I’m sorry for interrupting. I know we’re not allowed to enter.”
“You’re fine. I just didn’t want to get distracted.”
Molly pulled out of his arms. “How is she?”
Just then Aria came to the doorway. “How did I do?”
“Come and see.”
Sasha and Luke got out of their chairs and rushed toward the main bakery. They stopped in the doorway, and he didn’t have a heart attack at the thought of his babies entering a potential hazard zone. Years of working on building sites had gotten him a little worried.
Stepping up behind Molly, he gripped her shoulders and stared at the abundance of baked goods on display. It all looked amazing, professional, and like June had done it.
Aria wiped her hands on the cloth. “I went to a night school for the past two years. I do a lot of baking at home.”
“Honey, consider yourself hired,” June said. “Trey is going to adore you.”
Molly hugged the other woman as well. “Maybe you can teach me a thing or two.”
June laughed. “She’s struggling with brownies.”
“Can we have a cookie?” Sasha and Luke both asked.
He couldn’t help but laugh at their sneakiness. They both went for that sweet voice that they clearly knew people loved.
June checked with Molly before handing them both a cookie, and they chuckled, biting into one.
Their moans of approval filled the air, and he wrapped his arms around her. He wanted her all to himself, to be able to get the chance that they didn’t have when they were younger.
“You know, I’ve not even checked to make sure you want the job,” June said.
Aria chuckled. “I’d love it. Can I start immediately?”
“Sure. I could use your help.”
“I’ve got to head back to work,” he said, kissing Molly’s temple.
“Okay.”
“Don’t go walking home. I’ll pick you all up, and we can head home together.”
He got a hug from both of his kids, who each told him they loved him. He and Molly had talked to them about him being their father. Never had he been so worried, as that conversation that could make or break his relationship. Both of them had been excited at finally knowing who their daddy was. Sasha had taken his hand and asked him to take her to school, which he’d done. She’d told all of her friends who he was, and it had been a proud moment for him.
Heading over to the tattoo parlor, he waited as Trey finished dealing with a customer before looking at him. “Do I want to know the verdict?”
“Your wife has just hired her, so I’d say it went well.”
“It did. Aria can bake?”
“Yes. She can bake, and decorate, and make things look oh, so beautiful,” he said, placing a hand against his forehead.
“Screw you. June needs to take care of herself, and she’s not been doing a great job of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The doctors advised that she start doing lighter duties, especially as she’s getting further into the pregnancy. Heavy lifting can cause complications.”
“I know Molly wouldn’t let her hurt herself.”
“I know, but she’s the love of my life, Dale. I’m not going to stop worrying.”
He thought about Molly. She didn’t have anyone, not really. He’d always given himself some excuse. If she didn’t want to marry him then she’d not needed him. Rubbing the back of his head, he was glad that he no longer had to make up any excuse, and that he could finally be with the woman he loved.