Page 19 of Molly

“My... What?” I ask, confused.

“Jess,” she snaps.

Ohhhhh. Oh, fuck.

“Jess? Baby, Jess isn’t my girlfriend. Why would you even... Jesus, she’s just a friend. One of my best friends, Mol.” I run my hands through my hair and tug on the ends in frustration.

Tonight was going so well.

I should have told her about Jess.

We've been friends for years. She just moved down to Adelaide, and it didn’t even cross my mind to mention it. Ugh, how the fuck did we end up here?

“So, you greet all your friends like that? She has a key to your fucking house, Ryan,” she snaps, looking mortified.

“Baby, I promise, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Jess and I have been friends for years, and nothing has ever happened. It won’t ever happen.” I pause, step forward and place my hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently. “She doesn’t have a key. I told her where my spare was because she said she was coming by tomorrow.” I lean in and rest my forehead against hers, hoping my words convince her, but her facial expression doesn’t change. She removes my hands from her shoulders and takes a step back. Dread builds in my gut. This isn’t good...

“Yeah, okay. Well, my Uber is just about here.” She shows me her phone screen quickly and then shoves it back in her purse. “Thanks for dinner, Ryan. It was great.” She turns her back on me, looking out at the street.

“Mol, why are you brushing me off right now? Stop fucking running from me. We’ve had a great night together, and one of my best friends just came to visit. Come back inside, have a drink with us. Once you get to know her, you’ll realise this is all silly, babe.”

She flinches at the end, and I let out a frustrated groan. “It doesn’t mean anything, I promise. It’s just a habit.” She nods, but her eyes refuse to meet mine. “Please stay. Let’s talk it out. Don’t run again,” I plead, knowing if she leaves, we’re once again going to take a step backwards when all I want is to plow forwards.

“Look, you’re a great guy. I like you, I do. Butthatis not my version of platonic friendship. You don’t owe me anything. We’ve been on three dates. It’s all good.” She salutes me, and because the universe is obviously set on fucking me tonight, her Uber pulls up.

She gets in, doesn’t look back at me once, and the car takes off.

Dammit.

I turn around and head back inside, disappointment coursing through me.

Jess is sitting on the kitchen counter, drinking her wine. There’s an open beer sitting next to her, and I grab it, finishing half before pulling it back from my mouth.

“Sorry to cock block, bud.” She smirks.

I shake my head. “Isn’t like that with her, Jess.”

She raises her eyebrows and takes another sip. “What’s it like then?”

“She’s different. I don’t know how to explain it. I like her. I want her. She’s a runner, though. It freaks me out. She’s got a two-year-old kid, so I get her being guarded, but she thought we were together, and her first instinct was to bail. She didn’t even ask me...”

“She thought you and I were together?” She laughs, shaking her head. “If you were my man, and I walked in on you dry humping some girl on the couch, I wouldn’t have introduced myself. I would have throat punched her.”

I laugh and take another sip.

“She’s got a kid?” she asks.

“Yeah, Emma, her daughter.”

“And you’re cool with that? Want to be a step-daddy do you, Ry?”

I glare at her. “I want her. Emma comes with. I’m cool with it. She’s worth it. I love kids, you know that.”

“Mmm, seems like a lot to take on.”

“You’ll see when you get to know her, Jess. She’s something else.”

She rolls her eyes and takes another sip before putting her glass on the counter and jumping off. “Let’s watch a movie.” She grins.

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