Page 23 of Molly

“I want this, us, Molly. We’ve got to communicate, though.”

“Wise words from an old man.” She chuckles, putting her hand on my forearm and using her thumb to stroke the skin up and down.

“I’ll show you an old man,” I say, leaning over the table to place a soft kiss on her lips. “Seriously though, Mol. Tell me what you need from me, and I’ll make it happen. I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she laughs, leaning in to kiss me again.

???

After we’ve finished our lunch, I head back to the shop, feeling like I’m walking on cloud nine.

Just as I’m about to get out of my car, my phone buzzes. I look down and see Jess has been messaging me for the last thirty minutes.Oops.

JESS: Hey, you free for lunch?

JESS: Ry?

JESS: I’ve finished up for the day, so I thought I’d swing past. What do you feel like? I’m starving?

JESS: Alright, McDonald’s it is. I’ll be there in 20.

I walk into the shop and spot her already standing in the doorway to Beck’s room. I didn’t see her car outside, so she must have walked here. Her new dental clinic is only about a ten-minute stroll from here.

“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” she asks Beckett.

I close the door, and her head jerks towards me. “Ry! I brought you a Big Mac. It’s in the bag on the counter. I got Beckett one, too, but he’s being grumpy and says he doesn’t want it.”

“He doesn’t eat meat, Jess,” I say back, laughing. She rolls her eyes and walks towards me, leaving Beckett in peace.

“Where were you? I’ve been texting you for ages,” she whines.

“I was with Molly. We had lunch. Thanks for the burger, though. You mind if I chuck it in the fridge?”

She pouts but says it’s fine, so I leave her at the counter to take the bag to the backroom. Beckett comes in behind me and closes the door, leaning back against it. “Look, I don’t want to get involved in your business, man, but I need to say this. Jess has been standing there grilling me for information about you and Molly for the past ten minutes. She’s asked me if you’re serious about Molly and what I think about her having a kid. She asked me if you’d mentioned her to me before and started telling me how close the two of you are, how she always comes before the women you sleep with. I’m telling you, something’s up with her. I picked up on it in five minutes.” He opens the door and walks out before I can respond.

Fuck me. Seriously? Beckett too?

I look at the closed door and sigh. I’ll sort it. It’ll be fine. Jess will calm down when she makes some new friends, and Molly and I will work on our communication. Beckett probably misunderstood what Jess said...

11

MOLLY

“Emma, baby, it’s time for bed, my love,” I call out from the bathroom, applying my deep red lipstick.

Ryan invited me over for a late-night date. It’s incredibly sweet that he took into consideration that I’m having a hard time not being here when Em goes to bed. I feel bad that I haven’t invited him over yet, but it feels like it’s too soon to introduce him to Emma. This is her safe place. I don’t want to bring him here until we’re both sure where this is heading.

“I’m not tired!” she yells back from the lounge room.

I roll my eyes in the mirror and turn to the side. I decided on a short, white cotton skater dress for tonight, seeing as it’s pretty warm out, and even though my makeup is light, the red lip makes me look put together. I straightened my hair for the first time in fucking forever, and now I remember why I don’t bother. Forty-five minutes later, and I’ve only just finished.

“Emma, get your little butt in here and brush your teeth,” I call, pushing my hair behind my shoulders.

A minute later, her little footsteps sound down the hallway, and she pops her head into the bathroom, pouting. “I hate brushing my teef,” she whines.

“I know, I know.” I roll my eyes again playfully and grab her pink, sparkly toothbrush out of the cup sitting on the vanity. I squeeze on some toothpaste and pass it to her, letting her do it herself, to begin with.

By the time I've managed to get her into her pyjamas and tucked into bed, she’s half asleep.

---