Mikey stood and turned to her apologetically. “I hate to extend the longest movie in the history of film even further, but—”
Jordan stared at him pathetically. “Et tu, Brute?”
“Afraid so.”
She decided to cut him a break. He did seem to have a lot on his plate with Teresa out of town. “So what’s up?”
“Molly’s car broke down halfway between here and Franklin. I need to get out there and pick her up.”
Jordan shot a glance at the clock. “What the hell is she doing out this late by herself?”
He shrugged. “Got me. Something about a peanut butter crisis. Your guess is as good as mine. Can you stay with the kids until I get back?”
She stood and headed for her keys. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll go.”
“Bad idea. I don’t like the idea of you out this late either.”
“Please, Mikey. I live in downtown Chicago.”
“Point taken.”
*
She put the top down on the Beetle because it was that kind of night. The wind in her hair felt good as she sped along the twisting farm road. It took her twelve minutes to reach Molly’s car. When she arrived, she could just barely make her out in the driver’s seat.
She parked on the opposite side of the road and headed over. As she approached the car, Molly stared at her through the window questioningly. Finally, she exited the car wearing cutoff denim shorts and a hooded gray Rutgers sweatshirt. She looked incredibly confused and equally adorable.
“What’s going on? I thought Mikey was coming.”
“He wanted to, but he had an existing date with a couple of small people. Hence, you get me.”
“Yeah, hence,” she said neutrally, but Jordan could tell she was relieved someone had come to her rescue. The night was dark and the road was pretty desolate. She was glad she’d gotten there when she did.
“So will the engine turn over at all?”
“It tries and tries but never really gets there.”
“It could be the spark isn’t making it to the spark plugs.”
Molly looked hopeful. “Do you know how to fix that?”
“Not a clue. Let’s get out of here and let roadside tow it to Gibson’s.”
As Molly walked around the passenger’s side of her bug, Jordan surveyed her across the car. “So. Peanut butter.”
Molly shot her a glare as she slid into her seat. “Shut up.”
“If you insist. Top down okay?”
“Sounds nice, actually.”
Jordan smiled and pulled onto the road. As they drove, the cool air rushed past them, lifting their hair as the stars twinkled brightly above. The air smelled smoky, as it always seemed to on those country highways. They rode in silence for a while. Finally, Molly leaned her head against the seat and turned. She gazed at Jordan steadily, those soft brown eyes now gentle.
“Thank you for coming out so late. That’s what I should have led with when you got here. I seem to forget my manners with you lately, so let me try again. Thank you.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t mind coming. And you’re welcome.”
Molly glanced over her shoulder. “So this car, how long have you had it? Last I remembered, you were driving a green Beetle.”
“True. When I hit twenty-five, I decided it was time to get a little more serious about life and swapped in the bright green for dark blue.”
“Because blue is infinitely more refined?”
“Well, objectively.”
She laughed and Jordan felt it right in the center of her chest. It was nice to laugh with Molly again. It had been days since she had, and it was apparently her new favorite pastime. “So outside of the infamous peanut butter breakdown, how was your day?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Oh, you know, baking cookies and saving the world, that kind of thing.”
“Multitalented.”
“Aww, you noticed.”
“I notice a lot. I love you in the cutoffs, by the way.”
Molly’s cheeks colored and she glanced down at her shorts. “Thanks, but maybe let’s not flirt. It just causes problems.”
“I wasn’t flirting.” She tossed Molly a serious glance and watched her turn an even deeper shade of red.
“Oh, right. No. I didn’t mean—”
Jordan held up a hand as she watched the road. “Kidding. I was totally flirting.”
Molly exhaled slowly, her tone measured. “I don’t know what to do with you sometimes. It’s like I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.”
“Right. And that’s bad?”
“I don’t know.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes, the radio playing quietly as they made their way into Applewood. Finally, Jordan turned it off.
“Truth or dare.”
It took Molly several moments to answer. “Truth.”
Jordan’s eyes never left the road. Her words were slow and even when she asked the question that she had to know the answer to. “Do you think about that night as much as I do?”
They turned onto Molly’s street. “You know what? I don’t want to play.”
“Why do you always do that?” Jordan asked, her voice mirroring the frustration she felt. “Why do you refuse to participate in what’s happening around you?”
“It’s so easy for you to say that, Jordan. But you don’t know what it’s like to be me. I lost the love of my life. My world was turned upside down. It’s hard enough to move on from Cassie, to find a way to wake up and start again, but if I feel like I’m betraying her at the same time, I don’t have a chance.” With that, Molly exited the car and headed up the walk.
Jordan got out and stood next to her car, calling after her. “I didn’t ask about Cassie. See, that’s the thing. I only asked about me .” She heard her voice break and she held out her hands helplessly. “Why don’t you see me, Molly?”
Molly turned around. “What are you talking about? Of course, I see you.”
Jordan shook her head. “You never have. You’ve always been there for me, Mol, but you’ve never really seen me. Do you know that I’ve compared every girl I’ve ever dated to you? It’s true. You were always the unattainable ideal.” She studied the sidewalk before raising her gaze to Molly. “I get that it’s not easy, the concept of you and me. I just wish you thought I was worth it.”
Molly stared at her, her eyes wide, full of emotion. But she didn’t say anything, and it was all the response that Jordan needed.
She reached for the door handle to her car. “Okay, then. Glad you’re home safe. I guess I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Ask me again.”
“What?” Jordan turned back.
Molly blinked. “The game. Ask me again.”
“Truth or dare.”
“Dare.”
Jordan took a breath. “Kiss me.”
This time Molly didn’t hesitate. She didn’t stop walking until her mouth was on Jordan’s and her arms firmly around her neck, pulling herself in, going up onto her tiptoes for better access.
When their lips met, Jordan closed her eyes. Molly’s lips were so soft and wonderful that she let herself be pushed up against the car. It was as if all of the cool air had been sucked from the night, leaving only heat. She kissed her back hard, possibly too hard, but it wasn’t like she could stop herself. Molly let out a murmur of contentment and angled her head for the best fit, deepening the kiss. Jordan’s hand slid into Molly’s free falling hair and gripped gently as Molly’s mouth, the intoxicating scent of her soap, and the skill with which she now owned Jordan assaulted every inch of her. This was the moment she had been daydreaming about for days, and it lived up to every expectation and then some. Then, just as quickly as it had started, the kiss was over. Molly now held Jordan’s face in her hands. Her breathing was heavy as she stared unabashedly into Jordan’s eyes.