She headed inside, the smell of sugar and baked goods making her smile.
After buying a box full of croissants and cream puffs, she made her way outside, stopping short at a very fine ass bent over, inspecting her car.
"Can I help you?"
He straightened and turned, and Molly almost dropped the box of baked goods.
The last person in Hope she wanted to see today stared back at her.
Carter Richards, her first and only love, and the main reason she'd left Hope all those years ago.
"Hey, Molly."
"What are you doing here, Carter?"
"My auto shop is just a few doors down. I saw you get out of the car."
Recovering, she walked over to the driver's side, placed the box on the hood, then opened the door. "And you thought this would be a good place for a reunion ? Really, Carter?"
She hoped he wouldn't notice her hands shaking as she slid the box onto the passenger seat and climbed in, shutting the door.
He leaned his forearms inside the car. "That's all you have to say?"
"I think we said all we needed to say to each other twelve years ago."
She turned the key and winced at George's attempts to fire on all cylinders. She tried again, and this time, the car started. Sort of. It mostly wheezed. And then died.
Dammit. Come on, George. I just need you to start this one time.
"Let me help you with that."
She shot him a look. "I don't need help. I can do this."
She tried again. No go.
"Molly."
Carter's voice was deep and low, causing skitters of awareness to race down her spine. She wanted him to disappear. She wanted to pretend he didn't exist, just like she'd tried to erase him from her memories for the past twelve years. She wanted to be anywhere but here right now.
"Slide out and let me give it a try."
With a resigned sigh, she opened the door and got out. Carter slid in and fiddled with the ignition.
"George is a little touchy," she said.
He turned to face her. "George?"
Crossing her arms, she nodded. "Yes. George."
His lips curved, and her stomach tumbled. God, he was even more good looking now than he'd been in high school. Thick, dark hair, and those mesmerizing green eyes. He wore a polo shirt that stretched tight over his well-muscled biceps. Why couldn't he have turned out bald and fat and hideously ugly? Not that it would have made a difference anyway, because it still would have been Carter.
When George's engine finally turned over, tears pricked Molly's eyes.
Carter got out and held the door for her. "There you go."
"Thanks."
He shut the door, then leaned in the window again. "Molly . . ."
She looked up at him. "Please don't."
He nodded and backed up a step so she could back out of the parking spot, which she did with a little too much fervor. As she drove away, she saw him watching her out of her rearview mirror.
She forced a tight grip on the steering wheel and willed the pain in her heart to go away.
It was in the past. Carter was in the past, and that was where he was going to stay.
CARTER WATCHED MOLLY DRIVE AWAY, THAT OLD junker she drove belching out smoke and exhaust like it was on its last legs.
He shook his head and leaned against the wall of the bakery shop, needing a minute to clear his head before he went back to work.
He'd been thinking about Molly for a while now, knowing she was coming back to Hope. She had to, because she was in Luke and Emma's wedding. He hadn't expected to see her today, though, when he'd stepped out front of his auto body shop to take a breath from all the damn paperwork that was his least favorite part of being a business owner.
He'd always liked watching the cars go by on his breaks.
When he'd seen an unfamiliar one-an old, beat choking out a black trail of exhaust, then wheezing as it came to a stop in front of the bakery-he couldn't help but wonder who'd drive an old piece of shit like that. Surely the owner had to realize that poor junker should be shot and put out of its misery.
His heart slammed against his ribs as a gorgeous brunette stepped out of the car. She had on shorts, a tank top, and sandals, and she was hurrying into the bakery like she didn't want to be recognized. She even kept her sunglasses on, but there was no mistaking who it was.
Yeah, like he could ever forget the curve of her face, the fullness of her lips, or her long legs. It might have been twelve years, and she might have changed from girl to woman, but Molly Burnett was someone Carter would never forget. His pulse had been racing and he knew damn well he should turn around and go back to his office. But for some reason his body hadn't been paying attention to what his mind told it, and he pushed off the wall and started down the street toward the bakery.
He debated going inside, then thought better of it and decided to figure out what the hell it was she was driving. So he'd walked over and studied the car.
A '99 Taurus. Christ. He wondered where Molly was living, and how the hell that car had made the trip. It had dents all over, the muffler was nearly shot, and the tires badly needed replacement-like a year ago.
In retrospect, he should have let her be, should have kept his distance from her. But when he'd seen her, he'd closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, transported back in time to the last time he'd heard her voice. It had been in hurt and anger. The last words they'd said to each other hadn't been kind ones.
And maybe he'd wanted to change all that.
But it hadn't gone at all like he'd planned. She was still hurt, still angry with him, even after all these years.
Carter dragged his fingers through his hair, pushed off the wall, and made his way down the street toward the garage, then back to his office. He shut the door and stared at his laptop, but all he could see was Molly's long dark hair pulled up in a high ponytail, and her full lips painted some shimmering pink color. She was tan, and her body had changed over the years. She was curvier now, had more of a woman's body.
But she was still the drop-dead gorgeous woman he'd fallen in love with all those years ago.
He'd thought he was over her, that what he'd once felt for her in high school was long gone. But they'd had a deeper connection than just being first loves.
And seeing her again had hurt a lot harder than he'd thought it would.