Almost a Family

She and Jason hadn’t talked about what was happening between them since that kiss in the snow, and Molly knew they had to clear the air. Asking him for help would be awkward, yet she couldn’t think of anyone else to help with the party. She’d already decided against having extra children. She knew her limits and also knew Kim didn’t need that much commotion. It would be a family event. No one knew Kim and Sara better than Jason, so that afternoon Molly swallowed her anxiety and misgivings and stopped at the clinic.

Jason turned a corner and saw her there, waiting patiently for him, looking fresh and beautiful in snug jeans and Kim’s puffy pink bomber jacket, a scarf twisted around her neck. When she turned from the window to face him, sunlight backlit her golden hair and her eyes, normally a placid blue, glowed pale and bright.

She was his angel. Always had been, always would be. Ten years ago now, he’d fallen for her, and nothing had changed. But he’d been burned badly enough by her before that there was no way he’d let her see that. Not yet. Not until she came to him. He wouldn’t put himself out there and bare his soul only to have it thrown back at him again. But if he could get her to make the first move…

“Molly. What’s up? Is something wrong? Kim and Sara all right?”

“Everyone’s fine. Have you got a sec?”

“I’ve got ten minutes before my next client.” He didn’t mention that there were a zillion things he could be doing in that ten minutes. He had precious few moments with Molly left, and for once, work could wait. If she was going to come to him, he had to give her reason to.

He led her back past the exam rooms to the tiny cubbyhole that housed a fridge and a single set of cupboards. “Want a drink?”

“No, thanks,” she said, pulling a stool up to the counter.

“Mind if I do? I don’t often get an opportunity for a break.”

“Go ahead.”

He grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and sat opposite her, popping the top. “So what’s up?”

“I have a problem.”

“Shoot.”

“Sara’s birthday is tomorrow.”

“I know. I’ve had her present for a month.”

Molly laughed. “Why am I not surprised? I, however, do not, and neither does Kim. I want to have a birthday party. Just the family, though. But I don’t know much about children her age. Everything I know is based on the last few weeks. I don’t even know where to start and her birthday is tomorrow.”

“You want me to help.” He grinned at her. Shopping for Sara was fun. Doing it with Molly was exactly what the doctor ordered. It was as good an excuse as any to spend time with her. Even better was that she’d done the suggesting. She couldn’t accuse him of coming up with ways to keep them together.

“Yes, I’m asking for your help. You know both of them better than I do. Though it pains me to admit it.”

He ignored the last bit; it would be nice to have a conversation without an argument or recriminations being bandied back and forth. “I’m done here at six. We can hit the mall.”

“Thank you. I think Kim’s finances are…well, tight, and I’d like to make up for that.”

“You can afford to?” He offered it as a question, raising an eyebrow, rather than a statement. Molly had done what she’d said she would. She’d become successful. It was high time she realized that she had a family and he was pleased she was taking the initiative. If she wanted to spend a little of that money on making Sara’s birthday special, he had no problem helping. It also would be a good chance for him to see if he was right about her…that she’d changed and cared more about her family than about her career and her gold card.

“My salary’s substantial, yes.” She blushed a bit. “And I’ve only had myself to support. Besides that, Sara’s had a rough time and she’s been so good through it all. It’s the least I can do.”

Jason reached over and clasped her hand. Molly probably didn’t even realize it, but he’d seen changes in her over the past few weeks. When she’d arrived, she’d had this veneer around her, protecting her from feeling too much. He’d seen it the moment he’d opened the door. Yet bit by bit she’d relaxed. The designer clothes had been replaced with pieces of Kim’s more comfortable wardrobe. She’d expected less of Sara and had enjoyed more. Her cold manner had dissipated completely when he’d held her in his arms. It would be very easy to fall in love with her again. And very hard not to show her how he was feeling. But first and foremost he had to protect his heart. If things changed, they had to be on his terms. It was the only way he could keep himself from being hurt.

“I’m glad you’ve realized how special they are,” he murmured, squeezing her fingers. “I’ll pick you up.

His client was waiting, so he merely rose, dropped a fleeting kiss on the crest of her cheek and disappeared into an exam room. Oh yes, Molly held more power than she could possibly know. He’d tried, but no one in the intervening years had ever measured up. Now that she was back, he wasn’t sure he could risk that kind of heartbreak again. He had to be sure of her first.

*

They hit the toy store first. One stop shopping, Jason had said, and as Molly pushed the cart and Jason filled it up, her eyes grew larger and larger with the amount of loot that piled up.

“Do you have a theme?”

“A theme?”

He laughed as they halted before the party supplies. “You know, what kind of plates, napkins, balloons, that sort of thing.”