This was by far the best birthday Molly had ever celebrated. It was always special when her already close-knit family stopped their usual frantic pace to spend some quality time together but having Logan and his family here made it all that much better.
When she’d realized Judah would be there for the games, she’d sent Felicity out to the corner store for a couple of toys and a piñata so Judah wouldn’t feel left out. The look on his face when he won Pin the Tail on the Donkey made the extra thought so worthwhile.
The dinner, the cake, the games—everything had been perfect, especially when Judah, his eyes pinched closed in lieu of a blindfold, had landed the final blow on the piñata and a stream of small toys had showered down over him.
His smile had been priceless, and well worth any extra effort she had made to make it special for him.
There was no doubt about it. She was really hung up on these Maddox men. It scared her that she was getting in way too deep. But how could she not love Judah when there was so much of Logan in him?
She was feeling emotional and overwhelmed by all that had happened that day, so she decided to step out and get a breath of fresh evening air. Besides, she’d been sidetracked by the donkeys earlier and hadn’t really had the opportunity to enjoy the petting zoo enclosure.
Someone had clearly taken her diagrams, because the reality looked exactly as she’d imagined it would. Children and adults alike would enjoy strolling down the stone path, petting some of the animals and feeding others. What a joy that would be to see—and that day wouldn’t be too far off now. Maybe this fall, and definitely by the time the Christmas season started.
She let herself into the double gate and strolled a little way, finding a lovely old-fashioned brass bench on which to sit and simply enjoy the scenery.
That was new—something she hadn’t put into her plans, but it added the perfect ambience, especially in the dark with only the moon’s orange glow and the stars’ glistening to light the area. Out here in the dark, she could even see the Milky Way stretching across the sky. Oh, how she loved mountain living.
As much as she appreciated all that had been done for her today, it was nice to find a moment to breathe.
“Molly?” Logan’s deep voice made the once-easy breath she’d been taking lodge solidly in her throat.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly. “I noticed you’d slipped away, and I just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong. I can leave if you need some alone time.”
“Oh, no. It’s nothing like that. I did step out for a moment for a breath of fresh air, but then I realized I hadn’t had much time to look at my new petting zoo enclosure and I wanted to come out and admire it for a moment.”
She slid him a glance and smiled. “Thank you, by the way.”
“For what?”
“This was your idea, wasn’t it?”
“I can’t take all the credit. All of your brothers and sisters helped out. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without them.”
“The bench is a nice addition. It wasn’t on any of my diagrams.”
“Yeah, I saw it on sale when I was out purchasing materials and thought it would look good out here.”
“It’s perfect. I love it.”
“And then there are the donkeys. Taco and Beans.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Yeah—sorry about the names.”
She joined his laughter. “I actually like the names, and the donkeys are adorable.”
“Judah picked them out all by himself. He’s pretty smitten with his Miss Molly.”
“Yeah? Miss Molly happens to hold a soft spot in her heart for him, as well.” She gestured to the bench seat next to her. “Do you want to sit down?”
He tossed his hat on the far side of the bench and sat next to her, stretching his arm behind Molly so he was turned in her direction.
“You amazed me today,” he admitted, his voice husky.
“How’s that?”
“Pin the Tail on the Donkey could have been a major disaster for Judah.”
She nodded in agreement. “It could have been. But as I’ve said before, it’s important for Judah to try new things, especially now that he has Rufus to guide him and help keep his anxiety level under control.”
“Hmm. Maybe I need a service dog to help keep my anxiety level under control. I tend to freak out first and think later.”
“Trust the process.”
He caught her gaze and held it tight, his blue eyes the color of midnight as they glittered in the moonlight.
“Do you?” he asked.
“Do I what?” Her words barely came out a whisper.
“Trust the process? Between you and me?”
Her heart roared to life. Part of her wanted to jump off the bench and dash straight back into the house where she would be safe among family and friends.
But she’d been playing it safe for a long time, and where had that gotten her?
“Molly, I—” Logan started, but she placed her fingers over his lips to stem the flow of his words, sensing yet another apology was coming.
This wasn’t the time for apologies. It was the time for forgiveness and moving forward with their lives.
Without breaking their gazes, she moved her hand to his cheek, enjoying the scratch of his scruff beneath her palm as she pulled his head down toward her.
Tentatively, she brushed her lips across his, and he groaned. She could feel that his shoulders and arms were a tight bundle of muscles and his back was as stiff as a board.
He leaned back for a moment, staring deeply into her eyes, seeking the truth in her gaze.
For a moment, he looked as if he was going to speak, but now wasn’t the time for words, and she was grateful when he simply tucked her head next to his broad shoulder and hugged her tightly.
Logan’s head swam. His senses were overwhelmed, from the way her head fit into his shoulder to the floral scent that wafted around her. It was all so familiar and yet so new.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his hair, just as she used to do when they were younger. He stroked his hand down over her long, silky black hair, letting his mind go, allowing himself, for this moment at least, not to think, only to feel.
“Daddy?”
The sound of his son’s voice jolted him back to the present moment. He and Molly sprang apart from each other. Logan jumped to his feet and turned to where Judah was standing with Rufus. Ruby was running up behind him, her face red from exertion—or maybe from embarrassment at having interrupted their cozy scene.
“I am so, so sorry,” Ruby said as she approached. “I guess the screen wasn’t shut all the way.”
Logan cringed. That was on him. He’d been so curious as to where Molly was going that he hadn’t paid that much attention to whether or not he’d completely closed the screen door.
