Page 29 of October (New Orleans #10)

F inley stood in the kitchen and waited for the coffee to pour into her cup.

They had one of those pod machines in the break room that had Southern Roastery coffee available, but it wasn’t the same as the stuff they could get from the store, so she was excited that the remodel downstairs was going on now because part of it included a new, state-of-the-art store on the first floor where they could get coffee for free just by being a Southern employee.

It was a sign of the growing company’s success.

Prior to that, they had always had to walk to the store closest to them, and they had a discount on coffee and pastries, but now, all corporate employees would get free coffee drinks and still a discount on pastries.

Well, they could get one free drink a day and then a discount on others, but it was still a nice benefit, and it would be more convenient than having to walk down the street.

They hadn’t initially planned on doing this on the first floor, but when they had made changes to how the new-hire, sales, and leadership training would work for the whole company, they had decided to build a café here, which wasn’t all that difficult because there had once been a café in this location.

Well, it had been a building cafeteria for employees of the old owners, but it had the space for it, and now, Finley’s team was making sure the technology would all work correctly.

“Hey, can I see it?”

Finley looked up to see India standing there next to her.

“See what?”

“It’s got a wall up, so I can’t see it. Does it look cool?”

“The store? It’s a bunch of cables and boxes right now,” Finley replied.

“But can I go in and take a look?”

“No, because only the authorized people can be in there while the work is being done.”

“Come on, Fin.” She gave Finley a puppy dog expression and added, “I just want to look around. We’ve been talking about adding our own café in here for years.”

“It’s just a coffee shop, and it’s not even that yet,” Finley said.

“Fine. You’re no fun,” India replied. “But it’s cool?”

Finley laughed and said, “It will be, yeah. I’m working on–” She stopped talking immediately when she saw Molly looking frozen in place, not that far away from where she’d just laughed at India.

India turned around to see what Finley was staring at now.

“Molls, we weren’t–”

“Hey, India,” Molly said.

“Hi, Molly. We were just talking about the store they’re building.”

“Oh? Yeah, that’s great. It was Juliet’s idea.”

“It was?” Finley asked her.

“Yeah, she was the one who had all the training ideas and said we should build a new café here for her to use. And I know we’ll get free drinks, but I think they’ll be made by newbies, so you might want to brace yourselves.”

India chuckled and said, “I guess that’s a good point.”

“So, I should still walk to the one down the street?” Finley asked.

“I’d ask Juliet what the training schedule is first. Have your free coffee here on their fourth or fifth day in training, or if there’s not a class in session.”

“That’s very clever,” India noted. “And I should go now. I have a meeting in a few. See you up there?” she added to Molly, to Finley’s surprise.

“I’ll be there,” Molly replied.

India walked toward the elevators, leaving Finley there with Molly.

“She just wanted to see the new store. That’s all we were talking about, Molls.”

“I know,” Molly said. “And I think I’ve made you scared that you can’t even talk to her anymore without me reading into it.

I’m sorry for that, Finley. I don’t know what kind of relationship you want to have with India after your breakup, but if it’s friendship, I’m sorry for making you worry about how I’ll handle you two talking at work. ”

“You don’t have to be sorry. I don’t know if India and I can be friends, but I think I’d like to try it eventually, if she’s up for it. Right now, though, I don’t want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable or worried.”

Molly shrugged and said, “But that’s on me; it’s my stuff to work through, and I’m going to.

I called my mom just now. That’s why I was outside.

I’ve been walking around the block for an hour, asking her questions about Dad and me growing up.

Ever since I lost him, it’s almost like I’ve been trying to take his place.

I’ve been getting more and more anxious with things that didn’t used to bother me at all or, at least, not very much.

I think finding out that you actually liked me back was this thing I never thought would happen, and it’s been hard to deal with, but that’s not because of anything you’ve done, Finley.

I’ve got my insecurities about this, but you’ve done everything right.

