Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Molly stood near the table where a massive wedding cake was displayed. Let people think the smile that wouldn’t go away was brought on by this beautiful wedding. In a way it was. The weather was perfect, the beach ceremony had gone off without a hitch, and Natalie was so happy she glowed. Tristan obviously adored his bride. They were perfect together. There weren’t many truly perfect moments in life.

She’d had one last night. And again this morning. If she got a chance to dance with Ben at the reception, that would make three.

She didn’t even care much that her bridesmaid dress was hideous green. Sure, she wanted to be as beautiful as possible for Ben, but he seemed to like her just fine, even in chartreuse.

The reception was held indoors, instead of on the beach. That suited Molly fine, especially since the wind had picked up a little after the bride and groom had said their vows. There were tables and chairs all along the back and sides of the room, cake and champagne, soft lighting.

A small band set up on the other side of the room. Soon there would be music, a first dance for the bride and groom, then eventually everyone would join in. She really hoped Ben wasn’t one of those guys who didn’t dance.

He stood too far away, talking to a small group of guys she didn’t know, men who’d come in for the wedding but hadn’t been here all week like the wedding party. Judging by their ages and how in shape they were, she’d guess more baseball players.

If this thing with Ben went anywhere, was she going to have to pretend to like baseball? Natalie said so, but…

She was tired of pretending. Tired of pretending to like a job she hated. Tired of trying so hard to make one guy or another be the one when he obviously wasn’t. She was tired of not taking what she wanted from life. What did she want?

Ben.

Could she have him?

Still to be determined.

He joined her as Nat and her new husband cut the cake. Thank goodness neither of them crammed cake and icing into the other’s face! She hated that so-called tradition. No, they were gentle with one another, easy, smiling, in love. Ben took her hand and held on, not too tight but not entirely casual. His touch was just right. He led her back a bit, away from the crowd.

“I never should’ve pushed Tristan about the prenup,” he whispered.

“No, you shouldn’t have,” she agreed.

“Maybe romance isn’t for suckers.”

“Even Ben Crusher can be wrong now and then,” she said.

“Now and then.”

If he felt, as she did, that last night hadn’t been a one-night-stand or an aberration, if he hadn’t just been killing time with her because she was convenient, if there was more…

Before she had a chance to say something stupid and ruin the moment, the music started. The bride and groom had a first dance to their favorite song. Nat danced with her dad; Tristan led his mother around the room. Soon others joined them. She didn’t even have to ask. Ben led her onto the dance floor. The wild, fast dancing would come later. This was a sweet, slow dance. He held her in his arms and they moved.

Molly didn’t get many chances to dance, but moving to the music with Ben didn’t seem at all awkward. She didn’t step on his toes. They fit together perfectly. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to just feel, to move, to enjoy.

How early could they leave the reception without raising eyebrows?

Did she care about a few raised eyebrows?

“I’m so glad I found you again,” Ben said.

Molly’s heart leapt, but she tried to keep the conversation casual. “I didn’t know I was lost.”

“Neither did I,” he whispered.

She rested her head on his shoulder. This was happening so fast! Too fast. Fast or not, she liked it. It felt right. Really right, this time.

Someone poked her in the shoulder three times, hard. Molly turned her head to see who it was. She expected Rosie, but found herself face to face with a heavily made-up redhead who said, “Can I cut in? I’d like a dance with my husband.”

“Ex-husband,” Ben said when he recovered from the surprise of seeing Kayla.

“Whatever,” Kayla muttered.

“I didn’t expect to see you here. Where’s Mark?”

She glanced around, then answered. “I don’t know. Probably trying to bang one of the bridesmaids.”

This was the woman who’d jaded him on marriage, on love, who made him declare whenever possible that romance was for suckers. This was the woman who’d made him press his friend to insist on a prenup. There had been a time when just seeing Kayla was enough to send him into a tailspin. At the moment she was right here and he felt nothing. Nothing at all.

“I never should’ve left you,” she said.

“I wasn’t successful enough fast enough, so you found someone who was.” Once upon a time those words would’ve cut to the bone, but not today.

“Patience never was one of my attributes,” she admitted. Then she looked him in the eye. “Still have a thing for redheads, I see. Who’s the girl? I hear you’re engaged, but I don’t believe it.”

Word spread fast. “Believe it.”

“I hope you have better luck than I did. Leaving you was a mistake, I know that now. Here I am with a husband who was screwing around three months after we were married, a three-year-old, and a baby on the way.”

He wanted to say he was sorry, but the words wouldn’t come. “You could leave him.”

“Can’t. I signed a ridiculously strict prenup.”

Molly grabbed a piece of cake and found a seat at an empty table. She watched Ben and his wife, ex -wife she knew no matter what the woman said, move across the dance floor. It was getting crowded out there, so they moved in and out of view.

His ex was beautiful. She should’ve expected nothing else. Molly considered herself not to be a troll, she cleaned up nicely, but the overall package was not the same. She felt ordinary in comparison.

