"We're heading to the cafeteria," I say, before she can say anything else. "Are you done here?"
"Just about." He tilts his head toward the intake desk. "Give me two minutes."
I nod and watch him walk back, and when I turn around, Macie is staring at me with both eyebrows up and her clipboard held against her chest like she needs something to hold onto.
"Figuring it out," she repeats back to me, slow and deliberate.
"Macie."
"Molly." She gestures in his direction with a flick of her wrist. "That man looked at you like you hung the stars and you said you're figuring it out."
"We are figuring it out," I say, keeping my voice low because the ER has ears and small towns have bigger ones. "It's just early."
She shakes her head, but she's smiling, and she lets it go, which I appreciate more than I can say. "Fine. But for the record, Friday night at the Lean To is going to have absolutely nothing on whatever it is the two of you have going on."
I look back at Dakota, who has finished at the desk and is saying something to the man he brought in, before handing him off to what looks like Darren.
I think maybe she's right.
I'm just not quite ready to say it out loud yet.
But I'm getting there.
Chapter 13
Dakota
I didn't expect to see Molly today, and it's got me a little fucked up. Seeing her when I'm just going about my every day life reminds me of how much I want her to be a part of it. Pulling my phone out of my jacket pocket, I open it and see that Molly has become my top contact.
God, Levi has been my top contact for as long as I've had a phone. The realization of that hits me hard in the chest. Before I've realized it, all the things that matter point to Molly becoming a very important person to me. Whether I planned on it, or not.
Shaking my head, I swipe my thumb, and send her over a text.
D: Didn't expect to see you today. You look hot in those scrubs, Pretty Girl.
I don't expect her to answer quickly, but she does.
M: They do make my ass look really good. Too bad for you, you didn't get a look at that side.
She has an amazing ass.
D: I can come back in if you want me to. I have no issue with that.
M: If we're not ready to let everyone know what's going on between us then you probably don't need to come back in here. You look hot as hell in your uniform.
D: Why are we keeping it quiet again? We really need to discuss this. I know why we started, but Molls, I don't think I want to keep it a secret anymore.
M: Think about it Dakota, if my dad sees you kissing me, what are you going to do?
D: Your dad doesn't scare me, Molly. Not kissing you for the rest of my life scares me.
My chest is heaving as I send that text. The weight of what I've just said to her presses against me. Is this the sentence that changes our relationship for good? I watch, waiting to see what she says. Three little bubbles appear, then they disappear, and reappear again.
M: It scares me too. I don't know what my life would be like without you.
And that's when I know we're no longer doing this just to see what happens. We're not doing it just because the thrill of hiding makes the sex hotter. We're doing this because we're starting to develop feelings for one another. This is starting to get much more serious than either one of us meant for it to.
D: Same.