License to Love (26 page)

“Mol,” he whispered. He thought maybe she was going to
whisper his name back, but he leaned down to her and brought their lips
together. Just a touch at first, then they lingered there, brushing lips as if
to say ‘hello’ again after all this time. He felt as if an epic quest had come
to completion. Before long, however, she kissed first his top lip, then his
bottom like she used to, and they were kissing like they always had.
Wow.
He wanted so much more, wanted things to pick up right where they’d left off. But
he’d waited all this time for her to return and he’d wait as long as he had to.

Her arms slid up his shoulders and around his neck. He
thought she needed him close just like he needed her. He’d been alone since
losing her and wondered if this was also her first kiss since then. Her lips
were the same sensual lips he remembered that seemed to be designed for kissing
his mouth
only.
He briefly remembered Alicia
telling him a good old fashioned kiss might bring Molly’s memory back, but he
didn’t dwell on that thought long. How could he with Molly in his arms again?
He sank his fingers into her curls, messing them up probably, but found her
hair as soft as before. His Molly, here again.

She pressed against him, emitting a soft sound of need. It
sounded like she needed comfort, to be held and reassured. She pulled back, her
swollen lips smiling.

She laughed, though not a nervous laugh, and stepped back
without moving
her
hands away from Trent’s arms. He didn’t let go of her, either, not wanting to
acknowledge the moment was ending. He wanted to feel her in his arms and have
that reassurance as well.

“Am I rushing you?” he asked.

“No.” She was out of breath. “Rushing isn’t the word.”

Was she confused? Scared? He searched her face, her eyes,
taking her head in his hands so she looked at him. She didn’t speak but kissed
him again. His mind went blank except to smell and feel her. Leaning close, he
rested his lips on her forehead.

A minute later, she leaned back and asked, “Are you going to
take me to your house today?”

“Alright. You got me.” They
strolled bac
k, holding hands again. This had been a special place to
them and now they would visit another. Trent wondered the entire way to the
truck and his house what she would think and if she’d remember anything. He
pulled into the driveway and she hopped out, looking ready and not worried at
all.

“Come on, slow poke.” She prodded in her excitement
until he
finally grinned at her. After waiting to
see this place, she thought she’d be more nervous, but that kiss and feeling
him hold her made things feel okay. After he unlocked the door, she let him
lead the way inside and she slowly took in the front room. The linoleum from
the entrance gave way to thick, lush beige carpet in the living room where
overstuffed rich-colored sofas were arranged in a square to create a room
within a room. The sofas faced the fireplace, not an entertainment center, she
noted, and fine artwork hung on the far wall. Staring at the empty end table in
the corner, she asked, “Where’s the lamp?”

“Lamp? Guess I don’t need one,” he said in an off-hand
manner.

“But the rose?” Yes, there
should
be a rose lamp
there she knew.

“I broke it, on accident, by knocking it off. I’m sorry.”
His voice caught on the last sentence and she finally looked at him. With a
jolt, it hit her that they were talking about the past. Her heart rate picked
up until she saw how sad he was over the broken lamp.

“It’s okay, Trent ….” She had planned to say more but her
eyes found the pictures over the fireplace and stayed there, staring at Trent’s
high school prom picture – with her. She moved forward for a closer look of him
spiffed up in a tux, his chestnut hair long enough to show its waves, a
youthfulness in his eyes and slight dimples showing in his cheeks as he proudly
grinned. Her wide smile, painted love red, looked as radiant as his. Her hair
was pulled up in an elaborate mass of curls, some spiraling down her back, some
teasing the sides of her face. The dress was black and long with a border along
the top of soft green flowers. Tasteful, not too low-cut, and classy. She
looked young as well with her freckles and tan.

When Trent stepped up behind her, Molly said, “Such a happy
couple.” She didn’t feel like she was talking about herself. Even with the
sparks flying between them and the feeling that they fit together, she didn’t
know about that long and happy past that seemed to
exist.

“We were.”

