Chapter Seventeen

Molly startled awake when she heard an animal noise, much louder than she'd gotten used to in her new room. She realized that there was no way she was in her room, as her bed was much softer than what she was lying on right now. Rubbing her eyes for a minute she finally opened them and realized she was out in the open air. She turned her head to the side and came across Jake, finally understanding what had happened. They must have fallen asleep here without meaning to. She stretched her arms and back before turning back towards the cowboy next to her to continue dozing. It took her less than a minute to drop off again but less than a second to remember that she was supposed to do something with Jennifer today. The watch on Jake's right wrist told her that it was still only 5.30am, so in theory there was no way that her sister would be awake already to discover she wasn't in. But she did need to get back sooner rather than later and that meant waking him. He looked so peaceful she felt bad about having to, though. 

"Jake," she said softly, giving his shoulder a gentle shake. 

"Hm..." he seemed to object, but he was no closer to waking up. 

"Jake, you need to wake up," Molly tried again, leaning over him a little now, shaking his shoulder again. "We fell asleep." 

"Hm, what?" she got a little more out of him this time. 

"We fell asleep," she repeated, seeing he was starting to open his eyes a little. She saw him go through a similar thought process as she had – realizing what had happened, wanting to get some more sleep and then realizing that they shouldn't still be here. 

"Molly?" he asked, now looking up to see she was still there with him. Somewhere he'd hoped that maybe he'd dropped her off at home and then come back out here before falling asleep alone. That he'd dreamt of her sleeping in his arms. 

"Yeah, I'm here," she nodded. 

"I should get ye back home," Jake said as he now sat up, trying to stretch out the kinks in his back from lying on the bed of the truck the whole night. 

"Yeah, me and Jennifer were going to spend the day together," she agreed. 

"So no ridin' lessons today?" he sounded a little disappointed as he got up and started tidying up the blankets. 

"Sadly no, but maybe I could come out to the stables after dinner?" she suggested, folding up the one that he'd covered her with last night to keep her warm. 

"Maybe we shouldn't risk makin' Jennifer suspicious," Jake said slowly, now seeing she was the one disappointed at that suggestion. 

"Yeah I suppose," Molly conceded. And she knew she'd get the chance to see him most days while Jennifer was out or when she pretended to go help out at one the other ranches. It still didn't mean she liked his suggestion. 

He put all the blankets away in the chest right under the truck cabin's window and hopped off. "Come on, best get ye back," he held his hand out towards her and helped her down when she took it. He held the truck door open for her and hesitated for a moment once she was in. She didn't say anything, waiting for him to make his mind up as to what he wanted to do, but he gave a shake of the head and closed her door for her. Jake couldn't believe how she was making him feel right now. Even just falling asleep out here kind of went against what he felt comfortable with. He didn't want to go too fast, he wanted to get to know her properly first, as hard work as that was going to be. 

As usual Molly let him be, caught up in his own thoughts. He seemed to work better that way, so she was happy to let him. Plus, every now and again she felt herself dozing off again, so it was nice to know that she wasn't falling asleep during a conversation. 

"We're here," the first thing Jake said woke her up. 

"Oh, great," Molly nodded and got ready to get out. 

"Molly, I... I'm sorry we..." 

"Don't be silly," she cut off his misplaced apology. People fall asleep occasionally, it didn't mean he'd offended her or crossed a line. At least not as far as she was concerned. "I'll see you tomorrow for lessons?" she asked, turning back to him before she opened the door. 

"Bright 'n early," Jake smiled now, seeing her grimace for a second before she returned the smile. "Have a good day," he wished her. 

"You too," she said and hopped out. "I really did have a great time last night," she said softly before she closed the door as quietly as she could, hoping her sister wouldn't wake up. 

"Me too," he said to himself, watching her sneak around the side of the house to her room. She knew going in through that door would make less noise. He gave himself a second to think about last night before he drove the remainder of the way onto his family's drive. He made his way quietly through the house up to his room and, only taking his boots off, he dropped himself, pretty much face first, onto his bed. His eyes heavy, he thought back to last night and was almost asleep when he felt his bed move as Beth jumped on. 

"Go away Bethy," Jake muttered as he now pulled his pillow over his head. 

"Only if ye tell may where ye been... or do ye want me to guess?" his sister said, leaning over him to try and see his face as he answered. She could always read him like a book, so as long as she could see his face he couldn't lie to her. She gave him a minute to answer, but he was trying to wait her out and if he happened to fall asleep, even better. "So... my guess... is ye were with Molly," Beth started, yanking him out of his doze again. "Wanna know what else I'm guessin'?" she taunted him when he still didn't respond. 

"No," he said blankly.

"I'm guessin'… Jake 'n Molly, sittin' in a tree," she started singing, giggling when he threw her off of him as he turned. 

"Nuffin' happened," he set her straight, lying down again facing her. 

"But ye did stay out all night tog'ther," she said, getting a sleepy nod. "Are ye seein' her today?" She was surprised to see him shake his head at that. "Why not?" she demanded. 

"She's doin' summit with her sister, who can't know about us," he muttered, almost asleep again, and not entirely aware of what he was telling her. Beth looked at him pensively, deciding to leave him be. Their pa would be waking him soon enough to start the work on the ranch, so she ducked out, trying to come up with a plan. 

Molly managed to get back to sleep quite quickly as well, changing into her pj's but keeping her poncho on. It had taken in some of him and the fresh outdoor air, and it made her feel comfortable. 

Luckily, Jennifer was so beat from the day before that she didn't come wake up her sister until almost 11. "What's got you so beat?" she asked when Molly finally followed her out into the living room to curl up in her corner chair by the bookshelf. 

"All this fresh air," she said only half-joking, making her sister laugh too. 

"Yeah, you've been spending a lot of time outdoors," Jennifer noticed. "Not that that's a bad thing," she hastened to add when she noticed her sister was about to respond. It was a vast improvement from sitting behind the computer or phone all day with her friends. "So... what would you like to do today?" she asked, crossing her legs underneath her as she sat down on the sofa. 

"Well..." Molly started, looking across at her as she tried to wake up properly. "We could head into town, explore some of the shops," she suggested. "We don't have to buy anything," she added quickly, when she saw she was about to object. "Except maybe some ice cream." 

"Ice cream does sound good," Jennifer conceded after a minute. "Okay. Plan of attack; we each get showered, shovel in some breakfast and cycle into town. We have..." she looked at her watch, "thirty minutes." 

"Deal," Molly jumped up from her chair and scrambled into her room to get her ensuite shower going, in an attempt to get most of the hot water. 

"That's not fair," Jennifer hollered at her as she too rushed upstairs, hearing her sister laugh triumphantly.