“Is that what you want, Molly? Are you angling to make this a real marriage?”

“With an emotional twelve-year-old? A man who can barely be civil to his only blood relative? I’m not that self-destructive.”

“Aren’t you?”

“What do you want me to say? That I’ve fallen in love with you?” She’d meant to be scathing, but she saw by his thunderstruck expression that he’d recognized the truth.

Her legs felt rubbery. She sat on the edge of the glider and tried to think of a way out, but she was too emotionally battered. And what was the point when he’d see through it anyway? She lifted her head. “So what? I know a one-way street when I run into it, and I’m not stupid enough to drive down it in the wrong direction.”

She hated his shock.

“You are in love with me.”

Her mouth was dry. Roo rubbed against her ankles and whimpered. She wanted to say this was just another variation on her crush, but she couldn’t. “Big deal,” she managed. “If you think I’m going to cry all over your chest because you don’t feel the same way, you’re wrong. I don’t beg for anybody’s love.”

“Molly …”

She hated the pity she heard in his voice. Once again, she hadn’t measured up. She hadn’t been smart enough or pretty enough or special enough for a man to love.

Stop!

A terrible anger filled her, and this time it wasn’t directed at him. She was sick of her own insecurities. She’d accused him of needing to grow up, but he wasn’t the only one. There wasn’t anything wrong with her, and she couldn’t keep living her life as if there were. If he didn’t love her in return, that was his loss.

She shot up from the glider. “I’m leaving today with Phoebe and Dan. Me and my broken heart are skulking back to Chicago, and you know what? We’ll both survive just fine.”

“Molly, you can’t—”

“Stop right now, before your conscience gets cranked up. You’re not responsible for my feelings, okay? This isn’t your fault, and you don’t have to fix it. It’s just one of those things that happened.”

“But … I’m sorry. I—”

“Shut up.” She said it quietly because she didn’t want to leave in anger. She found herself moving toward him, watched her hand go to his cheek. She loved the feel of his skin, loved who he was despite his all-too-human frailties. “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown, and I wish you all the best.”

“Molly, I don’t—”

“Hey, no begging me to stay, okay?” She managed a smile and stepped away. “All good things come to an end, and that’s where we are.” She made her way to the door. “Come on, Roo. Let’s find Phoebe.”