Chapter Twenty-Five

Thursday Jake spent the day catching up on his chores and, when he could, some of his online coursework. He hadn't told Molly about that yet, but he didn't realize that his sister already had. He wasn't sure why he was keeping it to himself, he just wasn't sure how to bring it up in conversation. 

Molly spent the day narrowing down her choices to wear for Saturday night and then tidying up the fall out of that in her room. She also, to keep her sister on side, took time to clean both bathrooms and the kitchen. As the two of them cooked together later in the day, Molly tried to do her best not to be nervous or clock watch. 

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" the younger of the two asked curiously as they ate at the dining table. While she'd been cleaning, her sister had spent most of the day at the computer trying to prepare for Monday.

"I might have to go to Walmart as I won't get much of a chance once I start working," Jennifer considered. "After today I just really need to get out of the house as well," she added, getting a chuckle in response. They'd both spent the day cooped up, but at least Molly knew she'd be heading out later tonight. "How about you?" 

"Hannah's coming over tomorrow morning to help me for Saturday and then I'm going over hers for a bit. She's got a bungalow on the other side of town, just gives me a chance to see more of Pleasanton," she answered with what she thought was a valid reason for heading over to her friend's house after her friend coming here first. 

"That sounds good. I'm glad you're starting to make some friends," Jennifer said now. "I know that makes you sound like you're five, but you know what I mean," she added when she realized how what she said might come across. 

Her sister chuckled. "Yeah I know what ye mean," Molly nodded. "Have you met anyone yet since we got here?" she asked curiously. As she'd already told Jake, she couldn't remember the last time her sister had actually had a boyfriend, let alone a date. 

"Nope," she shook her head, leaving it at that. 

"Maybe you'll meet someone at your new job," she suggested optimistically. 

"Maybe," Jennifer shrugged and continued focusing on her dinner. She avoided her sister's gaze as Molly tried to figure out why she was so intent on staying single. There was no one she knew of that could've hurt her that much to put her off, so maybe it had been Blake like Jake suggested. But before she could think of a way to bring it up, Jennifer finished her dinner and brought her plate to the kitchen to start washing up. 

Molly finished her dinner too over the next few minutes as she kept thinking. "Jen…" she finally thought of a way to raise the topic. "You are happy right? I mean, I'm not holding you back or anything right?" she asked, making her way into the kitchen as well. 

"What kind of question is that? You're not holding me back, don't be silly," Jennifer responded, genuinely taken aback. 

"I'm just checking, because I can't ever remember you really having a long-term boyfriend or anything," Molly tried to explain her questioning. 

"I don't need a boyfriend to be happy. Besides, I've got you," her sister answered, drying her hands on a kitchen towel. "Don't worry about me, okay," she added now and pulled her in for a hug. 

"Okay. But promise me that you'll tell me if that changes okay?" Molly conceded for now. Clearly, she wasn't going to get any more information from her today. 

"Promise," Jennifer nodded. "Silly girl," she said, giving her another hug before continuing the washing up. 

"I'm going to start getting ready for bed, as Hannah's one of these annoying country folk who insist everything has to happen early in the day," Molly said with a complaining sigh as she got up off the sofa. It was about ten to ten, and she was surprised that her sister hadn't made a move to start getting ready for bed herself. 

"Yeah, I've noticed folk around here are like that," Jennifer chuckled, sitting up a bit more. "I might start getting ready soon and all, once this finishes," she indicated the series she was watching on TV. Which wouldn't be until either 10 or half past 10. That meant that Molly would have to sneak out while she was still awake and could potentially catch her. 

"Okay, well good night," she said as she headed towards her room. 

"Night," Jennifer said absentmindedly as she settled back down on the arm of the sofa. Her sister kept her eye on her, hoping she'd get distracted by the TV or start dozing off so it would be easier to sneak past her. Molly went through her normal bed time routine, by going into her bathroom, going to the toilet and flushing, and even brushing her teeth so her sister would hear her electric toothbrush. She freshened herself up, making it sound like she was going through her chest of drawers to find a clean pair of pj's. After a few minutes, when it was pretty much ten o'clock, she snuck back out of her room and closed it, making it sound like she was closing it to go to bed. Jennifer still had her eyes fixed on the TV, but her eyes had glazed over slightly, clearly starting to doze off. Molly opened the back door and managed to get it to close without her sister hearing. She quickly locked the door and rushed off away from the porch so her sister wouldn't happen to see her if she did look up. 

Jake had already pulled up in front of the house and turned his lights off, but left the engine running. Restarting it would be louder than just leaving it on. He'd put the radio on but made sure the windows were closed so there was less risk of Jennifer hearing it through an open window in the living room or kitchen. 

I don't take my whisky to extremes. Don't believe in chasing crazy dreams. My feet are planted firmly on the ground. And darling when you come along. I get carried away by the look, by the light in your eyes. Before I even realize the ride I'm on, baby I'm long gone. I get carried away, nothing matters but being with you.

He glanced at the radio, for the first time ever cursing King George. The song reminded him too much of the girl he was waiting for right now. Over the past week in particular he did feel like perhaps his father had been right about them and his developing feelings. Forget developing feelings, he was falling for her hard. 

It might seem like an ordinary night. Same old stars, the same old moon up high. But when I see you standing at your door, nothing's ordinary any more. 

Just then he looked up to see Molly jogging from around the back of the house, giving him a wave before she ducked down a little to make sure she definitely wasn't visible to her sister from where she was sat in the living room. 

"Hi," she breathed happily as she hopped into the truck, taking care not to slam the door shut and put her seat belt on. 

"Hey," he smiled, instantly feeling a bit happier. 

I get carried away, nothing matters but being with you. Like a feather flying high up in the sky on a windy day. I get carried away. 

"Got out okay then?" he asked as he put the lights on the truck back on and pulled away.

"Yeah, luckily she was fixed on the TV but starting to doze off," Molly nodded, sounding relieved. "I blagged that Hannah wanted to see me quite early tomorrow so it wasn't weird that I wanted to go to bed already." 

"What are ye doin' with Hannah tomorrow?" Jake asked curiously as he glanced at her for a second. 

She went through her hair as she leaned back, trying to think of a way to make their day sound less girly. But there was no way around it if she was going to be honest with him. "She's helping me choose my outfit for Saturday," she answered, getting a slightly confused look in response. 

"Does an outfit for a barn dance require a committee these days?" he asked, only teasing a little. 

She gave him a light nudge to show she wasn't impressed. "No, but it's my first one and I don't want to look like the dweeb city girl," Molly explained. 

"Ye might be a lot of thangs, but ye'd never be a dweeb," he reassured her, with a slight chuckle. "Don't stress about it too much," he added now, thinking she'd already won him over and that was the main thing. 

This time Jake didn't wait for her to get cold to get the extra blanket out or to hold her closer. He set it up so that they were sat up against the chest in the bed of his truck instead of laying down. This way they were a bit more likely to hold more of a conversation and less likely to fall asleep again. Molly couldn't risk not having enough sleep by coming home the same time she did on Sunday, as she didn't have time to catch up before Hannah came over. 

There were a few times during the conversation that Jake found himself distracted by the floral scent of her hair, as she was sat so close to him with her head on his shoulder. As he breathed her in, he couldn't help but let his thoughts get carried away into a completely different direction, one that he couldn't act on yet, no matter how much his body might want him to. 

If Molly seemed to notice his lags in attention, she didn't let it show.