“Rufus darted outside and Judah followed him. I was right behind him, of course, but I couldn’t stop him in time before—well...” Her sentence faded off into a painful silence and then, “Oh, boy.”
Judah’s serious gaze was framed on Molly, his mouth curving slightly downward. He didn’t immediately speak, but Logan could tell his mind was working a mile a minute as he processed what he’d seen.
“You were hugging my daddy,” he finally said. It didn’t sound like an accusation. More like a realization.
Logan’s heart pounded in his ears as he recognized where his son’s mind was going.
And there was no way to stop it.
Logan probably shouldn’t have been hugging Molly so cozily. Not yet. Not until they’d worked out their other issues.
He couldn’t just go around hugging women. Not when he had Judah to think of. His son would always have to come first.
But Molly wasn’t just any woman.
And technically, before he’d put his arms around her, she’d...kissed him.
Thank goodness Judah hadn’t seen that.
“I’m so sorry,” Ruby said again, clearly mortified at having disturbed them in the middle of such an intimate moment.
“It’s not your fault,” said Molly. Logan wondered how she could keep her voice so calm when their whole world was imploding right before their eyes.
Molly turned to Judah. “Are you ready to go back in? I’ll bet we can sneak an extra scoop of ice cream for the top of your slice of cake if you’d like.”
Judah didn’t move. Apparently, not even ice cream could tempt him at the present moment. Not until he had answers to his questions. “You h-h-hugged Daddy.”
To Logan’s surprise, Molly didn’t try to deny it or change the subject. “Yes, I did. Sometimes adults hug each other to show that they like each other.”
“You l-like Daddy?”
“Yes, I do,” she responded without a second’s hesitation, so quickly that Logan’s gut sprang out with a whole kaleidoscope of butterflies.
Judah turned to Logan with the same solemn expression he’d used on Molly. “Do you l-like Miss Molly?”
“Yes, of course.” He didn’t have to think about that answer. But after a moment, he added, “Very much.”
Judah slipped his hand into Logan’s and pulled him back toward Molly. He took her hand, as well. Finally, a smile lit his face.
Oh, no.
Logan only realized too late where Judah was going with this. In his seven-year-old mind, the equation was simple. If Daddy liked Miss Molly and she liked Daddy—
“Are we going to be a family now?”
Ruby’s jaw dropped. She made a high squeaking sound and clapped a hand over her mouth.
Judah might just as well have pronounced them husband and wife for the way Logan was feeling. How did one explain to a seven-year-old that hugging someone and marrying them weren’t the same thing?
He should have known better than this. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that they might be caught out here in such a compromising position, much less by Judah.
Molly gently pulled Judah over to the bench and patted her side for him to sit down by her. She put her arm around him.
“I’m glad you know how much I like your daddy,” she said softly. “He’s very important to me. And so are you. Yes, sometimes adults hug when they like each other, as your daddy and I were doing. But we need to spend more time together before we can think about becoming a family, okay?”
Judah furrowed his brow. He didn’t like this answer. His breath was coming in gasps, and he started to hyperventilate.
“In the meantime,” Molly continued, “you have your daddy and your grandma and grandpa who are your family. And I promise I’ll be your very good friend.”
Judah folded his arms and tucked his chin, curling into himself. Seeing his son’s reaction nearly snapped Logan’s heart right in two.
“Rufus,” Molly called, but the dog was already on his way to Judah’s side, sensing the boy’s change in disposition. He nudged Judah’s elbow until Judah placed an arm around him, and then Rufus added a slight bit of pressure to Judah’s chest as he’d been trained to do.
“Judah,” Molly said calmly but firmly, then waited until the boy’s tearful eyes met hers. “I do think it’s time for your family to grow. Would you like to take Rufus home with you?”
“Really?” he asked, his voice scratchy with emotion.
Molly nodded. “Really. I think Rufus is ready to graduate and be your full-time service dog and best friend.”
Judah thought about this for a long time without moving.
Logan could see his son’s mind turning over what had happened. Obviously, he’d misread the situation and had hoped Molly would be immediately joining their family.
That would be an answer to a little boy’s prayer—and it gave the boy’s daddy something serious to think about, as well.
In any case, taking Rufus home with him was a pretty cool choice, and it was a fantastic misdirection on Molly’s part to have thought of it.
Still, the tension in the air was palpable as Judah considered what Molly had offered in her place.
“’Kay,” Judah said at last. He didn’t appear as amped up as he might otherwise have been at the opportunity to take his beloved service dog home with him, but it was something, anyway.
Better than nothing.
If they could get his mind on to bringing Rufus home, all would be well.
Molly had saved the day once again.
Logan wanted to be a good dad more than anything in the world. He definitely knew he had to put Judah’s needs before his own—which was why he shouldn’t have been outside with Molly instead of inside playing with his son.
It had just never occurred to him that Judah might follow him out.
But it should have.
If Judah was confused by the situation, Logan was doubly so. Molly hadn’t blown off their encounter as nothing, but maybe that was just to save Judah’s feelings.
And yet—she’d kissed him. She’d reached out to him, and she hadn’t yanked away when he’d pulled her close.
What did it mean?
Or did it even have to mean anything?
Logan couldn’t breathe. The cool mountain air turned to ice in his lungs as he wondered what his next move should be, now that they’d connected again.
One thing was for sure—it was going to involve a lot of prayer.