with him and Gloria to go over the progress on the construction.
Yes, she typed out to him. I want chicken and bacon pizza with Alfredo sauce. Tons of cheese.
Hunter didn’t respond right away, and Molly got up to get her work done. There was always more to do, but Molly had learned how to do what needed to be done for the next day only. Otherwise, she’d spend hours and hours in her classroom after school.
A few hours later, she pulled up to the farmhouse she’d grown to love. Hunter’s parents and siblings had returned from Coral Canyon, and she found his father sitting on the front steps with his daughter, showing her how to strip the bark from a stick.
They both looked up at her as she got out of the car, and Jane set down her knife and came bounding down the steps toward her. Molly smiled at the child and hugged her tight when she reached her. “How was school, you lovely girl?”
“I started sixth grade today,” she said, stepping back. “Everyone seemed so big. Tall.”
Molly beamed down at her. “You’ll grow taller.”
“Maybe,” Jane said. “Mom is short.”
“You can do anything a tall person can do,” her father said from the steps.
“Yeah, except reach stuff,” Jane grumbled. “Come see what we’re doing.”
Molly followed the girl and smiled at Hunter’s father. “Hello, Gray.”
“How was your first day, Molly?” He glanced at her and then focused on the wood in his hand again.
“Tiring,” she said with a sigh. “I’ll survive though. I keep telling myself that I’ve done this before. I’ll get used to getting up early, and I’ll remember how to scarf down lunch in only fifteen minutes.”
Gray chuckled, and Molly joined him, though she’d spoken true. “Are you here for Pony Power?” he asked next.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m supposed to have Matt walk me through how things are going with the construction.”
Gray nodded, and when he didn’t ask another question, Molly basked in the silence. It was so still and so peaceful out here. The wind moved through the trees in the distance, and she could hear it coming toward her.
The rustling grew degree by degree until the leaves on the trees in the front yard moved, and Molly let the breeze brush by her face. She took a deep breath of the fresh air that had already started to cool. The weather in the Rocky Mountains could be unpredictable at best. It could snow in September, and then the next day, be perfectly sunny and warm.
“Gray, do you think Hunter’s going to take that CEO position?” Molly asked, the last word or two nearly choking her.
Several seconds of silence followed, and Molly was beginning to think she’d imagined herself asking the question when he said, “Yes.”
She nodded, though her misery and desperation had exploded inside her.
“You don’t want him to,” Gray said, not really asking.
Molly shook her head, barely hearing him as he said something to Jane. He taught her for a few minutes, and Molly decided she couldn’t stay.
“Excuse me,” she said, standing up. “I need to go find Matt and Gloria.” That was true, but she really just wanted a moment to mourn for Hunter.
She’d barely made it around the side of the house before Gray caught up to her. “Molly,” he said. “Wait a second.”
She breathed in through her nose and took a moment before she turned back to him. He looked so much like Hunter, though his son was taller, darker, and broader.
“He feels like he has no other choice,” Gray said.
“I know exactly what that feels like,” she said, her chest collapsing on itself. “I will do my best to support him.”
“I know you will,” Gray said with a heavy smile. “I will too. That’s all we can really do.”
She nodded, said, “Excuse me,” again and ducked away from him. She met Matt out by his cabin, and they went to find Gloria. She was working with a handsome black and white horse, and she quickly tethered him to a walking circle so she could go on the tour with Molly.
“So much has changed since I was here last,” Molly said, looking around. “I guess it’s been a couple of weeks.” She’d been very busy preparing for the new school year, helping Ingrid and Kara move into their apartments for the new school year, and even going with Lyra and Mama to taste the wedding cake options.
“The biggest change is the row house,” Gloria said, leading the trio that way. “It’s