Chapter Nine
One and a half weeks later
Molly watched as her children played around on the front lawn, laughing as they both kept slapping each other’s arms shouting they were it. Glancing up at the house, she nibbled her lip when she caught sight of Dale on the roof.
Since their vacation had ended, Dale had been putting his stamp on the house. He’d brought all of his stuff, and any of her threadbare furniture he’d started to clean up and repair. He’d brought a new sofa and beds for all of them. The ones they had were not going to repair easily, if at all. He’d repaired the table and the chairs.
It was strange waking up in his arms, having him at the breakfast table, and of course, preparing dinner for him. The kids totally loved him, but then he was their father. They’d yet to call him Dad though, and she knew it upset him at times.
She never brought it up, and never made the kids call him that, even though she referred to him as Dad or father.
“Are you okay up there?” she asked, calling up to him.
“He’s going to break his fucking neck,” Max said.
The kids squealed and rushed toward him, shouting “Uncle Max!”
She looked up at Dale and saw the pain on his face.
“It’s good to see you two. Now go play. I’ll join you guys in a minute. I’ve got to help your dad so he doesn’t fall down and break his neck,” Max said, moving toward the ladder and holding it in place.
“I’ll go and make drinks.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them.” Max stopped her from leaving. “They’re still not calling him Dad?”
“No, not yet.” She patted his arm, and entered the kitchen.
She picked up several toys along the way, placing them in the boxes she kept near the sitting room. She didn’t have much, but what she had she took care of. Her children never went without. She made sure of that.
Filling up the pitcher with some lemonade, she also put the kettle on the stove to boil and prepared three cups for coffee.
She had a serving tray and was about to leave when Dale came up behind her. She saw Max had brought the two kids into the back yard along with the ladder.
“Does he come around often?” Dale asked.
“He’d come and do some repair jobs to the house if I needed it. Max has been a friend.” It had surprised her that Max could be nice. What she remembered of him in high school, he’d never had the patience or desire to help anyone but himself.
“They’re happy around him.”
“It’s all new to them, Dale.” She turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck, playing with the hairs at the back. “It’ll all turn out okay. I promise. Just don’t rush it. They love you.”
“I know they do. I guess I’m just being impatient.”
There was a knock on the door, and Dale went to open it.
June and Trey had arrived. Molly made two drinks for June and Trey, then took all of their drinks outside and joined them out in the garden. Max was already looking at the barbeque. “I’ll grab some steaks and burgers. We’ll make a party of it.”
They took advantage of the last of the summer sunshine.
Dale and Max left to go and get burgers while she and June quickly made up some large cookies so everyone had something sweet for dessert. Trey was on babysitting duty.
“You’re still wearing his ring,” June said.
She stared down at the ring she couldn’t bring herself to take off. “It’s a beautiful ring.”
“Has he asked you to marry him?” she asked.
“No. He said he wouldn’t ask again.”
“You look a lot happier.”
“I feel happy. Everything seems … easier … better.”
“Have you told him your parents are trying to get in touch?”
Then the happiness was interrupted once again by the memory of her parents. They’d cut her out of their lives, but for a short time had helped her out with babysitting. Of course that had all gone wrong when she realized they were saying spiteful things about her kids being bastards. She’d cut off all contact with them, and since doing so had been much happier.
“I’ve not told him. We’re getting along fine, and there’s no reason to bring them into it. They’re only interested now because the entire town knows that Dale is the father. They couldn’t handle not knowing. They don’t deserve to know my babies.” She pulled out the cookies and placed them on a cooling rack, which she also used as a grill.
June came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her. It was a friendly hug. “You’ll always have me.”
“I know.”
“Do you think we should invite Aria?” Molly asked.
“I don’t know. She’s always rebuffed any invitation. I don’t think she likes Max all that much, and does her best to hide from him.”
“Max is a great guy.”
“Yeah, but that’s because we know him, and she’s only had to deal with the asshole that he can be.”
“Then we’ll leave it this time. No need to bring potential drama for the day.”
Dale and Max arrived home, and the barbeque was set up. Molly couldn’t contain her amusement as all three men argued over who should man the grill.
June sat drinking fresh orange juice while Molly sipped at her coffee, admiring Dale. She felt relaxed, content, and calm.
“Aria is working out though,” June said.
“Yes. She showed me where I was going wrong with the brownies. I’m overmixing them and then baking them for too long at too high a temperature. She guided me through an entire batch of brownies, and when they were done, they were so good,” Molly said. “I feel like I achieved greatness.”
