He’d have to live like a grown man. What a concept. And he’d thought he had his hands full fighting the need for a drink. Still, he realized that with his confessions to the police and the people he’d hurt in his life, he wasn’t feeling sorry for himself. Instead he was looking ahead.

And that, Marc thought, was progress.

THOUGH HUNTER HAD listened to Dumont’s statement this morning, he’d been more affected by Molly’s blank expression than he was by the man’s admissions. In Hunter’s mind, Marc Dumont was already a part of his past. But Molly was his future, or so he hoped and despite her withdrawal, he didn’t want her to find it easy to relegate him to her past.

He knew how badly Marc’s description of his actions had hurt her. On the other hand, she’d been right about the man now. He hadn’t been behind the attempts on Lilly’s life. Her faith in him had been rewarded. Hunter hoped that counted for something in Molly’s mind.

He needed to know how she was holding up. He had to know where they stood. And he wanted to see her…just because. He shoved his work aside, rose and grabbed his jacket.

Half an hour later, he pulled up to Molly’s house. He wasn’t surprised Anna Marie was nowhere to be seen. From what Ty had said, the older woman had a rough day and she was probably hiding inside.

As Hunter stepped onto the porch and rang Molly’s doorbell, Hunter was grateful for the privacy. He heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and Molly opened the door.

She greeted him wearing gray sweats and a white T-shirt with smudges on the front. She looked as if she’d been cleaning.

“Hi,” he said, suddenly incapable of anything clever or smart to say. He was just glad to see her.

She inclined her head. “Hi.”

“Rough morning,” he said.

She shrugged. “Actually, it got even rougher. Listen, I’m kind of busy-”

“I’d still like to talk. I won’t keep you long.”

She paused, then taking him by surprise, she pushed the door open wide. “Come on in.”

He’d expected more of an argument. He followed her up the flight of stairs, wondering if maybe he’d get through to her after all. Then he stepped into her den and saw the suitcases spread out all over the room, the sight hitting him like a kick in the stomach.

He glanced around. There weren’t just clothes in the suitcases-her personal things were packed into boxes. “This looks like a lot more than packing for a vacation.”

She reluctantly met his gaze. “It is.”

Her words confirmed his greatest fear. “Then there are some things I want to say to you before you go.”

She nodded. “Go ahead,” she said softly.

“You were right about Dumont. I’m sorry I couldn’t believe you.”

Molly looked into his handsome face and saw the truth in his eyes. Hunter’s choice of words had been deliberate. It wasn’t that he hadn’t believed her, he couldn’t. Because Marc had done too much damage. She’d heard it all firsthand today.

But Hunter had been there and supported Molly even if he couldn’t agree with her belief in Marc. She appreciated his integrity more than he knew.

“Don’t apologize. I understand.”

He walked around, stepping over the suitcases and boxes she’d managed to pack in a short amount of time.

Without warning, he turned. “Damn it, Molly, don’t do this.”

She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I have to.”

“You do know that you’re leaving without giving us a chance?” he asked, his tone imploring.

Molly closed her eyes. She hadn’t wanted to hurt Hunter. She’d avoided him for years to prevent doing just that, yet here they were anyway. “I need to find out who I am and what I want out of life. I can’t do that here, in a place where all I see are my childhood wishes for the family I never had.”

“I never had family, either. I understand what you’re going through. Why not work through it together? Unless of course, I’m mistaken in thinking you care about me, too.” A flush rose high on his cheekbones and he shoved his hands into his front pants pockets.

Molly knew how difficult it had been for Hunter to lay his heart on the line and it hurt her to have to reject him. But one day he’d thank her for doing it.

“It’s because I care about you that I’m leaving.” She met his gaze, silently begging him to understand her reasons. “I need to grow up.” And to do so, she needed time alone.

Time to heal and put her mother in her past. She absolutely had to learn to stand on her own two feet without old hopes and expectations weighing her down.

He stepped closer. She inhaled and smelled his sexy cologne. Wherever she ended up, she’d miss his wit and his persistence. But until she could look in the mirror and like who she saw, Molly had no choice but to leave.

“I have no ties here, nothing to keep me from leaving. Let me go with you and we can start over someplace new.”