” Molly smiled at her. “India even said you jumped when she tried to kiss you. Like, literally jumped off the sofa.”

“I did.” Finley chuckled.

“So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry? What for, Molls?”

“Yesterday. And I want to go out with you, Fin. I’ve just wanted it so much for so long that I’m getting all up in my head about it.”

“Can you just not pull away if it happens again? It’s okay if it does, Molly.

I get it. It’s scary, meeting someone who just feels right, so you doubt it because nothing’s ever been like it before, but I think that’s a good thing.

I just need to know that if you’re feeling that way, you’ll talk to me and not pull away. Or, if you have to pull away, you’ll–”

“What?”

“You’ll come back,” she said. “I’m not sure if that’s fair for me to ask; it’s been a couple of dates.

But I like you, and I understand why you’d worry about India and me.

We have a pattern, and you’ve witnessed it over and over from your desk.

I know it probably feels like you’re part of that pattern right now, but you’re not. I–”

“I know, Fin,” Molly said. “I know. I trust you. Hell, I even trust India now.”

“You do?” Finley asked, surprised. “Did I wake up in an alternate universe this morning?”

“I don’t think we’re going to be best friends anytime soon, but we talked this morning.”

“You talked to her? Or, she talked to you?”

“A little bit of both.” Molly shrugged a shoulder. “She told me she gets it now; that she needs to move on because you’re dating someone else. Well, me. She said you’ve never done that before, and she should have figured it out that it meant something.”

“It does mean something,” Finley replied.

“And if she said that, I’m glad to hear it because I don’t want to hurt her.

India is a good person. She and I were just oil and water, and not in that good, opposites-attract way.

I guess we were in the beginning, but we haven’t been that way in a long time, and I know that because when I’m with you, Molls, it’s like it just makes sense to me.

We don’t have everything in common, but some stuff, and you’ll go to the things I like, and you know I’ll do the same for you.

I don’t think I’ve had that before, even with my girlfriends before India.

All those things about yourself that you’re struggling with, they’re the things that just make you…

you; the things that I like so much, Molls.

I’ll buy you gallons of ketchup if you want, if it means you’ll trust that I want you and not India. ”

Molly laughed and said, “I was coming over here to give you a speech about being an idiot and working through my stuff, and you had to give me that one and upstage me?”

“Sorry?” she asked and tilted her head.

“Will you go out with me tonight?” Molly asked.

“Yes.”

“Yes? Just yes? You don’t want to think about it or take a little time because of what I just put you through?”

“No, I don’t need time. And yes, let’s go out tonight.”

“I’m still a pain in the ass. I can’t fix it that quickly.”

Finley chuckled and said, “I don’t need you to fix anything. I like you, remember? I want you to be happy, though, and if you’ve got stuff to work through, I can maybe just be there while you do.”

“Ugh! Stop being so perfect,” Molly replied, obviously teasing. “You make it harder when you do that.”

Finley smiled at her and said, “I’d kiss you right now, but we’re–”

“Not in the server room?” Molly finished for her.

◆◆◆

When Finley opened the door hours later, Molly stood there, holding a bag.

“Hi?” she asked more than said, looking at it.

“You don’t seem like a girl who likes flowers, so I got you something else. It’s stupid because I know nothing.”

Molly held up the bag for Finley to take, so she opened it and looked inside. Then, she laughed.

“HDMI cables?”

“Three of them and in various lengths. I got you a three-footer, a five-footer, and a six because that was all they had at the store.”

Finley laughed louder and looked up at Molly.

“I know it’s stupid. I–”

“Molls, this isn’t stupid. This is really sweet. I can always use more cables.”

“But you could’ve bought them yourself. You probably have, like, fifty around here.”

“I have a few, yes, but not that many. And you could’ve just as easily bought flowers for yourself, but you liked the ones I got for you, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, get in here. I’ll put these with my stuff, and we can take the tour, which will last approximately two minutes, because it’s a tiny apartment.”

