Chapter 12

Molly sat forward in the limo as it rounded another corner. "Not very far to go, now," she murmured softly.

Lee frowned. His dread had rose in direct proportion to his daughter's growing excitement. "I hope you know what you're doing, love."

"Daddy…" She sighed. "Please stop worrying. Jack is the one. Trust me."

He snorted. "I've heard that one before!"

She lightly slapped his arm. "Will you stop?"

He lowered his head, gazing dolefully at her over the top of his glasses. "Sorry, love. I just hope you're trusting your heart to the right bloke."

"And I am." She nodded solemnly. "I know it."

He shot her a small smile and turned away worriedly to gaze out the window. He desperately hoped she was right. Ever since the night of Molly's first heartbreak, he'd fretted over the men who'd played fast and loose with her precious affections…

He was in one of his most favourite places to be. Releasing a satisfied sigh, Lee placed his lips gently against Lucy's neck. He was still being cradled by the welcoming heat between her thighs after what had been a spontaneous act of lovemaking. She writhed her body against his in response, wrapping her arms tightly around his broad shoulders. Lucy giggled breathily as the whiskers of Lee's beard tickled the sensitive skin where her jaw met her neck.

It was Saturday night. Charlie and Benji were away for the weekend with mutual friends in Prague and Molly was out with her friends in town until late. Having innocently intended to snuggle on the sofa to watch Strictly and that week's episode of Casualty, casual hand holding led to kissing and soon enough Lee was leading his wife upstairs. It wasn't often they got the house to themselves like this.

"You're going to have to go on top next time, love. My back isn't up to it."

Lucy's fingers ran a path down Lee's spine. "Aww Sweetheart, it's aching a bit is it?"

Taking her by surprise, Lee managed to roll away from Lucy and all in one movement, pull her on top of him, her naked form half covering his.

"Every inch of me aches for you, woman," Lee growled before brushing his lips against hers once more. "It has from the very first moment I saw you."

She eyed him suspiciously. "From the first moment?"

He nodded. "I was holding a mallet."

"I remember. You let me move in without any references."

"You would have let you move in without references if you had any idea how sexy you looked to me that day. The most beautiful woman I've ever met."

"Typical man," Lucy rolled her eyes. "Letting your downstairs department rule your head."

"Only you make me feel that way, Luce. It's only ever been you…"

Before Lucy had a chance to reply, they heard the front door slam. Exchanging confused glances, the sound of footsteps thundering up the stairs was accompanied by crying. Molly's crying.

"Oh no," Lucy groaned, moving from Lee and laying beside him, a hand on her brow.

Lee winced as Molly's bedroom door slammed shut. The crying could no longer be heard. Lee had an inkling Lucy may have an idea what was wrong with their daughter.

"She wasn't due home until the early hours. I was going to go back down and wait up for her. Where has she been?"

"Look, don't lose your temper."

"Why would I lose my temper? She went out with friends, right?" Lucy remaining silent was all the answer Lee needed. "Has she been out with that lad again?"

"Lee, she's eighteen. She's not a girl anymore, she's a young woman." Lucy got out of bed, walking to the chest of drawers and pulling out some pyjamas to put on.

"I told her he was no good."

"Lee, you met Will once at Charlie's birthday barbecue and he was charm personified. No one is going to be good enough for your little girl." He huffed and sat up against the headboard as Lucy, now clothed opened their bedroom door. "I'm just going to see that she's alright. They've probably had a falling out."

"Well, he's a fool if they have," Lee called after his wife as she left the room.

Waking with a start, Lee sat up in bed. It was much darker now, he must have drifted off. Lucy lay beside him, gently snoring. Looking at his phone, he saw it was just coming up to one. Lying back down, he ran his index finger along Lucy's hand where it lay on her pillow.

He hoped Molly was alright. She was probably asleep now. It didn't sit well with him, his daughter dating, but it was something he supposed he couldn't control.

Minutes passed with the thought of Molly upset on his mind. He hated laying in the dark.

Soon enough, he was shrugging on his dressing gown and carefully creeping out of the bedroom. Once downstairs, Lee was surprised to see Molly curled up in the armchair, looking at her phone. A lamp in the corner of the room softly illuminated their surroundings.

