A deep line formed in the center of Jack’s forehead as his eyebrows drew together. “You shouldn’t have to give up on your dream just because of me.”
Molly moved in front of him and placed her hands on his arms. “You’re my dream, Jack. I want to marry you, have babies, and live with you until we’re older than Miss Julia. Where I work is not nearly as important as being with you.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, as though shielding his heart. “I can’t leave Nana.”
“I know. I wouldn’t want you to.”
“But you don’t have the same responsibilities I do. You have a big family, but I’m all Nana has.”
Molly made her voice as gentle and patient as she could. “I know that, Jack. I don’t want to leave Miss Julia alone either.”
He shook his head. “It’s not right, Molly. You should be free to pursue your hopes. I…I’m holding you back.”
Why wasn’t he hearing her? “The job is nothing compared to our lives together.”
“I won’t let you sacrifice your aspirations for me, Molly.”
“Sacrifice? I’m not sacrificing anything.” A dull ache formed behind her eyes. She took a deep breath, intent on not losing her temper. Jack wasn’t listening, but shouting wouldn’t help.
Jack blinked several times, as though fighting back tears. “The thing is…I know I’ve let you down.”
Nothing could be farther from the truth. “Jack—”
“First, I asked you to wait until we graduated. Then I asked you to wait until I got a good job. When I finally acknowledged I wasn’t going to get a job with a dependable salary, I agreed to set the date for our wedding in May. But…”
Perhaps she should simply listen, Molly thought. He wasn’t paying attention to her anyway. She looked into his eyes, but Jack didn’t meet her gaze.
“If you marry me,” he continued, “we’ll be struggling for years to come.”
“Do you think that matters?”
“It matters to me, Molly. I can’t let you throw everything away on a guy you can’t depend on to support you.”
Molly bowed her head, resting her forehead on Jack’s forearm. Her throat ached as much as her heart. How could she convince him? “Please, don’t do this, Jack. Let’s talk about it later, when you’ve calmed down.”
He pushed away from the cabinet and walked toward the back door. “I haven’t even been able to buy you an engagement ring. I wanted to give you the best of everything—the best house, the best car—yet I can’t find a job.”
“I have faith in you, Jack. If you want to put off our wedding, that’s okay with me.”
He retrieved his jacket from the hook and turned his back to her. “It’s better this way, Molly. You’ll be free to find someone who can provide for you. You’ll be free—”
