Always A Bride Read Free Page B

ID. It was Molly. He was tempted not to answer. Talking to Molly would be difficult when all he could think about was Alex. He sighed and pushed the Bluetooth button on his phone. "Hello."
    “ Harvey, we should have lunch,” Molly said. “What's on your calendar for the rest of the morning? We need to discuss the wedding plans. You know we don’t have a lot of time.”
    “ I have to go to the nursing home and run a few other errands while I’m out.” Harvey hoped she would accept his story and let it go. She could be like a dog with a bone if she thought something was going on, and she wouldn't leave it alone until she found out what was happening. Is she psychic? It’s like she knew I was up to something.
    “ But Harvey…”
    H e hated when she whined.              “But nothing, Molly,” he said sternly. “I have work to do. I can’t stop every time you want to talk about the wedding plans. Get your dad’s credit cards and go shopping. Get what you want. It's your day. I'm okay with whatever you choose. I trust you to make those decisions…”
    “ Don’t you even care? It should be the most beautiful, special day of our lives. Why, Harvey Mitchell, I am hurt.”
    “ It’s not that I don’t care. It’s just…I know you'll do a wonderful job planning the wedding and everything will be perfect.”
    How did I get myself into this?
    Harvey knew how. Molly's dad had co-signed on a loan so Harvey could borrow the money to open his office. Everything happened too fast but, whether he liked it or not, timing was a factor. As soon as he was engaged to Molly, her dad had started the plans for the office. Molly always made it seem like the bigger, better things her dad was pushing were all his idea, but Harvey had heard Molly say, “Daddy don't you think…” more times than he could count. Even when Harvey and her father had agreed on a location for the office, Molly suggested something larger in a more affluent area of town.
    “ So I’ll see you at dinner tonight at my parents,” Molly demanded, like she was six and used to getting what she wanted whenever she wanted it.
    “ I don’t know, Molly. I’m pretty busy. We’ll have to do it another time.”
    “ But Daddy wants to talk to you about expanding your office.”
    “ I don’t want to expand. We have plenty of room. I’m happy with my office like it is.”
    “ Don’t you want more? A bigger practice, more patients and money?”
    M oney. That's what everything always comes back to with Molly.
    “ If I wanted to make a ton of money and have a huge practice, I’d be in Atlanta not Fairburn. I’m happy being the small town doctor. If that’s not going to be enough for you then maybe…”
    If she breaks it off then I'm off the hook. I want to do the right thing …
    “ It is enough, Harvey dear. It’s just Daddy wants us to have more. He wants to help us.”
    “ I’m doing fine. I already owe your dad for co-signing everything to get the office opened.”
    “ I told you he wants to help. He also asked where we are going to live after the wedding.”
    “ In my house. We’ve discussed this, Molly. We are going to live in my house until I can afford something else.”
    “ But, Harvey…”
    P ulling into the Dodson's driveway, he said, “Molly, I’ve got to go. No more buts. No bigger houses or offices. No more help from Daddy.”
    “ But—”
    Hanging up , he sighed heavily. What have I gotten myself into? I can't leave Molly. Not now when she needs me. But how am I going to spend the rest of my life with her when I am still in love with Alex?
    Climbing out of his car and approaching the door, he was as nervous as he'd been when he picked Alex up for their first official date at fourteen. His heart raced, his palms began to sweat…his voice would probably even crack. He breathed deep and knocked.
    Alex’s mother opened the door.
    “ Ms. Dodson. It’s so nice to see you outside of the nursing home. How’s your mom