Then her mind drifted to where it always seemed to. She wondered if she’d see Molly over the course of the weekend. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t want to. The next day was Flour Child’s last. Molly would be a wreck. She wanted to find a way to be there for her, but it just wasn’t the best idea. It would be too difficult to be close to her and yet so far away at the same time.
Maybe Molly was right and over time it was something they could work up to. It was wishful thinking at its best.
*
Molly checked her GPS. She was only twenty-two miles outside of Chicago and just thirty minutes from Jordan’s apartment. When she’d explained her plans to the Tuscanas, they’d been helpful enough to provide her with the address. She could only hope now that Jordan would be home. It didn’t matter though. She could wait if she had to. She’d waited this long.
So she sang to Janis Joplin and drove with the windows down, praying to God she’d be heard when she arrived. The buzzing from her back pocket snagged her attention. She checked the readout on her phone, and in strange news found it was coming from the clinic. “Hello?”
“Abort. Abort the mission.”
“Joseph, is that you?”
“Yes. Turn around. The eagle is not in Chicago.”
“Eagle? What eagle?”
“The target. The eagle means the target. Haven’t you ever seen a spy movie?”
“I don’t speak spy. You’re telling me Jordan is not in Chicago?” She pulled her car off the road onto the shoulder. “What do you mean? Where is she?”
“Amalia just called. She’s on her way to our house. She should be there any minute.”
“In Applewood ?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. How far away are you?”
“Far. It will take me a couple of hours. Are you sure she’s there?”
“Dead sure. You better turn around. We can stall her.”
She understood the implications of what he was saying to her, and her heart warmed. He was helping.
“Thank you, Joseph,” she said. “For everything.”
“You can thank me later. Just drive safe.”
“I will.”
With a flick of her wrist, she cranked the volume on the stereo even louder and turned that damn car around.
*
“I’m stuffed.” Mikey took in his plate, and in a nice touch, took Jordan’s for her as well.
She grinned up at him as he passed. “Very chivalrous of you, Mikey. I’m impressed.”
“Don’t get used to it,” he shot back. “I just happen to be in a good mood.” He softened a little. “You see, I haven’t seen my little sister in a few weeks. And here she is.”
“Aww, I missed you too, Michael.” She caught him on the return and pulled him into a hug he begrudged at first. Finally, he wrapped his arms around her snugly and placed a kiss on the side of her head.
“So there.”
She grinned up at him and then turned to her parents. “Thank you for having me tonight and for dinner.”
“Let’s do this more often,” Amalia said, cradling her chin in her hand. “It was fun to hear all you’ve been up to. I mean that.”
“Thanks. Maybe we can. In fact, let’s try. But for now, I better head over to Little Bobby’s. I’m exhausted, and I hear he has the guest room all made up for me. I wouldn’t want to stand the guy up.”
“Why don’t you stay here? With us?”
“It’s just easier. There’s a lot of work to be done over there. Plus, he kind of insisted.”
“You can’t leave yet,” Joseph practically shouted.
“Oh. Okay. Is there something you—?”
“Pie! We haven’t had pie. And we should.” Joseph pointed at her.
“If it’s okay, I think I’ll pass. I’m just really full. The pizza was plenty.”
Her father looked around furtively in a move that had her questioning his sanity. “You’ll make your mother cry if you don’t stay for one piece.”
“I will,” Amalia added. “I’ll just cry. Tears. Is that what you want. Your own mother?”
She shot Mikey a questioning look, but he just shrugged, clearly as mystified as she was.
“Okay. No crying. Just a small piece though, and then I have to jet.”
“Coming right up!” Joseph shouted. He was full of extra energy tonight. Geez.
Two bites into her coconut cream sliver, the kitchen door opened.
“Hey, Mol,” Mikey said from the kitchen. “What’s up?”
“Kind of a crazy, busy day, actually.”
“Yeah?”
“You have no idea.”
And then there she was. Molly. Standing in the entryway of her parents’ living room. Her hair was a little windblown, which made it completely perfect. In fact, just the sight of her made everything else in the room pale.
*
“Hey.” Molly knew it wasn’t the best opening line, but it’s what came out of her mouth. Jordan looked completely surprised to see her there. That much she could tell.
“Hey.” Jordan seemed to be clocking the exits, which wasn’t a great sign. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too.”
“I’d like to stay and catch up, but I’m supposed to meet Bobby and I’m already late.” She picked up the bag next to her chair and slipped it over her shoulder, as Molly stood there paralyzed. Even though she’d had all these great things worked out to say, the minute she found herself face-to-face with Jordan, they were gone from her mind.
And this was too important for that.
“Don’t go.” That was step one. Stop her from leaving. Jordan turned to her in question. “I should have said all of this before, but I wasn’t ready. I get that now. But just because I wasn’t ready doesn’t make what’s happening in my heart any less true. God, I’m not making sense. How could you have possibly followed that?” She placed a hand on her forehead and commanded her mind to slow down.
“What’s going on, Molly?” Jordan’s eyes locked with hers, and the compassion there was unmistakable. That’s when the world seemed to right itself, because just that look from Jordan was enough to set her back on track. Their connection was still very much intact.
“Do you want us to give you a minute?” Mikey asked.
“Shhh,” Amalia said to him. “I’m trying to listen. I’m the mother.”
Molly took a deep breath. “I know why you walked away.”
The three other Tuscanas looked from Molly to Jordan and back again as if captivated by an unpredictable tennis match. But she didn’t let it distract her. If anything, they should hear all of this.
She pressed on. “I was struggling and you saw that. You saw the doubt, the trepidation. And maybe you thought it was best for both of us if you gave me an easy way out.”
Jordan listened, her expression guarded. God, what was she thinking?
“But it wasn’t the easy way, because each day without you has been insufferable. The doubt, the trepidation was never about you. You’ve been the one true thing in my life through all of this, and my feelings never wavered.”
Jordan’s lips parted in surprise.
“I love you, Jordan. I’m in love with you. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. It took me some time to admit it to myself. But I’m sure now. You once talked about the grand gesture. And if I had a radio, I’d be holding it over my head right now. But, here I am in front of your whole family, putting it all out there. I wasn’t ready before, and you were right to give me space. I’m ready now. No, excited is a better word. I’m excited for whatever life has in store for us. That is, if you are.”
“Are you?” Joseph asked.
Mikey shot him a warning look. “Dad.”