Molly - Sarah Monzon Page 0,44

horizontal striped shirt and red shorts.

“Figured out my real name, did you?”

Her grin grew. “That dog was one of my favorites as a kid.”

Funny. I hadn’t cared for him all that much. “He’s a mutt.”

She straightened and planted her hands on her hips. “He’s a hero.”

Warmth traveled up my neck. Get a grip, Ben. Just because she thinks the dog is a hero doesn’t mean she thinks you are. Which was good. Having Molly think I was a hero? Yeah, okay, my ego would be stroked, but one, it wasn’t true, and two, thoughts like that would only lead to having to have an uncomfortable conversation.

The boat I currently paddled was already barely staying afloat. Any sort of rocking and it would tip completely. Then I’d more likely drown in the murky, foggy water than survive.

No matter how much the Lorax fought for better, survival was about as good as I hoped for in my current state.

She readjusted her glasses. “So, were you named after anyone in particular?”

Since Benji didn’t top any of the popular naming lists, I could see how she would think the name belonged somewhere in my family tree. “Not anyone in my family, no. Benji isn’t very Greek, is it?”

She blinked in surprise. “You’re Greek?”

“My mother’s maiden name is Stavropoulos.”

“My mother’s maiden name is Smith.”

I laughed. “She didn’t have to correct anyone on that pronunciation growing up, did she?”

Molly grinned. “No, she didn’t.” She paused, her lips pushed to the side. “Greek. Does that mean you have a big family?”

I shook my head. “Only child actually.”

“Me too.”

I set the letter on the counter and picked up the mug of coffee. I shouldn’t get used to Molly doing these little niceties for me. Coffee ready in the afternoon after I woke up. Food prepared and waiting in the fridge. House cleaned.

She made life…easier.

Which just meant it would be harder when she had to leave.

I set the coffee cup back on the counter. “I think I inflicted a mortal wound on my parents when I moved so far away. They’re in Illinois, so moving to California might as well have been moving to Mars in my mother’s eyes.”

Molly’s head inclined in my direction. “I’m sure they’re proud of you.”

“They are.” Pride had never been an issue. All Greeks were great, after all. If anyone doubted, my father could list a few dozen examples from Plato to Spartacus to Nikos Kazantzakis. But the distinction of our Greek heritage made us feel it more acutely when we didn’t live up to our own expectations.

“My mom feels like she’s a failure as a yiayia—that’s grandma—because she can’t be here helping me raise Chloe, especially now that it’s just the two of us. But my Dad has a lot of health issues and they don’t want to move him, so she stays and takes care of him.”

Molly reached out and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “That’s rough.”

I found myself nodding. I tried not to think about my parents too much. There just wasn’t any more room in my blasted lifeboat that I was trying to keep afloat. If I let my thoughts drift toward them, my heart grew even heavier in my chest.

I should be there. I should be the one taking care of Dad. As a dutiful son. As a medical professional. Instead, all I could do was make regular calls to his physicians to make sure he received the treatments he needed and try not to dwell on the distance between us.

I hung my head and rested it in my hands. What kind of rotten son did that make me, that I didn’t even want to think about my parents more than necessary?

Molly made a consoling noise as she stepped around the island. One minute I was standing alone…all alone…and the next I was being held in her arms.

My head bent and turned, my nose burying into the crook of her neck. She smelled like citrus and melons. And she felt…My breath hitched. She felt like a woman. Soft and comforting, reminding me of the security blanket Chloe used to always carry around.

I should step back. Put distance between us.

My head lifted the same time she moved hers. Our eyes met. Tangled. Locked.

Her breath fanned across my lips, awakening the nerves there like an electric shock. My gut clenched as her gaze lowered and rested on my mouth.

Step back.

I swayed forward.

Molly closed the distance between us. Before I knew what was happening her lips caressed mine. Soothing. Supporting. Giving.

“Are