"Because of Alabama State?" she demanded, looking incensed. "Because you're going off to college next fall to play football?"

I nodded stiffly. "Amongst other things."

"And you believed him?" She looked so hurt. "You believed that I was going to fall apart when you left town next summer?"

"No, Molly, it's not that simple –"

"You thought that I was so emotionally fragile it was better to avoid me altogether than give me false hope?" Shaking her head, she released a humorless laugh. "God. I am not that pathetic."

"I didn't say that –"

"Whatever, D," she grumbled, unfastening her seatbelt and climbing out of the truck. "He had no right to warn you off like that and you had no right to believe him."

"Molly –"

"You should have come to me, D. If you had doubts then you should have spoken to me about it, not my father!"

With that, she slammed the door of my truck and walked away.

Throwing my head back, I hissed, "Fuck!"

22 Molly

I had learned three valuable pieces of information about the men in my life tonight.

First: Rourke Owens was a know-it-all asshole.

Second: my father was fast becoming one of those interfering helicopter parents.

And third: Daryl King was the breaker of hearts.

My heart, to be exact.

Okay, so maybe the breaker of hearts was a little dramatic, but he was definitely the keeper of secrets.

Daryl and I had spent every waking hour together for the best part of two freaking months and not once in that whole time had he mentioned his altercation with my father.

"I didn't tell you about it because I didn't want to cause trouble between you and your father," he admitted, falling into step beside me as I power walked through the parking lot. "I didn't have any bad intentions. And yeah, I screwed up by listening to him, but we're past that now."

"Are we?"

"The last two months say we are."

"We're supposed to be best friends," I bit out, wrapping my arms around my middle. "Best friends tell each other everything."

"Fine," he countered, invading my personal space. "Listen as I tell you how incredibly fucking gorgeous you look tonight." He blew out a breath. "My heart all but stopped in my damn chest when I saw you in your daddy's foyer."

"Don't even try to pull that boost-my-confidence crap with me right now, doofus," I huffed, shaking off his arm when he attempted to drape it over my shoulder. "I see right through you, remember?"

"I'm being honest here…" He chuckled when I once again avoided his arm drop. "And I ain't doing this with you, Molls."

"Doing what?"

"Fighting with you on our first date."

I gaped at him. "We are not on a date."

"Are you sure you got your period math right, Dolly?" He arched a brow. "Because you're acting hella hormonal right now."

I gasped. "You did not just say that!"

"Don't hold out on me, baby mama," he continued to taunt and goad me, loud enough for the people standing outside of the country club to hear. "I'll take good care of you and little Daryl Junior. Hell, I'll even make an honest woman out of –"