They talked about Aria, and finally the men agreed that, seeing as it was Dale’s yard, his barbeque, he had to man the grill.
Max took a seat, resting the back of his head in his hands. “This is the life.”
“I thought you said a good life is having a woman,” June said.
“Well, let’s just say that some women are not worth the time, the hassle, or the energy.”
Molly reached over, touching his head. “What have you done with Max?”
He swatted her hand away. “I can grow up as well. Sometimes chasing women can get a little boring.”
“I don’t believe you,” Dale said, speaking up. “You were all over every single girl in school.”
“Apart from me,” Molly said.
“And me,” June said.
“You two were special, and wouldn’t have given me the time of day.”
“Very true,” June said.
“Yeah, I only had eyes for one jerk,” Molly said, winking over at Dale.
“I’m your jerk.”
“That you are.”
“Who would have thought this would have been us, looking back at high school,” Trey said. “I keep doing that a lot. Remembering, thinking about how our lives are turning out.”
“That’s because you’re married with a baby on the way. When you’re a single guy like myself, you only think about moving forward.”
Molly took a sip of her coffee and looked at Max. “Where does Aria play into your scheme of only looking forward?”
“She doesn’t.”
“You’ve been at the bakery more often in the past week than the entire year, and I know because I’ve worked there.”
“I also know that he likes walking her home,” Trey said.
“Look, we’re in your and Dale’s home. Let’s talk about you guys and when the wedding’s going to be.”
“Nope, you’re not going to get out of it that easily,” Dale said, serving up their kids two burgers.
Molly watched them sit down in the grass and eat. They were both great kids.
“Something is going on between you and Aria, but you refuse to say what it is,” Trey said. “You like walking her home. Last time I heard, you kick women out of your bed. You’re always nice to her. You’ve got a reputation for being the world’s biggest asshole.”
“And he’s always asking about her,” June said.
“Look, I like Aria. It’s not a big deal.”
Dale served them steaks.
“I’ve also got guilt.”
They all listened as Max told them what he’d done to her in high school. Molly couldn’t recall it, but after being yelled at and pointed at for her own pregnancy, she’d always avoided the cafeteria at school, and ate lunch either in the library or in the tall grass.
“That was cruel. No wonder she doesn’t want anything to do with you,” Molly said.
“I know, okay? I didn’t say I was a perfect guy, and I intend to make it up to her.”
****
Working in construction was great when there was work and it was long, warm days, but once the cold weather began to bite at him, he began to make up his work at Trey’s tattoo parlor.
In the evenings, he’d also begun the proper training to become an electrician. They were always in demand, and they were always needed on building sites, but also in homes that were already built, and with the future he hoped to make, steady work was essential.
Trey had taken the day off, and between him and Max, they were working through the day’s clients. They were booked for basic ink work, or touch-ups. He and Max had trained together, and had a certificate where they could fill in ink, and do some designs. Trey was the real artist, being able to put flair into his work.
Dale wasn’t much for drawing, and he preferred to color in the tattoo.
“I’ve got to head out at three to pick the kids up,” he said to Max as his friend came out of the other room.
“No problem. I’ve got everything handled here. I bet Trey would never have to work again if he played his cards right with June’s father.”
“Trey would never take a paycheck from his wife’s father, nor would he slack off either. This was his dream.”
“Yeah, I know.” Max sucked on a lollipop, moving toward the window to spy on the bakery across the street.
Molly was working the front desk while Aria baked for the day, and rarely did she pop out.
“Molly looks happy, and she hasn’t taken that ring off, man. That has to be a good sign.”
He didn’t talk about the ring, and she’d not asked him to propose, so he was taking everything easy, and not getting his hopes up.
“Were Sasha and Luke always so … welcoming with you?”
“They’re still not calling you Dad?” Max asked, looking toward him.
“I hear them sometimes saying it, but they’ve not actually called me Dad. It’s … strange. I thought they were happy.”
“They are happy, man. Don’t ever think for a second that they’re not.”
“Then what do I do? They ran toward you and hugged you. They hug me as well, but they were happier to see you.”
“They’re used to me being around.”
“Yeah, about that, do you have feelings for Molly?” Dale asked.
“What the fuck, man? No, I don’t have feelings for Molly.”
“The only time you ever do something nice is when you’re getting something.”
“Look, she helped me out at school and never said a word to anyone, okay? She helped me with my math. I was flunking real bad, and I didn’t understand a fucking word. She could have been a bitch, made my life hard. She didn’t. She’s one of the few women that I care about and have respect for.”