She was so intent on trying to watch Ben and the ex she didn’t realize Rosie was heading her way until she sat. Just what she needed. Ben’s stalker sitting beside her with her own piece of cake.

It was so unfair. Rosie looked great in slime green! Molly waited for some scathing remark from the young woman, but instead she got, “I owe you an apology. I’ve been a real bitch.”

What was the right response? She went with, “Apology accepted.”

Rosie sighed and took a bite of cake. “It’s just, I had it all planned in my mind. I could see it so clearly. I’d meet Ben, he’d like me, we could spend some time together and maybe, you know.”

Yes, she knew.

“But it was just a fantasy. I don’t know why I got so obsessed! Except, you know, he is Ben Crusher.”

Not to her. To Molly he was just Benjy, grown up. A boy she remembered who’d grown into a fine man.

Rosie searched the dance floor. “That’s his ex, isn’t it? Man, she’s gorgeous. Ben must have a thing for redheads. If I’d known… No, I’m not going red for any man. I don’t have the complexion for it.” She scarfed down the last of her cake and stood. “You look a little like her.”

The would-be stalker sashayed off and into the arms of a man who seemed to be waiting for her. Another baseball player, Molly assumed.

You look a little like her .

Did she? Was Ben attracted to her because she reminded him of his ex? Was he so obsessed with the woman that he…

She spotted the couple on the dance floor. Ben grinned. Ah, she knew that smile. Kayla tossed her hair back in a sexy, come-hither way. She hadn’t been forced to wear puke green to the wedding. No, she was stunning in a loose-fitting navy dress. They made a beautiful couple.

No wonder she and Ben had happened so fast. He hadn’t been interested in her at all, it had always been Kayla.

Her track record with men remained perfect. She always managed to see something where there was nothing, to manufacture love when it was nothing more than a trick of the mind. Ben was no different than any of the others. He was a flash in the pan, a temporary love, a hallucination.

It wasn’t real. It had never been real.

She couldn’t get out of this place fast enough.

Ben searched the crowded room for Molly. In that bright green dress she should be easy to find. Since all the other bridesmaids were in the same color, he caught sight of it often. But no Molly. Maybe she’d gone to the restroom, or had stepped out to get some fresh air. She wasn’t fan of parties.

Maybe she was with the bride, in a quiet corner. He saw Tristan, but not Natalie, which made this the perfect time to set a couple of things straight.

Ben made his way to the groom and they shifted to the side so they were as alone as they were going to get.

“I’m sorry,” Ben said in a lowered voice.

Tristan appeared to be confused. He shouldn’t be. “About what?”

“The whole prenup nonsense. It was none of my business, and I was…”

“Suspicious?” Tristan supplied when Ben faltered. “Burned? Bossy?”

“The second one,” Ben confessed. “I wish you only the best,” he added.

“Right back at you. When will you and Molly tie the knot? Next year? Now that people have heard about you two they’ll want to know your plans.”

He should tell his friend that the engagement had been a ruse. That it was a joke, a way to keep his little sister at a distance.

It didn’t feel like a joke anymore. “I’ll keep you posted.” Tristan’s father joined them, saving Ben from saying more. He looked for Molly again, but still didn’t see her. He finally saw Natalie, but she was with her sisters. Still no Molly.

Molly didn’t like crowds. Maybe she was in the lobby, hiding out. Before he could reach the exit he was waylaid by a couple of young guys he’d played with last year, before they’d been traded. Nice guys, both of them, still fresh and hyped up about the game and their place in it. He liked talking to the new players, sucking up their enthusiasm, and it would be rude to brush them off. They talked a while. He continued to search the room for Molly without success.

Natalie’s mother Diane intercepted him on his way out. She was a nice woman, the neighborhood mom who’d always insisted on giving all the kids healthy snacks. They’d had to go to Molly’s house for chips and cookies. Still, Diane hadn’t been wrong.

“There you are. If you’re here I know Molly can’t be far away!” She gave him a quick hug. “I wanted to have a chat with her this week, but you’ve been monopolizing her time.” That was followed by a sly wink. “She was always such a sweet girl.”

“She was. Still is.”

“I hate that we’ve lost touch, but it happens, I suppose.”

“It does.”

“You two.” Diane shook her head. “I should’ve known. You’re perfect for each other!”

The bride’s mother was swept away by her husband. Nice woman, but Ben wasn’t sorry to see her go. Diane gave a wave in his direction as she was swallowed up by the crowd.

Another woman, one he didn’t know, tried to sidle up to him. Ben had no more time to waste, and he was getting worried. He excused himself and left the crowded room.

In the lobby he ran into Rosie, who was on her way back from the ladies room. As she came closer he asked, “Have you seen Molly?”

Rosie stopped in her tracks. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Molly’s gone. She lit out of here a few minutes ago. Dragging her suitcase, still wearing her bridesmaid dress, which I thought was odd.” She glared at him. “What did you do? You must’ve done something. I swear, if you can’t hang onto a woman like Molly you’re a lost cause.”

Out of all that he hung onto one terrifying fact.

Molly was gone.