“I know. I did promise I’d call you so we could get together and have lunch. I’m sorry that time seems to have gotten away from me.”

“That’s okay. I understand you’ve been busy with your mom. It’s hard when there’s someone you have to take care of. I do the same with my grandmother. She’s eighty-two and I’m the only one left to look out for her, though she doesn’t think she needs anyone. She’s an independent sort.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. A little too independent. And she’s still driving—too fast for my liking, too.”

Molly could already see her mother doing that many years from now. Being independent, driving her crazy.

“What are you two whispering about over here?”

Molly looked up to see Chelsea had come over and had Megan with her. Megan was dressed like an angel, and she looked completely ethereal and quite beautiful tonight.

“My grandmother, and her fierce independent streak,” Sam said.

Chelsea laughed. “We should all hope to be as independent as your grandmother when we’re eighty-two.”

“Yes, but you know Grammy Claire. She still wants to keep her fingers in the flower shop, and she has her bridge club, and her eyesight isn’t as good as it once was. So I try to cajole her into letting me drive her places.”

“I know, and you’re trying to have your own life while seeing to hers,” Chelsea said. “That’s not working out too well for you, is it?”

Sam sighed. “No, but she’s taken care of me all these years. It’s time I paid her back. And I don’t mind, really. Gramps died a few years back, and she’s been missing him, so she likes having me around to keep her company.”

“Did you talk to her about the new retirement center?” Megan asked.

“There’s a new retirement center?”

Sam nodded at Molly. “Just finished up last year, over in the new section of Hope. It’s really nice. I took Grammy Claire there for a tour when it opened.”

“And?” Chelsea asked. “What did Claire have to say?”

“She said she isn’t going to leave her house. She said her children were born there, and she plans to die there. What am I supposed to do? My aunt Cecile lives in Ohio, and while she visits every now and then, she can’t really make any of the major decisions where Grammy Claire is concerned.”

“Which means you’re the one in charge of her,” Chelsea said.

Sam lifted her chin. “Like I said, she’s mine and I love her. She’s pretty much the only family I have left.”

Chelsea rubbed her back. “I understand, Sammy. I didn’t mean to get you upset.”

“I’m not upset, but I sure could use a glass of wine.”

Molly lifted her now empty one. “I’m with you on that one.”

They all went into to the kitchen for refills, and Molly smiled when Emma and Luke showed up.

“Did you get Mom situated?”

“We did. Well, Dad mostly did, since he shooed us off after all the trick-or-treaters left, so we changed into our costumes and had to hurry over here. We didn’t want to miss the party, which I see is going strong.”

“You look cute,” Molly said, admiring Emma’s sexy prisoner garb. “And really, Luke is playing cop tonight? How unoriginal.”

Emma laughed. “I know, but he said he has this idea for later about me playing escaped prisoner, and something about the handcuffs.” Emma held up one hand where the cuffs dangled from her wrist.

Molly shot her hand up. “That’s more than enough details, thanks.”

Her sister grinned. “So how’s it going here?”

“Good. The kid turnout was phenomenal.”

“I heard the music, saw all the smoke and lights all the way from the corner. Carter went all out, though he does every year.”

“So I hear. This must be the Halloween place to be, huh?”

“It is. Everyone who can tries to at least swing by. And I really need a drink, so I’m going to grab a glass of wine.”

“Okay.”

“Refills sound good to me, too,” Megan said, and Chelsea and Sam followed her.

Molly remained where she was, and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her. She jumped, then turned to see Carter.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Who else would be putting their arms around you?” he asked.

“No idea. No one, of course.”

“Good to know.”

“Why, would you be jealous if I named someone?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Probably.”

She smiled at that, then remembered her conversation with Sam from earlier. “So, you had a relationship with Samantha Reasor?”

“Yeah. We went out for about a year. Did she tell you about that?”

“She did. And now you’re friends?”

“We are. Why?”

She shrugged, trying to pretend it didn’t bother her. Which it didn’t, of course. “No reason. I just didn’t know about it.”

“No reason you would, since you weren’t here when we were dating. And that was a while ago anyway.”

“Okay.”

She looked around the room, suddenly feeling awkward.

“Molly.”

She lifted her gaze to his.

“It’s been over for years. And I’m not currently seeing anyone, if you’re worried about me and Sam. Or me and anyone else, for that matter.”

“I’m not concerned at all. Sam told me about the two of you, that it ended and you two are friends. I get it, really.”

Except she realized she’d missed a lot by being gone. She wondered what else she didn’t know about.

Life in Hope had passed her by.

And whose fault was that, Molly?

“How about a refill on my wine?” she asked, planting a smile on her face. She couldn’t do anything about the past. No one knew that better than her.

Fortunately, he smiled back at her, and she couldn’t help but laugh at the black lipstick on his mouth.

“What?” he asked as he walked with her to the bar area.

“Your face.”

“I know. It kind of rocks, doesn’t it?”

He pulled the cork out of the chardonnay and refilled her cup.