But maybe he could show her a better future, and that the town of Hope—and him—weren’t things to avoid.

The only way to do that was to constantly be on her radar. Whether she liked it or not, that was going to be his plan. Because now that she was back in his life, he wanted her to stay there.

Chapter 13

AFTER A FEW days back home with her mother, she realized several things. One, her mother didn’t understand the concept of the words rest and still. Two, though Molly thought she’d be bored and idle, she’d been anything but, since three, her mother was a list maker. And since her mom couldn’t get out there and fulfill the items on her lists herself, that left Molly and her dad to run errands for her.

One would think that after working nearly thirty-five years, her mom would find this an opportune time to take a breather and enjoy some time off.

Wrong. Mom, though laid up, was still as energetic as ever, and wanted her fingers on the pulse of everything in town. She was on the phone constantly with the people at her job, on her computer and becoming quickly adept at doing that one-handedly, and running Molly ragged by sending her back and forth to the office to do this and that for her.

Her father, albeit reluctantly, had fled back to his own job—at least part-time—since it seemed that her mother wasn’t going to have some kind of critical relapse at any moment. A nurse stopped by a few times a week to check her vitals, and home health aides came in to help her with her baths and therapy. The only person she hadn’t managed to bully so far was Holly, the nurse from the home health agency, since Holly was just as bullheaded as her mother. If that was even possible.

“Surely you can get me in a walking cast, Holly,” her mother implored while Holly listened to her heartbeat.

Holly took the stethoscope out. “That’s the doctor’s call, Mrs. Burnett. I’m just here to check your vital signs and manage your medication and pain level.”

“I don’t like those pain pills. They make me tired.”

Holly gave her a look. “They’re to help you rest.”

“I’ve rested plenty, and I feel just fine. I’m frustrated being confined. I need exercise.”

“We have you scheduled for physical therapy this afternoon.”

“That’s passive and it’s boring. I want to walk. I want to go outside and get some fresh air.” Her mother affected a pout. There might have even been some tears glittering in her eyes.

Molly would have been sympathetic if they’d been real tears, but she knew her mother. They were all an act to get her way.

Holly wasn’t falling for the bait. “Unfortunately, Mrs. Burnett, these injuries are going to take time to heal and you’re going to have to be patient.”

Her mother heaved a put-upon sigh. “I’m not a patient woman, Holly.”

Holly fluffed her mother’s pillows. “So I’ve noticed. Now let’s check your catheter.”

Molly understood the injustice of being confined to a bed when you were used to being a self-sufficient woman. She was just glad her mother was back to her old fiery self. But she would need to be patient as she healed, because no amount of bullying was going to make her bones heal any faster.

And Molly was going to have to practice an equal amount of patience. After the nurse left, she asked her mom what she wanted for lunch.

“Some of Bert’s chicken noodle soup sounds great to me.”

“I’m on it. Will you be all right here for a few minutes while I go get it?”

“Of course, honey.” She lifted her phone. “I have my lifeline right here.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” She kissed her mother’s cheek, grabbed the car keys, and drove to Bert’s. The place was packed and she grimaced, realizing she should have called ahead. She went inside and straight to the counter where Anita, the waitress, was handing in an order.

She’d been here twice already since she’d gotten home, so she’d renewed her acquaintance with Bert’s staff.

“Hi, honey,” Anita said. “Are you looking for a seat?”

“No, just a to-go order today. My mom wants some chicken noodle soup and I’ll take some of those chicken fingers with fries.”

Anita nodded and jotted it down on her order pad, then slid it on the carousel. “Coming right up. How’s she doing?”

“Antsy. She wants to get up and walk around.”

“I’ll bet she does. I can’t imagine Georgia laid up for long. She’ll push those doctors until they do her bidding.”

Molly laughed. Anita knew her mother well. “Yeah, she’ll definitely give it a try.”

“Order up,” Bert said from behind the counter.

“Gotta go. I’ll be back with your order as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Anita.”

Molly took a seat on one of the stools at the counter and surveyed the people coming and going. Bert’s was a busy place, especially at lunchtime. Or anytime, really. Since they were situated on the highway going to and from Tulsa, they served not only locals, but people on their way to the city and hopping on and off the turnpike. They did a steady business. She remembered coming in here a lot when she was in high school.

“Stopping in to grab a bite to eat?”

She swiveled to see Carter pulling up a seat next to her. “Picking up lunch for my mother.”

“How is she?”

“Not happy to be immobilized.”