Bidding Wars (Love Strikes)

chapter Six





Luke watched the wheels turning in Molly’s head. He didn’t know what she would say, but if she said yes, he was prepared to walk away from the house. The whole situation was crazy, but it was only a house. There was something about the woman in front of him that made his heart speed up and cause him to not think straight. He felt things for her he had never felt before. And what the hell it was, he didn’t know. He’d never even touched her.

He knew though, that if he kissed her, his world would stop.

“I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play, but you’re insane.” She crossed her arms. “You just show up here and now you want to date me. I think you should leave.”

“You didn’t answer me. If the house wasn’t part of this, could we have something together?” He put his hand on his pocket, poised to retrieve his cell phone. “I’ll call my realtor right now, if that’s what it’ll take.”

She shook her head with anger, and he knew rejection was coming.

“I have no idea. You can’t just throw this on someone like that. You don’t know me. And if I wanted to, I could tell you yes to your silly question just to get the house. But I’m not. We both love that house, but it’s only meant for one of us. I don’t know which one of us it is, but we wouldn’t be in this position otherwise.”

She had a point. One of them was meant to have the house. He knew nothing about her and her life. What she did aside from being a nurse. He glanced around her living room. There weren’t pictures anywhere. Nothing to tell him a thing about her. The place was hardly decorated. All she had was furniture. It was a place she existed in, not a place she lived and loved in.

“How long have you lived here?”

“A year. Why?”

“I was noticing you have nothing here that makes this place yours. Nothing that shows me anything about you.”

“So sorry. I’ll get right on decorating this place for you.” Her tone was laced with sarcasm. “I asked you to leave. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I am a little thrown off about why you’re here and what you want. I’m hungry and I have a full week ahead of me. Can we cut this talk short?”

Probably a good idea, since she’d asked him to leave twice already. This visit did not go the way he’d planned. On the drive over, he had envisioned her being so happy he would give the house up, that she’d throw herself in his arms and they’d spend the evening getting to know one another. Maybe she was right—he was insane.

He stood and walked past her. Her arms were crossed, and her stance was cold. She wasn’t interested, and the rejection hurt. At her door, he turned to her. “I meant what I said. I’d like to get to know you.”

He opened her door and left. As he walked down her front pathway, he hoped she’d come out and call to him. Anything to give him hope she might be somewhat interested, but as he climbed in his truck, that didn’t happen.

She was full of pain—that was one thing he knew. He didn’t know what the pain was or who had caused it, but whatever it was, she was having a hard time moving away from it. Whoever had caused her that pain he’d like to find and lock away. All he wanted to do was take it away and make her feel better. He wanted to see happiness shine from those big brown eyes, not the sad eyes she always carried.

Picking up his phone, he dialed Leslie to check on Sammy. As usual, Sammy hadn’t wanted to go back to his mother’s, and that broke his heart. He didn’t know how much of it was his son playing him to see if he could stay with him longer or if he truly didn’t like living with his mother. Either way, something had to change.



* * *





“I’m really confused.” Sandy helped Molly stock the patient rooms for the day.

“You’re not the only one.” Molly stuffed some cotton balls in a glass container.

“If you agreed to go on a date with him, then he’d back out of his offer?”

She shrugged. “Something like that.”

“And you didn’t agree for the hell of it?”

She shook her head. “That wouldn’t have been right.”

“Who cares? It was his choice to lay out that offer.”

“I know. But he has a son and—”

“I think you’re just as crazy as he is for not taking him up on the offer. Did you ever stop to think about what he might feel for you? That’s a lot to give up just for a date. Maybe he likes you…a lot.”

Her friend had a point. She hadn’t stopped to think about that. Did he really like her? She’d done nothing but be mean to him. She’d shown no interest in him. Maybe he liked bitchy, bossy women?

“Can we talk about something else?” Molly sighed.

“No. Besides him giving you that offer, did he make a move?” Sandy leaned against the wall.

“Not really. He had this look in his face though. I haven’t seen anyone look at me that way since…since Steven and I were dating.”

“Maybe he really does like you.”

“But why?” That was what she couldn’t figure out. Love at first sight didn’t exist.

Sandy put her hands on her hips. “Have you ever looked in the mirror? First, you’re drop-dead gorgeous. I’m sure he took one look at you and wanted you. Next, you think you’re weak, but you don’t come across that way to others. You’re strong and passionate.”

“Whatever.” She walked out of the room. She didn’t want to hear anymore. Diane said she’d know something tomorrow. Then, hopefully, she’d never have to see or think about Luke again.

Date him. Yeah, right. Everyone around here needed to be in a madhouse. There was no way that he liked her. Most likely, what happened last night was just an attempt to convince her to withdraw her offer. Perhaps his fine self had expected her to be putty in his hands and be flattered by his offer. He probably expected that the lonely nurse would turn it around and withdraw her offer for the chance that the hunky sheriff might actually want to date her. Now that was a scenario she could believe.

The morning had been slow, which was usual for a Monday morning. They’d get busy later in the afternoon when the nine-to-five pediatricians got full. One of the early patients was a little girl who fell off the monkey bars at school and sprained one of her wrists. Molly had been proud of the girl. She’d been so brave as they did X-rays and bandaged her up. The little girl had gotten a bright purple cast and couldn’t wait to go to school the next day to have all her friends sign it. The mother hadn’t been as thrilled as the daughter.

Her cell phone vibrated in the front pocket of her scrubs. Pulling it out, she saw she had a new text message from Diane.

Call me on your lunch break.

She dropped the phone back into her pocket. What could it be about? The offers were just submitted this morning and Diane had said Tuesday would be the earliest they’d know anything. She doubted anyone had swooped in and taken the house. Perhaps another house popped up in the neighborhood and Diane wanted to let her know because she knew how much she loved the area.

The next half hour was the longest thirty minutes of her life. She was dying to know what Diane had to tell her. And it didn’t help that she didn’t have a patient to attend to. Finally the receptionist up front told her it was her turn to take a break. Molly didn’t have to be told twice. She’d forgotten her lunch on the counter this morning, so she was going to head out to get a bite to eat. Once she was in her car, she pulled her phone out and dialed Diane, who answered right away.

“Guess what?” Diane’s tone was almost giddy.

Molly’s heart sped up. “What?”

“You got the house!”

“I what?”

“You got the house.”

“Really, I had the best offer?” Molly could not believe her ears.

“I don’t know. Your competition dropped out. He withdrew his offer.”

“Luke did what?”

“He changed his mind on the house. Your offer was the only one the seller received this morning and the timeframe to get in his offer is over. So yours was accepted.”

“The house is mine. I can’t believe it.” A grin spread across her face. She was getting her dream home.

Diane gabbed away, but Molly was baffled that he had done such a thing. What kind of game was this man playing?