Molly - Sarah Monzon Page 0,66
everything then.”
“Changes what, Mama?”
“You. Us. You have a woman now, and soon there will be a wedding and then babies.” Her hand went to her heart. “More precious babies. Praise Jesus.” A dramatic kiss to the heavens made Chloe giggle. “Your father and I cannot miss a wedding and babies.”
Ben’s neck colored. “Mama, Molly and I only just started dating. Don’t you think it’s a little early and presumptuous to—”
“No. I know my Benji.” She nodded her head once like a gavel falling from a judge’s perch. “So, it is decided. We will accept your offer to move in with you.”
Ben’s eyes met mine for a second, and I had to hold back laughter at his panicked expression.
“Mama—”
“We will talk later. I love you.” She ended the call.
Chloe jumped off Ben’s lap and danced around the living room. “Yay! Opa and Yiayia are going to live with us!”
Ben watched her for a moment, dazed, before turning to me. He threaded his fingers through mine. “Molly…” His Adam’s apple bobbed.
I leaned forward and retrieved my phone from the coffee table, opened up the camera app, then settled back next to Ben. Touching my temple next to his, I held out the phone, said “Smile!” and took the first picture of us together as a couple.
I opened a group text and clicked on Jocelyn’s, Betsy’s, Nicole’s, and Amanda’s contacts, then attached the picture. Thankfully I wasn’t within squealing distance of any of them, because they were going to definitely make some noise in celebration of this pic.
“Molly…my parents…and Chloe…” His voice cracked. “And me…” He ran a hand through his hair, the ends sticking up in a mad scientist sort of way for his efforts.
Completely adorable. The worry creasing his forehead, not so much.
I picked up one of his limp hands and placed it around my shoulders, doing the same with the second. He’d said holding me in his arms made the stress melt away. I touched my forehead to his, the tips of our noses grazing. I didn’t say anything. Just breathed.
When his own breathing evened out, I pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “I’m glad your parents are coming to live with you.”
His eyes bounced between my own. “You are?”
“Mmhmm. And what’s more, I know I’m going to love them.”
His hold on me firmed as if he were making the conscious decision to keep me in the circle of his embrace even though I’d been the one to place myself there. “How do you know that?”
I kissed the corner of his mouth. If he could tease, so could I. “Because you love them. What is important to you is important to me.” I kissed the other side of his mouth. “Besides, I already fell head-over-heels for two Reeds. You’re an easy bunch to love,” I whispered against his mouth.
My phone buzzed three times in rapid succession. I rolled my eyes as he picked up the phone and glanced at the screen. He looked back at me with a devilish grin. “Apparently they knew all along we’d get together. Also, some questionable hashtags and an inquiry about how well I did in chemistry class in school, although I’m guessing there’s a double entendre there.”
I gave him my sauciest grin. “Just how well did do you do in chemistry?”
He growled and reached for me. “Do you want me to show you?”
Didn’t take a compulsive truth teller to answer that question. “Yes, please.”
He kissed me until I thought I’d internally combust, and at that moment, I couldn’t help but marvel at how some unexpected consequences to honesty could be so completely, gloriously, and thoroughly life-altering in the Best. Possible. Way. Ever.
Keep Reading for a Sneak Peek!
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In the meantime…
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God Bless!
Sarah
Acknowledgments
You know on the copyright page of every book (yes, this one too) there is a disclaimer that says this is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual people is entirely coincidental? Umm…yeah, I probably shouldn’t have put that in the front matter of this story, because it totally isn’t a coincidence that a lot of the things Chloe said