When Molly walked in, Finley pushed the door closed behind her and leaned in, kissing Molly on the cheek. Molly turned and smiled at her, so Finley leaned back in and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

“Hi,” she said with a smile.

“Can we stay in and do something boring, like watch a movie together?” Molly asked, pressing her forehead to Finley’s.

“That sounds good to me. Want me to cook us something, or should we order food?”

“Whatever you want is fine with me,” Molly said and pressed her lips to Finley’s quickly before pulling back. “I just want to hang out with you tonight.”

“Okay. Well, let me put these with the rest of my computer gear, and I’ll order us something so that I don’t have to cook and miss any of that promised hangout time.” She winked at Molly and walked through the kitchen to the living room, where she dropped the bag on the floor.

“Well, I was promised computer stuff all over the floor, and I see none,” Molly noted as she followed behind.

“I picked it up and put it all in the bins I have but never use.”

“Why?”

“Because you were coming here, and I didn’t want you to see the mess.”

“After we order food, will you show me some of it?”

“The mess?”

“The computer you’re building,” Molly replied.

“Oh. I guess. You want to see it now? It’s almost done.”

“Okay.”

Finley waved around the room and said, “Living room and storage facility for my computer stuff.” She motioned to the several clear plastic bins that were stacked on top of one another and the clear plastic drawers that held her smaller pieces and extras.

“You saw the kitchen. It’s small, but I don’t really need that much.

There’s the bathroom.” She pointed at the first door on the right off the living room.

“And the bedroom is next to it.” She headed that way.

“The computer and my desk are in there because even though the apartment is fairly small, the bedroom is a decent size.”

Molly followed her into the bedroom, and Finley pointed to the desk in the corner where her custom-built computer sat, turned off and waiting for her to finish adding the extra RAM she’d bought but still hadn’t installed.

“It’s clear,” Molly said.

“See-through, yeah,” she replied. “I like to see how it all works inside when it’s going. I had the shell custom-made by this guy I know. It’s one of my favorite things.”

“I thought you meant a laptop or something.”

Molly walked over to the desk to inspect the computer.

“No, it’s a gaming PC. I don’t game as much as I used to before India, but most of the fun of gaming for me was the computer I used, so that was fine. I think I might test my skills again, though.”

“You should. If you liked it, I mean.”

Finley smiled at her and replied, “I have to install some RAM. Want to watch me after we eat?”

“You can order, and we can do it now. Will you show me how? I can maybe learn something.”

“Really?”

Molly nodded.

“Then, yeah. I can show you how to install it in this one, but it’s different for laptops. I could come over to your place sometime and install some in your computer, if you want.”

“My work computer? Are we allowed?”

“No, your personal one.”

“I don’t have a personal one. I just use my work one for everything, or my phone. I have an iPad, but I don’t use it that much.”

“You don’t have a personal–” Finley shook her head. “I have one you can have.”

“What?”

“A laptop. I built it last year and haven’t done anything with it. You can have it. You need a non-work-owned-and-operated computer, Molls. I mean, where do you watch your porn?”

Molly’s eyes went wide.

“I’m kidding.” Finley laughed.

“Oh. I thought you were seriously going to give me a computer so that I can watch porn, Fin.”

“I am giving you a computer, but you don’t have to watch porn on it. I’ll show you. Come on.”

“Porn?” Molly asked in a high-pitched voice.

“Only if you’re into that sort of thing for a third date.” Finley winked at her. “You know what? I’m just getting overly excited about this nerd stuff. We can do all this later.” She moved into Molly, and her hands went to Molly’s hips. “Let’s order dinner and find a movie.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I just want to snuggle up with you on the couch,” Finley replied.

“That does sound good,” Molly said, wrapping her arms around Finley’s neck.

“Wanna make out before the food gets here?” Finley asked with wiggling eyebrows and watched Molly nod.