Carter’s lips lifted, then his gaze returned to Molly. She saw the heat and desire there and it warmed her body.

He tucked her hair behind her ears. “Maybe we should.”

Which would be the absolute worst thing to do. She might be drunk, but she wasn’t drunk enough.

“Actually, I should get home. I have an early day tomorrow.”

She hated the words, even as she said them. She wanted to stay here—with Carter—wrapped up in this warm cocoon of alcohol and him.

“Sure. Let me scrounge us up a ride home.”

She also liked that he knew he’d had enough to drink to not drive home.

“I’ll give you both a ride,” Bash said. “Let me get someone to cover the bar for a few minutes.”

“You sure?” Carter asked.

Bash nodded and walked away. Carter turned to her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Wish we didn’t have to leave. Wish I didn’t have to go home.”

“You don’t have to go home. You could come home with me.”

She inhaled a deep breath. “So many issues associated with that.”

“Like?”

“Like the fact I live with my parents now, and that brings up a lot of questions if I don’t show up tonight. Two, you and I have a history.”

“A history I hope we can put in the past. Maybe we can start fresh.”

She’d never thought about that. Starting over with Carter brought its own set of problems, none of which she was coherent enough to think about tonight.

“I . . . don’t know.”

“You two ready?” Bash asked, keys dangling from the key ring on his finger.

“Yup.” Molly grabbed her purse and her coat.

“I guess we are,” Carter said, sliding a regretful look in her direction.

She knew she hadn’t given him an answer, and when Bash dropped her off first, she slid out of the backseat with a thanks for the ride home to Bash, and a quick good-night to Carter.

She slipped in her house quietly and made her way to her room, where she got ready for bed and slid under the covers.

Ten minutes later, her phone buzzed. She picked it up to see a message from Carter.

Good night, Molly.

She took a deep breath, figuring it was best to ignore his text.

But her nice buzz lingered, and her lips still tingled from his kiss.

So she typed a return message.

Good night, Carter. Sleep well.

Chapter 15

HE KNEW IT was a mistake, and he was probably going to regret it, but Carter showed up at Molly’s doorstep first thing in the morning with two coffees and a box filled with pastries from Megan Lee’s shop.

Molly opened the door wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. Her hair was in a high ponytail and she wore no makeup.

“What are you doing here?”

He handed her one of the coffees. “I thought you could use an extra kick this morning, so I brought these by.”

“Is that Carter?”

He heard Molly’s mother’s voice.

Molly took the coffee from him. “Is this like a latte or something that has espresso in it?”

“It is.”

“I so need this. Thanks. Come on in. I was just filling my mom in about the committee meeting last night.”

He stepped in and she shut the door behind him. Molly’s mother was sitting on the sofa, her leg and arm propped up by pillows.

“Carter,” Georgia said. “It’s so nice of you to stop by.”

“I brought pastries.”

Georgia smiled. “From Megan’s place?”

“Yes.”

“I hope there’s a cream puff in there. She makes the best.”

“I had her put in a mix of items since I didn’t know what everyone liked.”

Molly laid the box down on the coffee table. “I’ll go get some plates.”

“I hear Molly was introduced to Mavis’s manipulative ways last night,” Georgia said as Carter took a seat in the chair across from the sofa.

“Yes, she was.”

“I held my own,” Molly said as she brought paper plates in and set them down. She opened the box. “There’s a cream puff in here, Mom. Would you like it?”

“Only if Carter doesn’t.”

Carter took a sip of his coffee, then shook his head. “I brought those for you and Molly. Help yourselves.”

“Oh, you have to eat, too, Carter.”

“I can do that.” He fished out a bear claw and set it on a plate, then grabbed a napkin. He took a bite and let the sugar melt on his tongue. Good stuff.

“But you got things accomplished, right? No pushback because I wasn’t there?”

“Mavis had that gleam in her eye like she wanted to take over, but Molly held her own. Right up until she agreed to judge the holiday parade.”

“Oh.” Georgia’s gaze shifted to Molly. “I forgot to warn you about that. I’m sorry, honey. Mavis can be pushy about that because she chairs the annual Hope holiday parade every year.”

“I didn’t know anything about it. Carter filled me in, though.”

“I have no doubt you’re tough enough to stand up to Mavis. In the meantime, things are progressing with the town square project. I knew you could handle it.”

“She did good,” Carter said, sliding a smile toward Molly.

She smiled back, surprising him.

He stood, taking his plate to the kitchen trash. “I need to head out to work.”

“I’ll walk you out.”

“Have a good day, Carter,” Georgia said.

“You, too, Georgia.”

Molly shut the door behind her. “Thanks for bringing the pastries. I know my mom appreciated it. And thank you for the latte. I needed the jolt after last night.”

He grinned. “Yeah, me, too. That alarm went off way too early this morning.”

“So you’ve already been to work?”

“Yeah. We had a client bringing in a car before work, so I wanted to be there to open up. I took a quick break for a coffee run, so I need to head back.”

“Okay. Have a good day.”

“You, too.”

She didn’t turn and walk back to the house, which left him an opening.

“Molly.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to go out with me this weekend?”