Page 276 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“All right.”

He opened the door to huge snowflakes and gusty winds. “Ten minutes,” he repeated, shutting the door behind him before he jogged to the Tahoe, got in, and left. There was something about the painting, something that was finally going to give him his answers.

~~~~

Callie smiled as Molly headed her way, maneuvering around the kids playing with blocks and matchbox cars on the family room rug. “Hey, you.”

“Hey,” Molly said as she plunked herself down on the cushion Nate had abandoned. “Nate wanted me to tell you he had to go to the office real quick—”

Callie frowned, sitting up straighter as her bubble of contentment burst. “He left?”

Molly nodded. “He said he’ll be back in ten minutes—that you guys can get the pies then.”

They’d been having an amazing day—a perfectly relaxing twenty-four-hour pause. Now he was gone. “Oh.” She cleared her throat, tucking away her frustrations as she watched Molly’s gaze wander to the piano and lock with Brad’s while he showed one of the younger Sandersons how to play “Chopsticks.” “So, how are things?”

Molly jerked her shoulders, snapping her attention back to Callie. “Good. Fine.”

Callie smiled sympathetically, not missing the hints of misery in Molly’s big blue eyes. “Why don’t you talk to him?”

Molly shook her head. “There’s nothing to say, remember? Plus everything’s too weird. And there are too many people around.”

It was so obvious that there was more going on than hard feelings after a steamy one-night stand. And Molly looked so pretty today in her stylish sweater, leggings, and boots combination. She’d pinned some of her dark, glossy hair back, accentuating her gorgeous Carter face. “Aren’t there five or six bedrooms upstairs?”

Molly’s left eyebrow winged up in a perfect arch. “Yeah, I’ll drag Brad up to one of the bedrooms with me. Because that worked out so well for us last time.”

Callie huffed out a small laugh and winced. “Okay. Not my best idea.”

Molly shrugged again. “It’s no big deal.” She glanced at her watch as she bobbed her leg up and down in an unmistakably restless gesture. “I should be good to leave in an hour, right? That’s not rude or anything? I chatted, I ate, I gathered with the masses in the family room.”

“No, that seems good.” Callie sighed, peeking at her own watch, noting that Nate’s ten-minute adventure to the office was officially rolling into twenty. It didn’t appear that his idea of “dessert” was going to be happening after all, but that didn’t mean she had to sit around and wait—especially when Molly was nearly crawling the walls to escape. “How about you come with me over to the house? Nate sort of stranded me, but we can take your car and go get the pies ourselves.”

“Yes.” Molly stood in a rush. “Yes, that’s perfect.” Grinning, she pulled Callie to her feet and linked their arms, all but yanking her toward the door. “Let’s go get some pies.”

“Where are you two headed?” Henry asked, tearing his attention away from the football game.

“Nate abandoned Callie, so I’m going with her over to the house to get some of the desserts.”

Henry frowned. “Nate got called out?”

Molly shook her head. “I didn’t hear his radio. He was in the library staring at the fireplace—got all jacked up about something. He just about knocked me on my butt and said he had to go.”

Callie frowned. “He was upset?”

Molly shrugged. “No. Or, I don’t think so. He said he needed to check on something and he would be back soon. You know how it goes. The big bad sheriff’s job is never done.” She gave Callie’s arm another nudge toward the hallway. “But we should go.”

Callie glanced at her watch again, eager for Nate’s return, curious to know what was going on. “All right.”

“Now, hold on a minute, girls,” Henry said as his frown returned and he set his half-empty beer bottle on the coffee table. “It’s starting to get dark and the snow’s really coming down.”

Molly rolled her eyes. “And we’re hardly going two miles away. Don’t be a worrywart.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Henry nodded. “You two be careful out there. Bring a cell phone.”

“We will.” Molly bent down again, petting Winston as he wagged his tail by Callie’s side. “Hello, handsome. Do you want to come too?”

Winston’s tail moved faster.

“Of course you can. It’ll be an honor having your dog hair all over my back seat.” Molly nuzzled Winston, making silly kissy noises. “Come on.” She moved into the hallway, grabbing her coat from the closet and Callie’s oversized white slouchy beanie. “You didn’t bring a coat?”