Dale felt like a bastard for putting his friend on the spot. “Shit, man, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. We all know who Molly loves. She’s not been with another man at all. Those two babies are yours, and the way she looks at you, I hope one day I find a woman to look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“You’re the only man in her world. You both look at each other like that. It kind of pisses me off that you’ve both wasted so many years, and neither of you really needed to.”
“Lots of shit got said, Max. I wouldn’t have let her get away, you know that.”
“I do know that. It’s nice to hear what an ass you are, letting her raise your kids.”
“Yeah, well, I was young, and I made a great deal of mistakes. I’m not going to be making anymore. Molly and the kids are my entire world. I’ve just got to get her to marry me.”
“You know, out of all of us you and Trey were supposed to be the brightest, but right now, you’re not showing a lot of sense.”
Dale folded his arms and stared at his friend. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that Molly is wearing your ring. You’re living with her. You both have a life together right now.”
“Yeah, and?”
“She didn’t say anything about you not preparing a surprise wedding.”
Dale looked across the street, seeing his woman as she put some items in the fridge again. She always liked to keep busy, never standing around doing nothing. He’d noticed that about her, even at home. There was always something that needed her attention.
“I should plan a surprise wedding?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“What if she says no? I don’t … I love her, Max. I don’t want to lose her.”
“She loves you, and you’re in love with her. You’re both being royal pains in the ass about this. Everyone who looks at you two together can see what a great couple you can be. I’d start planning, because it’s going to happen one way or another.”
He wanted to marry her.
Dale wanted not only to do the right thing, but he wanted to claim her so the world knew that she belonged to him. He didn’t just want to be her boyfriend.
He wanted to be her husband.
“What would you do?” he asked.
“Do you need all the fancy shit? The dress, the honeymoon, and whatever goes on in planning this kind of thing?”
“No. I just need her.”
“Then I’ll help you plan a small get-together. You pick the perfect place and I’ll make the necessary arrangements.” Max slapped him on the back.
“This is going to be a lot of fun.”
They didn’t get time to speak again as two customers came in for a touch-up. Max took one, and he did the other, thinking about the wedding that he and Max were about to plan.
****
“You really need to stop waiting for me,” Aria said.
Max chuckled, sucking on his lollipop and holding one out for her. He’d discovered they were a weakness that she couldn’t deny, and it often meant he got to walk home with her. Of course, he also loved watching her suck on the thing, as it gave him a glimpse of what it would feel like to have those same lips wrapped around his dick.
“How are you at keeping secrets?” he asked.
“What kind?”
“The kind that can bring happiness to two of my favorite people in the world.”
She unwrapped the lollipop, and he contained the groan as her lips sucked on it. They’d look so pretty wrapped around his dick. He needed to focus, and not think about sex, or her lips.
“I can keep a lot of secrets.”
“Good, because I was wondering if you’re busy, and how long it would take you to make a wedding cake.”
“You’re getting married?”
“Nope, not me. Dale and Molly.”
“Oh, wow, I had no idea.”
“She doesn’t know yet.”
Aria laughed. “What?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” she asked.
“It’s my idea, and I’ve been around Molly and Dale, and I know they’re both pining away for each other, and this is my gift to them.” He stepped closer. “I know they’re both in love, and I know that Molly has turned down every single proposal of his. They’ve wasted too much time, and I’m going to be the one to fix that.”
She nodded. “You want me to make the wedding cake?”
“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Can you do it within the week?”
“Really? That’s how long you’re giving to plan a surprise wedding?”
“I can do this.”
“Where exactly are you going to be throwing this?”
He tapped a finger against his nose. “I know the perfect place, but you know what, can you do it?”
“I can do it so long as it’s something simple.”
“Excellent.” He took hold of her arm, and they began walking in the direction of her house. “So, will you be a secret bridesmaid?”
She sighed. “For Molly I will.”
“Excellent, because I’m appointing myself one of the best men, and that means you’re going to have to dance with me.”
“No, it does not. You have to dance with the maid of honor, and that won’t be me.”
“But I won’t be head groomsman or whatever that shit is called.”
She giggled.
He felt on top of the fucking world that she had giggled. Damn, that sound was something so sweet, and he wanted to hear it again.
“Max Carter, I don’t even think you realize what you’ve got yourself into, but being the kind of girl that likes to help people, count me in.”
“Awesome.”