Chapter 16 #2
He rolls his eyes at that, gesturing his hand to Molly. “Couldn’t get a hold of you, so I went to the first place I thought would be good enough company for you to not care about your phone being dead.”
Well, shit, if my best friend doesn’t know me well.
I’ve been all occupied with Molly.
And now he’s made it clear how obsessed I am with her.
She doesn’t seem to mind, though.
“It’s good to meet you, Ryan.”
Again, I’m struck by just how effortlessly natural Molly makes it all.
We sit down, with Molly putting way too much space between us. Probably unsure how to act now that Ryan is here.
He doesn’t make a difference to me. He knows just how crazy this woman has been making me.
Therefore, I bring a hand under her ass and drag her closer to me before I tell Ryan that my face is all fucked up due to my father.
“You told her about him?” Ryan asks.
I nod and the look of pride in his eyes creates another ball of emotion in my throat. He’s always wanted me to tell my story to anyone who would listen. Always respecting my wish to keep it a secret.
He knows I’ve taken an important step by opening up to Molly, and I’m feeling the gratitude heavy in my chest as my best friend looks at me with compassion.
He’s been there for me, every step of the way, but he seems very happy to be including Molly in our circle as well.
He winces when I tell him about the punch.
Molly grabs my hand, running her fingers over my knuckles and providing the support I need whilst I talk to Ryan about last night’s events.
After I finish the story, we all agree that we need to get out and do something to lighten the mood.
“I could put some makeup on that bruise?” Molly says in a teasing tone.
“Nah, I’m finally living up to my bad boy image.”
She shakes her head at me, now knowing just how wrong that image is on some levels.
～
“You know, I’m very proud of you, man,” Ryan says beside me, the first moment alone whilst Molly is setting up everything for our go-karts.
When she suggested it, I honestly thought she was joking.
I haven’t gone carting in years, nor has Ryan, so it was a pleasant suggestion.
“Yeah, thanks,” I murmur, not wanting to dip into the emotional pond again.
It’s already been a rollercoaster in the last twenty-four hours.
Ryan isn’t done, though.
“I know you hate the emotional stuff, but I’m glad you’ve let her in, Peter. I know it took a lot.”
He claps my back as I look over to where Molly is talking with the sales assistant.
“Yeah, it kind of just happened, but it’s been surprisingly good.”
When I started driving towards the paddock last night, I didn’t exactly have a plan.
I simply didn’t want to be alone.
Or more importantly, I wanted to be with her.
Molly comes skipping over, the joy evident in her face as she tells us everything is ready.
Let’s go racing.
～
“Fucking hell, who knew that lived inside you?” Ryan asks Molly as we step out of our cars.
I obviously wiped the floor with them, but the surprise of the hour was Molly beating Ryan’s ass.
Molly’s smile is magnificent as she shrugs her shoulders, telling us to never underestimate her.
I’m staring at her, thankful to have such a light and fun person who’s willing to take a chance on me.
She’s turned what would have been a heavy and tough day into one I will remember as the best time together with my best friend, and my girl, who isn’t my girl just yet.
I’ll have to work to earn that title, and for every second in her presence, I’m determined to be a man worthy of her.
I’ll have to seek some help, though, since I’m not really sure how to woo a girl.
It’s not like Ryan is an expert either, which means I’ll have to be creative.
I grab her around the waist, pulling her to me as I kiss her, pouring everything I have into it. It’s probably a little much, considering we’re not alone, but I don’t care.
She seems to care, though as she pushes at my chest, a slight blush to her cheeks as she looks to Ryan.
“He can take it,” I say in her ear, before I kiss down her throat.
She leans into me, before she seems to come back to her senses and the whole “not being alone” thing.
“Later,” she says, breathless, desire raging in her eyes.
I can’t fucking wait for later.
～
Just as I park my car by the Star News bus, my phone starts blowing up with messages and calls.
I groan out loud, and Molly looks at me with sympathy in her eyes.
We’ve just dropped off Ryan, and I was excited to spend some time with her alone, but it seems like my team must have seen the state of my face somewhere if all the messages and calls are anything to go by.
I haven’t seen any photographers today, but they’ve probably hidden away somewhere, where I didn’t see.
“We could just turn it off?” Molly says, making me chuckle.
The idea is tempting, but I’m afraid they would pull a Ryan and hunt me down. The last thing I want is for the suits to interrupt my time with Molly.
Therefore, I’ll have to deal with this.
“I’d love to do that, but they will find me and drag me to their office, demanding an explanation,” I tell her.
She gets her working face on, and I feel better knowing I at least have her with me to deal with this shit.
“Okay, how do you want to do this?”
I’ve been dwelling on this, wondering what I should tell them, or more specifically, Arthur.
I don’t want to lie to him.
But telling him the ugly truth feels daunting as hell.
At least I’ve had a trial run with his daughter, which hopefully will make it a little easier the second time.
“I want to tell, Arthur,” I say, and Molly seems surprised.
Hell, I’m surprised I want to do this myself, but he’s been the first person in this industry to give me a chance and not believe all the lies he’s been told.
It seems like the least I can do is be honest with him, even though it scares me.