It was so tempting. He was so tempting.

She clasped her hands around his face. “You’re such a good man and I wish I could say yes. But finding myself has to be my priority.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Everyone has baggage,” he told her.

“Mine’s just heavier than most. Or at least too heavy for me at the moment.”

“And there’s nothing I can do to stop you?”

She shook her head. “Just don’t think this is easy for me.” Her voice caught in her throat.

And her lips, mere inches from his, were so close to kissing him and letting him change her mind. Which was why she leaned forward and brushed her mouth over his quickly. Then she stepped back before he could react.

He ran a thumb over his bottom lip. “Good luck, Molly. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

So did she, because she couldn’t feel any worse than she did right now.

LACEY LEFT Ty visiting with his mother who was due to be released in another day or so. Because Lacey had a guard following her, Ty hadn’t questioned her when she’d gone for a walk. She just hadn’t mentioned that her goal was a heart-to-heart with her uncle Marc.

Lacey found him sitting in a wheelchair in the solarium, an all-glass room donated to the hospital by a wealthy patron.

“Are you feeling up to a talk?” she asked, waiting in the doorway. Although she knew he wasn’t the one who’d tried to kill her, she still wasn’t comfortable being alone with him.

He glanced up, obviously surprised to see her. “I’m fine and until the nurses decide to take me back to my room, I’m enjoying the view. Please come join me.”

She stepped inside, careful to sit in a chair by the door. Silly, since she was in an open room with a view. He couldn’t hurt her, not that he’d want to. She just had a difficult time believing it.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I’m not really sure. I guess I needed to say thank you for trying to warn me about Paul Dunne.”

Uncle Marc shook his head. “If it weren’t for me, none of this would have been set in motion in the first place. Paul has a gambling problem. I have a drinking problem.” Uncle Marc adjusted the blanket on his lap as he spoke. “I did things that if not illegal, were unethical and immoral to say the least. He’d rather I inherit than you because he thought he could blackmail me and keep me from informing the police about the embezzlement. You, on the other hand, would have turned him in. He wanted you dead and he wanted me to kill you.”

He repeated the same things he’d said to the police, but Lilly had been so overwhelmed at the time, she hadn’t processed it all. She appreciated hearing it again.

“So he shot you because you refused to kill me.” She nearly choked over the word.

“And because he believed I was about to warn you. He was right.”

She glanced down at her trembling hands. “When will they let you go home?”

“Possibly tomorrow but don’t worry. Once I have the strength to pack, I’ll move out of your house. I called my brother and asked if I could move in with him for a while.”

Lacey opened her mouth, then closed it again. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she’d be inheriting not just the money but her childhood home. Paul Dunne had told her as much during their meeting. She’d just never let herself think about the fact.

Now that she was forced to face the truth, she realized something important. “I don’t want the house,” she said, the words coming out before she could stop them.

“Your parents would want you to have it.”

“I want you to stay there. It’s your home, not mine.”

He wheeled his chair closer to her. “That’s awfully generous.”

Lacey wasn’t sure she’d call it an act of generosity. It was more like one of necessity. When she’d attended his engagement party, she’d shut the door on that part of her life.

“It’s not part of who I am anymore and you’ve lived there for so long, I can’t see any reason for you to move.”

“Well, I have one. I can’t afford the house anymore.”

“Uncle Marc…”

“Please. I’m not trying to make you feel bad. It’s just a fact. And you know for the first time I do believe I’ll survive.” He shook his head and laughed, then winced in pain.

“This isn’t a pity party, you know. It’s called moving on in life.”

Lacey rose from her seat. “I don’t know what’s left of the trust fund but doesn’t it cover the house?”

“If you’re living in it, then yes. It’s your money, Lacey. Starting soon.”

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She didn’t know what the future held, but she did know she had very little left in the way of family beyond Uncle Marc. Although the man had been the cause of her childhood trauma, he may well have just saved her life. She didn’t know if they could ever have a relationship, but as gestures went, he’d made a start.

She raised her gaze to meet his. “You can stay in the house,” she said. “As I said, it’s your home, not mine. Whatever basics the trust has always covered, well that can continue as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure my parents would want it that way.”