"Hey," he whispered softly. She lifted her head to acknowledge his presence.

"Hey, Daddy." She sat up, putting her phone down on the arm of the chair. Lee moved towards her, sitting on the edge of the coffee table opposite her.

"Mum told me you were out with William."

"Oh."

Lee shrugged, swallowing thickly. He wanted to do anything but, however, he had to ask. "I'm assuming you spoke to your mother but do you want to talk about it?"

Molly shifted uneasily in the chair. Lee felt his chest twinge as he noticed the redness in her eyes from crying. It killed him to think she was in pain.

"I just feel like someone has kicked me in the stomach. It feels horrible."

"Love will do that to you, my darling," Lee replied, wiping away a tear that was falling down Molly's cheek.

"William's got a place at University."

Lee sat up straight. "Well, good for him."

"It's in Scotland," Molly continued, sniffling. "St Andrews. And tonight he told me he didn't want a long-distance relationship. It isn't fair on either of us."

Understanding the situation, Lee took Molly's hand in his. "When does he leave?"

"In two weeks, he had to wait on his results to make sure he got his place." Molly released a small laugh as she met Lee's gaze. "I suppose you're pleased about it?"

He held her gaze, tightening his grip on her hand. "I think you're far too young for a relationship that's too serious, Molly. But I hate to see you in this pain."

His words caused Molly's emotions to overtake her once more. She broke down and instinct told Lee to take her into his embrace, to hold her tightly and kiss her head.

"It's okay," he murmured, beginning to rock her back and forth. "It's going to be okay. You will get over this and as much as it pains me to say it, there will be other boyfriends."

"But he was my first, Dad."

Molly's admission hung in the air as Lee tried to correctly garner her meaning. It was bad enough Charlie and Benji discussing their conquests candidly but to hear those words from his baby girl? It was almost too much to bear.

"Have you ever had your heart broken, Daddy?"

Lee hadn't been expecting the question. Molly pulled away from him, curling up in the armchair once more, her latest outburst of grief seemingly coming to an end. Lee was on quite the emotional rollercoaster this evening. One minute he's coming to terms with his daughter telling him she wasn't a virgin, now she was asking him if he'd ever had his heart broken. He supposed he had. Once.

"There was this one woman who had me hook, line and sinker from the first moment I met her."

"Really?"

"Yes," Lee nodded, looking beyond his daughter at the picture of him and Lucy on their wedding day that hung on the wall. "She was so beautiful, funny, intelligent. Out of my league. We became friends, nothing more and we were getting on great. But soon after we met, she started dating a man much older than herself."

"Ouch, that must have stung."

"It did, especially when I could see what the guy was really like. Seeing them together, it used to kill me." Lee cocked his head a little as he remembered that time. "I wanted to be with her so much. She was the only woman I ever wanted."

"What happened?" Molly furrowed her brow. "When did you meet Mum?"

He met her gaze once more. "The woman was your Mum. She had me from the very first second, and that was it. No one else would ever come close. When she was out at work, I didn't truly feel alive again until she came home. I would sit through tedious period dramas and home makeover shows on the telly just to be near her. Making her laugh every day became my aim because every time she did my heart skipped a beat. She'd look at me sometimes, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I literally ached for her. Deep down Molly, is that how you feel for William?"

He was relieved when Molly shook her head. "No."

"It hurts because he's your first proper love. In time, it will feel better and you'll meet someone who makes your heart skip a beat. Someone who will do anything to be with you. Don't settle for anything less."

Molly smiled for the first time that evening then reached out for her father, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. "Thank you, Daddy."

"Don't thank me, Molly. It's what I'm here for." He rose to his feet. "Now, you coming home early robbed me of my late night Coco Pops. Fancy joining me in a bowl?"

"Okay."

Watching as Molly made her way to the kitchen, Lee stopped himself from following for a moment. He was pleased his words had some effect, but it was at a price. His baby girl wasn't a girl anymore, and what he had said was right. Boyfriends were going to come and go. The thought of that shook Lee to his core.