Looking over her shoulder, Molly met Trent’s eyes. She saw
oceans of hurt in those endless brown eyes, and she couldn’t imagine losing
someone she loved so much. To make matters worse, he hadn’t known whether she
was dead, hurt, or running from him. Standing next to him, she felt silly for
the times when she wondered if something had happened between them to make her
run.

Nodding toward the empty end table, he asked, “You remember
that, but not these pictures?”

It seemed he didn’t want to ask if she remembered them. She
shook her head sadly, not wanting to hurt him with her answer.

She moved on, toward the hallway, but didn’t make it much
farther when she saw the large picture frames holding collections of snap shots
in the different sized slots. Pictures of them at picnics, the fair, gatherings
with Alicia, and other friends. Trent’s parents were in a few, and even her own
parents were smiling down from the photographs.

“You put these together.” He spoke softly, and she saw now
why he had waited to bring her into his home. They must have been fairly
serious if she’d been adding touches to his house. She turned the corner to enter
the kitchen, finding a tidy space without much clutter on the counters. Not
much of anything, really, no spice rack or decorations on the walls.

“Not big on cooking?” she asked.

“I’m learning. I like to pull things out of the freezer and
pop them in the oven. Haven’t had much to spend my money on, so I eat out.”

Molly turned and leaned against the counter. “I cooked a lot
for my parents. When they were gone, I cooked for myself and my friend Karen.”

“You haven’t said much about her.”

Molly looked at his boots for a minute while chewing on her
bottom lip.

Trent prodded,
“Going to
now?”

“I’ve had this guilty feeling since I met all of you that I
replaced my old friends with her, even though I didn’t know about anyone here.”

Trent stepped forward and took her hands, making Molly look
up into his face. “That’s just silly. You didn’t have a memory or much support.
I’m glad you had someone there.”

“Karen was great. She didn’t push me to remember, but we did
things I knew I enjoyed to see if I’d remember some of my identity. I think
you’ll like her, I’ll introduce you when we get there.”

“I’d like that. I talked to her on the phone actually. About
the medical stuff and what she remembered about your hospital visit.” He
paused, wondering if maybe he should have told her about that sooner. Knowing
her made investigating this case a bit on the strange side. Molly didn’t look
mad, and if she was mad, she usually said so. “And I’d like to talk to her more
in case there’s something she might mention that you didn’t think of.”

“Like what?”

“I’m not sure at this point, but I’ll check into everything.
I’m interested in her perception of your parents. The answer to a case is
usually in the minute details that don’t seem to mean anything at first.” He
realized she didn’t seem to mind that they stood so close, her hands in his.
Suddenly all he could think about was kissing her back at the pond, and wanting
to kiss her again.

Then the phone rang.

It was Mark calling. Trent told him they planned to leave
for California in the morning, and somehow the two of them cooked up an idea
for a barbeque sendoff that evening.

Molly had wondered how she would say goodbye to the people
she’d met here. While the trip was supposed to be short, leaving for any amount
of time brought sadness over her. It made her
realize
how attached she was to the town and Alicia.

Trent grinned at her after he hung up, “Just Alicia and
David . . . and Mark and Bev, if David can get her to come.”

“Mark and Bev, as in Mark and Bev together?” Molly asked,
realizing she hadn’t picked up on it before. She’d been told Bev was related to
David, and that was her connection with the group of friends.

“Sort of. He’s working on it anyway.”

Molly gave a
hmm
at the vague answer and checked his
refrigerator. “Supplies?”

“Yeah, maybe we need to go to the store.” He grabbed his
hat, her hand, and started out. She walked a step behind, watching him. There
was something sexy about him putting on his cowboy hat and the way he walked.

In his truck, she asked him, “Is it just me or is everyone
rubber necking at us?” Or maybe it was the truck they were checking out since
it was a pretty sweet ride.

“At you, I’d say.” He smiled slowly. “Maybe people recognize
you.”

His idea must have been on the mark Molly decided. They
walked through the town’s grocery store and someone nearly tripped as they did
a double take of Trent and Molly. She gave Trent an unbelieving look, and he
said, “I almost trip sometimes when I look at you too.”

