finished inside now, and all they’ve got left to do is paint and seal the outside.” She took Molly through it, and Molly marveled at the beautiful stalls, the fine craftsmanship on the doors, and the perfectly placed hooks and shelves for all the tack and feed.
“This is great,” she said, looking around at everything and trying to take it all in at once.
“Matt did some tweaks on the design,” Gloria said, a noticeable measure of pride in her voice. “We’ve both worked with plenty of horses in our day, and I have to say I agree with his changes.”
“It’s great,” Molly said. Her inexperience with horses and barns and stables had been covered up by hiring a designer to work on the construction of the facilities needed for the therapy program. Pete Marshall had helped her several times, and she couldn’t even see what had been changed.
Twenty minutes later, she’d seen everything, and they started the walk back to the farmhouse. “We’re still on track for it to open next spring,” she said. “We just need personnel now. Counselors, trainers, and maybe even an administrative position to keep the whole thing running smoothly.”
Someone detailed and organized, who could make phone calls and greet wounded or scared kids with a smile and a piece of candy. Someone like me, she thought.
Molly pushed the thought out of her mind. She had a job she loved, and she barely knew how to ride a horse. Gloria had offered to teach her, but Molly had only taken a few lessons before things had gotten too hectic.
As she climbed the back steps to the deck, she heard Hunter’s voice inside the farmhouse. “…no right to tell her that,” he said, and he was not happy.
Matt looked at her over his shoulder, his eyes wide and worried. Molly kept going, because she needed to face Hunter sooner or later. She supposed it was going to be sooner.
Gloria entered the farmhouse first, then Matt, then Molly, and she paused to take everything in. Elise stood at the edge of the counter, a wooden spoon in her hand. Gray and Hunter sat at the table, neither of them speaking. They both wore a grim look on their face, and Hunter’s looked more like a tornado about to touch down.
“Pizza’s here,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Can we eat, Elise?”
“Let me call the kids.” She went toward the front door while Gray stood and moved the pitcher of punch to the counter next to the pizza boxes. Paper plates and napkins had already been set out, and Molly strongly disliked how Hunter kept his back to her.
He hadn’t said hello either, or even looked in her direction. Strong feelings moved through her, and she decided she wasn’t going to let him ignore her. He couldn’t hide from her.
She wouldn’t hide from him.
As Tucker and Deacon came tearing into the house with loud voices, Molly moved past everyone to stand next to her boyfriend. She curled her fingers around his and said, “Hey, did you get my text about what kind of pizza I wanted?”
He’d never answered, and Molly hoped the simple question would lighten his mood.
He cut a look at her. “I got it.”
“Thank you.”
Jane came inside, and Chris rose from the couch where Molly hadn’t even seen him and Bev. Hunter’s grandmother didn’t stand, and Molly didn’t like the gray color of her skin. Alarm pulled through her, but no one else seemed to notice.
Gray said grace, and the kids attacked the cheese pizza. Molly took two slices of the chicken and bacon pie Hunter had ordered especially for her, and she took her paper plate over to the couch where Bev sat.
“How are you, ma’am?” she asked.
Bev gave her a weary smile. “I’m still kicking.”
“Can I get you something to eat?”
“Oh, Chris is bringing me some of that all-meat kind.” She reached out and patted Molly’s knee. “You eat whatever you want, dear. You get to be my age, and it doesn’t seem so important to eat salads for every meal.”
Molly grinned at her. “Today, I ate half a protein bar and downed a Diet Coke for lunch.” She giggled, glad when Bev did too. She took a big bite of her cheesy pizza just as Chris arrived with a plate for Bev, Hunter right behind him.
“Hey, Grandma.” Hunter bent down and gave his grandmother a kiss on the top of the head. “Can I steal Molly from you?”