Page 48 of Molly: Part One
Chapter 13
Molly
I walk into Susan and Pete’s just after one to find everyone already sat around the table. My plan so far has worked, when I got home Ryan had already left, I didn’t know whether it was to come here but I didn’t care as long as he wasn’t there.
Susan looks up from passing the potatoes around. “Ah angel, we didn’t think you were coming.”
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I’ve a bit of a bad morning but I’m here now.” I smile sweetly at her. I notice Ryan is looking right at me and that there is an empty chair next to him. I also notice that Emma hasn’t taken her eyes off her plate since I walked through the door.
I reluctantly take the seat next to Ryan and try to relax so it’s not obvious to everyone there is an issue between us. As soon as I settle in I feel Ryan’s hand come to rest on my thigh and he leans over to whisper in my ear.
“I was worried you weren’t going to come because of me. I’m so sorry Molly. Please, I hate fighting with you,” his voice is almost begging.
I turn towards him and whisper back. “I came so no one knows there is a problem. Keep your hands off me,” I say removing it from my leg. “Don’t piss me off further and we might just pull it off.” I pull back from him to see Emma glaring at us, shaking her head and tutting. Fucking brilliant, this should be fun!
“Emma, what are you doing?” Susan chides. Emma just continues shaking her head.
“So Molly, I hear you have employed a designer already. I hear he’s quite a handsome chap,” Pete says trying the break the tension that has settled over the table.
“Oh yeah, he’s a catch alright,” Ryan mutters.
“He is lovely and amazing at what he does. I think we are going to work really well together.”
I hear Ryan snort next to me and I turn my head and glare at him.
“Don’t forget how sexy those tattoos are,” Lilly adds dreamily from the other side of the table.
“No daughter of mine is going be going out with a tattooed thug Lilly,” Pete chips in.
“Pete, Jax is most definitely not a thug. He comes from a really nice family. They own that chain of steak and grill restaurants you love. But he didn’t want to go into the family business.”
“How unlucky for us,” Ryan whispers beside me.
“And just because he has tattoos doesn’t mean he’s a thug, it’s art. He designed them himself and they are stunning close up.”
“I’ve bet you’ve had a real close up view,” comes quietly from next to me again.
“Ryan, would you like to share your thoughts with the table?” I ask him politely.
“No, I’m good thanks,” he smirks at me as he says it.
“Then shut the fuck up,” I bark back at him, which makes everyone at the table stop eating and look at us. “Sorry,” I mumble and return my focus back to my plate.
“Oh, lovers tiff?” Emma says sarcastically.
“Children, if you can’t be nice to each other please don’t say anything at all,” Susan says in a motherly tone.
The rest of the meal goes by in pretty much silence. Everyone around the table looks very uncomfortable after our little outburst.
As soon as desert has been eaten I make the excuse of having loads of work to do and leave as quickly as I can because I know if I hang around I’ll get interrogated by Susan and the whole mess will just come spilling out my mouth. I feel bad about not helping clean up, especially as somehow Emma managed to run away even faster than I did but I’ll make sure to do more than my fair share next month.
I head back to the office and drag out the case I packed earlier to tide me over for a few days if I don’t want to go home. I hate not going home, I love that house and my room but I know it’s just going to end in an argument with Ryan. After lunch today it was obvious we both need time to calm down.
I get stuck into work to pass the time and before I know it it’s evening but I continue because, quite frankly, there isn’t much else to do.
I left my phone in my bag knowing it would be going off so I go and check to see if I’m right. And I am, I have twenty-eight missed calls from Ryan and six texts. I open the first text.
Ryan:Thanks for leaving me to the wrath of Susan you coward.