That got a giggle out of her. Since they didn’t grab a
basket, they both ended up in the checkout line with their arms full.

“Molly Anderson?” A surprised voice exclaimed behind her.
She turned to find a short, energetic looking woman in her forties wearing the
store’s blue uniform.

“Hey, Birdie.” Trent greeted her as space became available
for them to lay down the groceries. “Molly, this is Birdie Duncan.” The other
woman looked surprised that he had to introduce her.

“I was just going to lunch. Molly, I can’t believe it’s you!
Where have you been?”

“Redding.” Molly spilled her load onto the belt and looked
to Trent for help.

“Birdie’s a real sweetheart. Everyone shops here just to
talk to her.”

“I wouldn’t go that far!” Birdie’s warm personality showed
in the laugh lines around her eyes. “I heard rumors, but they never pan out. So
you really are back?”

“Back, yes. I’m re-meeting everyone.”

“You’re staying?”

After a quick glance at Trent, Molly replied, “Yes, I am.
I’m running back down tomorrow for a few days, then I think I’ll be back.”

Birdie shook Molly’s hand, told her she was happy to see her
again, and wished her luck in getting her memory back. When Birdie left, Molly
noticed other people watching them, and she had to wonder if any of them had
known her before. Trent caught her eye and said, “You worked here for a while
in high school.”

“I did?” Molly looked back toward the aisles. “We just
walked all through here and—” She stopped when it was their turn to check out.
Trent paid and bagged despite her attempts to help. They escaped outside
without anyone else stopping them.

After opening her truck door, Trent put the bags in back and
started to walk toward the driver side door.

A huge pop caused Molly to about hit the ground.

“Trent?” she called and saw him straighten up on the other
side of the truck and open his door.

“Backfire.” He got in, dismissing it, but saw Molly’s
bewildered face. “Did that scare you?”

“I didn’t see you at first.” She smoothed her hair, still
feeling rattled. “Do you ever get shot at? In your job?”

“Some people are bound to get violent.”

“You have?”

“I’ve been shot at twice. Never hit,” he said. “Actually,
the first time it was some drunk guy firing up through his roof. I just wasn’t
sure what happened at first.” Molly stayed quiet for a while, and he wondered
what she thought of his job. He was trying to keep the conversation light
today, take some of the pressure of her, and let her enjoy herself.

She asked him, “Have I told you thank you for helping me,
and offering to drive down to Redding with me?”

“Hmm, not sure, but you don’t need to.” He turned into his
driveway and led the way to the kitchen where he stuffed the bags into the
refrigerator.

“Come on out back, we’ll start the grill.” Trent had a
decent sized landscaped yard with a grill, a covered patio table, and other
lawn chairs, and then the yard turned to forest. Alicia had said there were
five acres out here. She wondered what he planned on doing with all that space.
Maybe it was for kids to play in and build forts in the trees.

She reclined in a chaise and watched him pour lighter fluid
on the charcoal. “So you like to play with fire?”

He moved his eyes toward her without moving his head and she
caught the gleam in them. They smiled at the heated question and let it go. “I
can grill. Not too good in the kitchen, but I can make a mean steak or
hamburger out here.”

David called out a “hello” as he came in the side fence with
Alicia, toting drinks.

“Hey,” Alicia greeted Molly, cheerful, beaming even, and
Molly knew today must be like old times for the rest of them. Seeing Alicia’s
devotion and concern for her made Molly want to be the same kind of friend
back, do her part of the relationship.

“We need to celebrate!” David set an ice chest down and
dumped ice into it before setting the drinks in to chill. “My wife’s best
friend is back.”

Molly could swear David’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he
spoke, and something told her he wasn’t being sincere. Didn’t he seem overly
enthusiastic? She covered her thoughts with a forced smile and decided to
ignore it.

Mark entered through the fence as David spoke, and Molly
noticed how he checked for Bev, who wasn’t there yet. He joined Trent, who was
putting the hamburgers on, and started a conversation about work. It turned to
the trip to California, and what Trent hoped to find there.