How many times had she dealt with Brandi or Jennifer lying to cover their own bad behavior? Too many to count. Molly felt herself reverting into that old role, keeping her mouth shut and letting it go.
You're not reverting. Not calling your cousins out on their lies and walking away isn't cowardly; it's the smartest option, because you know no matter what you say, you can't win.
Molly bit off a civil, "See you in the morning," to Brandi and escaped from the bar. On the walk back to the motel, she stayed alert just in case one of those drunken bozos followed her.
After she'd made it inside the safety of her room, the day's events overwhelmed her and she couldn't stop the tears. She clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the gasping sobs.
"Your tears fuckin' wreck me, woman."
She screamed. Luckily she'd already covered her mouth, but still she froze. She lowered her hand and whispered, "Deacon?" into the darkness.
"You expecting someone else?"
"No. But I wasn't expecting you."
"You should have." He moved into her line of sight, fury and frustration burning in his eyes. "I shouldn't be the last to know this important shit. I oughta be the first one you call."
"You're mad."
"Damn straight I am."
"That's not fair. You don't know what I've been through."
"Tell me."
"I stayed by Grams's side until she . . ." She closed her eyes against the sharp sense of loss that sliced through her. "I hadn't slept in more than twenty-four hours, so after I checked in, I crashed."
"But you had time to text Amery and let her know what was goin' on," he pointed out.
"I would've texted you, but you're Mr. I Don't Like to Text, remember? I planned to call you tonight. But it sounds like Amery already filled you in."
"Wasn't like I gave her a choice." Deacon reached out and curled his hand around the side of her neck. "Goin' crazy knowing how bad you were hurting. Knowing you shut me out."
"What was I supposed to do? You've already told me you don't do family shit. This is big family shit, Deacon."
He stroked his thumb across her jawline. "I said I didn't do my family shit. I didn't say a damn thing about yours."
"Oh."
"We decided to do this relationship thing, babe. That means you don't decide to take off without a word to me. It makes me do crazy stuff."
"Like hopping on a plane to Bumfuck, Nebraska?"
"Yeah. Would've been faster to drive. I had to get a damn rental car anyway."
"I could've told you that."
He made an annoyed noise. "I wouldn't have had to fly if you'd told me what was goin' on. Then I would've driven with you."
"I can't believe you're here." Molly turned her head and kissed the inside of his wrist. Then she looked at him. "Hey. Wait a second. How did you get into my room?"
"Told the chick at the front desk you're my girlfriend. I said you were so upset, you left Denver damn near in the middle of the night and forgot to tell me where you were staying."
Who said small towns weren't dangerous? "What was she thinking? Giving a big, mean-looking, tattooed badass access to my room?"
His full lips formed a smile. "Her husband checked me out. I assured them I wasn't here to hurt you and you'd be happy to see me." Deacon bent down, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Don't make a liar outta me, babe. You are happy to see me, right?"
She said yes without hesitation.
Then Deacon's mouth was on hers. He kissed her slowly, steadily, and sweetly. She teared up, grateful for his tender concern.
Tender concern? The man probably dropped two grand getting here on such short notice.
Molly broke the kiss and tried to get away from him.
But his arms just clamped around her more tightly. "Don't."
"Deacon-"
"Lemme hold you and say what I need to."
She stopped struggling.
"Know what I thought when I couldn't get in touch with you? That we were done. You were freaked-out and disgusted by what happened in your bedroom Saturday night."
Since Deacon always acted so cool and confident, she'd never considered he might need reassurance that his sexual quirks hadn't sent her running from him. "Saturday night was hot. I wanted that from you. No regrets on my side, Deacon."
"But?"
"But we've had two dates. I wouldn't ask you to drop everything and come to Nebraska with me, a woman you're not even sleeping with."
He stretched his fingers beneath her jaw, lifting her head so his gaze bored into hers. "We're involved."