Page 44 of Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar 2)

We both knew I didn’t have plans, but I was scrambling to put him back in his place. We were divorced. Ex-husbands called before coming over. Ex-husbands didn’t share dinners. Ex-husbands didn’t sleep in the same bed as their former wives.

“Molly, we have to talk about the letters.”

“Not right now.”

The kids came running back, their smiles impossible to ignore. They loved having Finn here at night. They loved the attention from both parents.

Were we sending the wrong message? Did they think we were getting back together?

“You guys, you get a couple of hours to work with your dad, then he needs to get going.”

Finn frowned and the smiles on the kids’ faces disappeared.

“You can’t stay for dinner tonight, Dad?” Max asked.

“I, uh . . .” Finn rubbed the back of his neck, stealing a glance my way.

“No, not tonight.”

“Why?” Kali narrowed her gaze on her dad’s face. “Do you have a date or something?”

“No date. I just have some stuff to do at home.”

“What stuff?” The look on Kali’s face was one I’d seen plenty of times before. My girl was stubborn, and until Finn gave her an answer she deemed acceptable, she’d wear him down with questions. She didn’t do vague.

“Just stuff, Kali. So let’s get after it.” He turned and took a step but his answer hadn’t passed muster.

Kali crossed her arms over her chest, mirroring my stance. “It’s the last day of sc

hool. We’ve had, like, the best day ever. You could hang out with us and not ruin it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s tone down the drama.”

She clenched her jaw and shot me a glare.

“Come on, Dad,” Max begged. “We could order pizza again.”

“It’s your mom—” He stopped himself when my eyes widened. There was no way he was pinning this on me, not when he hadn’t asked to come over in the first place. “Tell you what, guys. We need to haul that bark over in the corner, and then we can level out the ground for sod. How about you two start loading the bark into the wheelbarrow while I talk to your mom?”

Max nodded, immediately going to work. Kali kept her arms crossed over her chest as she walked across the lawn to join her brother.

“I won’t stay for dinner,” he said. “I’ll make sure the kids know it’s my choice, not yours.”

“Thank you.” I let my arms fall. “I need some space.”

“Take it. The kids and I will work out here. You can disappear inside. When we’re done, I’ll go. But, Molly.” Finn stepped closer, his fresh scent filling my nose as he dropped his voice to speak low. “Sooner rather than later, we have to talk about the letters.”

“I agree, but not tonight.”

“It’s my weekend with the kids. What if you came over one night and we talked at my place?”

Not happening. “We can talk one day at the restaurant.”

“Fine. We’ll talk at the restaurant about everything. The letters. The sex. The reason why you won’t set foot in my house.”

I winced.

“Didn’t think I noticed, did you?”