“One of them.”
“We can invite them over if you want.”
Worst idea ever. “You know what? Let’s not. I’m enjoying hanging out with you.” Annaleigh smiled, and was that a blush? It most definitely was. A cute blush too. “So second grade, huh? Tell me how you got into teaching?”
“I think it’s what I always wanted to do. From the time I was old enough to appreciate school…” Annaleigh was still talking, but Molly’s attention was snagged by the sight of Jordan moving to the jukebox with Summer plastered to her side like a second skin. Classy.
As Jordan turned, their eyes connected, and she seemed to take in the scene. It wasn’t long before she headed over, wisely dropping Summer at the bar first. Thank God for that. Molly refocused her attention on Annaleigh and her story, doing her best to ignore Jordan as she approached. It was juvenile, but it’s what she was going with.
“Hey. Wasn’t expecting to run into you tonight,” Jordan said. She grinned at Molly before shifting her attention to Annaleigh and extending her hand. “We haven’t met. I’m Jordan.”
Annaleigh accepted the handshake. “Annaleigh, a pleasure.”
“So what are you two up to tonight? A little Miller Light action?” Jordan was laid back and friendly, and damn it if something within Molly didn’t react to all that annoying charisma and confidence.
“Actually, we were trying to get to know each other a little better one-on-one.” Molly’s tone was a little less friendly, and Jordan seemed to notice.
“Oh. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Not at all,” Annaleigh said as she glanced uneasily from Molly to Jordan. “I was just telling Molly how much I enjoy Applewood. I remember coming here for the festival when I was a kid.”
Jordan pulled up a chair and shot her a victorious glance. Molly wondered what in the hell she thought she was doing. “One of my favorite events. You’ll have to come back next week for this year’s. I hear it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.”
“Really? In what way?” Annaleigh asked.
Molly sighed as they continued. Her date had been hijacked.
But what made her even angrier was the fact that her eyes kept tracing the open top button of Jordan’s blue Henley and the olive skin that peeked out from beneath. Damn it, why did she have to look good in everything she wore?
As the conversation droned on, and on, and on, her frustration only grew. Instead of listening to Jordan describe how much she loved indie rock, all this new version of Molly could think about was the shiny lip gloss Jordan wore and how her mouth was almost heart shaped and full. Fuck . And now she somehow had a new penchant for swearing. Fabulous.
It was time to get herself out of this, and she saw the perfect opening.
Molly inclined her head and smiled sweetly. “Jordan, I don’t want to interrupt, but I think your date is trying to catch your eye.” It was true. Summer was falling all over herself to look alluring enough to attract Jordan back over to the bar. It was annoying and helpful at the same time.
“I guess that’s my cue.” Jordan offered them one last devastating smile and headed back to Summer.
*
The evening had definitely taken a negative turn. Jordan stared into her empty glass and contemplated the wisdom of a second beer. A no-brainer, given the circumstances. “Hit me, Bobby.”
For the better part of an hour, she’d watched Molly and her date du jour, Annaleigh, chatting cozily in the corner of the bar. It was whatever. She’d told herself from the get-go that she wanted Molly to find happiness, so why was it so ridiculously hard to watch it all go down? Summer’s warm breath tickled her ear. She was chewing gum, which was typical for Summer, but for some reason Jordan found it less than endearing in this moment.
“We should dance,” she purred.
Jordan looked around. The bar did have a small dance floor, but no one used it. “It’s not really that kind of bar.”
Summer tilted her head. “Since when do you play by the rules? This can be any kind of bar we want it to be.”
To hell with it. She had a valid point.
Jordan took a long swallow of her beer and allowed Summer to pull her onto the dance floor in the back of the room. The song that played was bluesy, something from way back. They moved together slowly, earning an interested glance from a patron or two, but it felt oddly welcome, dancing close to someone.
Jordan leaned in next to Summer’s ear. “So did you hear about the kidnapping in the park?”
Summer pulled back, wide-eyed. “No, what happened?”
“It’s fine now. They woke him up.”
A beat of silence hung in the air, before Summer’s face relaxed into a grin. She laughed loudly and slapped Jordan playfully across the shoulder. “You had me goin’ there for a second.”
They laughed together as the song wound down.
The dance hadn’t lasted long, but it had been a welcome distraction. Summer was uncomplicated, friendly, and not exactly hard to look at, especially when she went to such lengths to put it all out on display like she had that night. And there was definitely a lot to display. What was even better? There were no highly sensitive, guilt-ridden feelings involved. And she needed a serious break from those.
As they made their way back to their spot at the bar, Jordan lifted her eyes to the arctic freeze of Molly’s stare. As she met her gaze questioningly, Molly looked away. Okay. What the hell was that about? Molly was allowed to go on any number of dates, but she wasn’t allowed to enjoy herself with a friend without blatant judgment?
Unbelievable.
Summer turned to her. “Wanna get outta here?”
“Definitely. What do you have in mind?”
“We could go for a drive, but given the drinks we’ve had, maybe it’s better if we just walk to my place. Talk about old times or something.” The sultry look in her eyes made it clear the “or something” was the operative part of that sentence. And you know what? Summer was exactly what Jordan needed tonight. Summer was easygoing, fun, and more importantly, wouldn’t view kissing her as a colossal mistake.
“Let me settle up.”
“Bobby, make that two of us.” Molly leaned over the side of the bar adjacent to theirs.
“Date over already?” Jordan asked.
“Something like that.” But Molly was refusing to look at her and that made her all the more heated.
“Something on your mind, Mol?”
She shook her head once, staring at the wall as she waited for her check. Still no eye contact. “Nope. You?”
“No, I’m great. Better than.”
“Clearly.”
“How’s the little bakery?” Summer asked.
That did it.
Molly turned fully and regarded Summer as if she were a teacher dealing with a not so bright student. The patrons who sat between them watched the exchange like a tennis match.
“The little bakery is fine. You should come in sometime.”
“Yeah, I’m more of a Starbucks kind of girl, but thanks.”
Ouch. Even Jordan cringed.
“Somehow I could have guessed that. Tell you what, Bobby. Keep the change. I have an immediate urge for a shift in scenery.” She dropped two tens on the bar and headed for the door where Annaleigh was waiting. Jordan watched her go. To say she looked devastatingly beautiful when angry was an understatement.
*
In a stroke of great timing, Annaleigh’s cab arrived just as they exited the bar. Shaking off the exchange inside, Molly offered her a smile. “So I had fun tonight.”
“Me too.” Then she seemed to hesitate. “And while I’d love to see you again sometime, Molly, it seems like you might already have a lot on your plate.”
Molly stared back at her curiously, until realization flared. “Oh. If this is about Jordan, it’s nothing. Trust me.”
Annaleigh placed a gentle hand on Molly’s forearm. “I don’t want to overstep my bounds here, but it didn’t seem like nothing. Your eyes were trained on her all night like some sort of gravitational pull.”