Page 32 of October (New Orleans #10)

“S o, what are you doing tonight?” Finley asked.

“No plans,” Molly replied. “I guess maybe getting puppy supplies. Well, that can wait. I have a week. I’m just excited.”

“You’re getting a puppy?” the new-hire woman across from Molly asked.

“Yes, in a week. I can’t wait,” Molly replied and turned to Finley. “Want to go… to Juliet’s office?”

“Sure,” Finley replied with a chuckle, and they both got up from their desks and headed down to Juliet’s office.

“Jules is in the new training room right now,” Molly said and closed the door behind them. “So, we have a few minutes, at least. That newbie hears everything.”

“Well, you do sit about three feet away from her, and you said the word ‘puppy.’ I don’t know who wouldn’t be excited. Also, I want to kiss you right now.”

Molly looked out the glass walls and said, “Not here, Fin.”

“I know. Just wanted to tell you. That way, you know. So, tonight? Want some company getting puppy stuff?”

“You want to do that with me?”

“Why not? It’s time together, and I can get Wells some things from me, too. I’m thinking about a little sweater.”

“We live in New Orleans,” Molly reasoned.

“A raincoat, then?”

Molly laughed and replied, “We’ll talk.”

“Oh, hey,” Juliet said as she walked in.

“Hey. Sorry, we borrowed your office. The newbie who took your desk is nosy.”

“She is not.” Finley laughed. “We just needed to talk about our plans for tonight. We’ll get out of your hair.”

“No, it’s fine,” Juliet replied. “I don’t even know if I like having an office.

It’s weird, being in here all on my own, but they gave it to me.

Feel free to use it whenever.” She looked at Molly.

“I was going to go to Candace’s tonight with Gwen.

Want to double date with us? I’m not sure if Elisa and Myra will be there, but they might show. ”

“Double date?” Finley asked Molly. “That could be fun.”

“After puppy supplies?” Molly asked.

“Yes, babe; after I get the puppy a raincoat.”

“ Babe , huh?” Juliet teased Finley.

“Shut up,” Finley said, rolling her eyes. “And if we keep getting up to have private chats, the new girl is going to get the right idea about us.”

Molly shook her head and suggested, “Want to pretend we can’t stand each other for the rest of the week?”

“Great idea,” Finley said and pulled the door open for Molly. “After you.” She motioned for her to walk through first. “Last nice thing I’ll do for you until we’re out of the office.”

“You two are weird,” Juliet teased again.

◆◆◆

Finley took Molly’s hand as they walked along the sidewalk.

“I like it when you do that,” Molly told her.

“Do what?”

“Take my hand like it’s just a normal thing you do.”

“Well, I’m hoping it becomes a normal thing I do,” she said. “But I’m glad to know that you like it.”

“Are you sure about the double date thing? We don’t have to go.”

“Are you not sure about it?” she checked, looking over at Molly. “I like Juliet and Gwen, and this bar is cool.”

“They’re just all over each other these days, and I’m happy for both of them, but you and I just started dating, and–”

“We can be all over each other, too, if you want,” Finley interjected. “I have no problems feeling you up in the booth.”

Molly laughed and asked, “You want to feel me up in a bar?”

“I want to feel you up everywhere, if I’m being honest. I tried in a server room and on my sofa, if you remember last night.”

“Oh, I remember last night,” Molly replied.

“Yeah?” Finley said. “You went home.”

“Hands were going other places, Finley.”

“Places you don’t want hands to go?”

“Places I absolutely want hands to go.”

“And other things?”

Molly stopped walking and replied, “Yes, other things, too.”

“But you’re not ready, and that’s okay.”

“It’s not that,” Molly said. “I do want that with you. I’m just worried, I think.”

“Worried about what?”

“That I might not be good at it.”

“What?” Finley asked. “Sex?”

“Yes,” Molly said. “But please say it louder so that the guys walking in behind us can hear you.”

“Shit. Sorry,” Finley replied and moved aside to let the group of four guys walk past them and into the bar. “And you’re worried about that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? As far as I know, the last person you were with was India, and I–” Molly stopped. “I’m not trying to compare myself with her again, but I’m sure she knows what she’s doing in the bedroom. On top of that, you were together forever, so she… knew…”

“Knew what?”

“Your body, Finley. India knew your body. She knew… No, she knows all the things that make you feel good and the things you don’t like. She’ll know that forever, and I don’t.”

“Yet,” Finley said. “You don’t yet . But you will. We’ll–”

“Hey, you two.”

Finley turned to see Juliet and Gwen walking hand in hand.

“Hey,” she said, probably not sounding particularly excited about seeing them because this was an important conversation that she and Molly needed to have.

“Are you not going in?” Gwen asked, nodding toward the bar.

“No, we are ,” Molly replied and pulled on Finley’s hand, likely trying to escape the conversation.

They walked inside, and Juliet pointed to a booth where they sat.

The bar was busy, but not jam-packed, which was one of the things Finley liked about it.

It had that local New Orleans vibe that she liked that wasn’t exactly welcoming to tourists, but if they happened upon it, they would probably feel right at home.

“I need help,” Candace said when she hurried over to the table. “Hi, by the way.”

“Hey,” Juliet said for the group. “And you need help?”

“Rory and Logan won’t let me keep making drinks for them to try.”

“And you need them to try drinks… because?” Gwen asked.

“I still can’t figure out the main cocktail I’d like at the wedding.

Keith is no help. He’s a beer guy. I want there to be something special for the bartender to make.

I was thinking a punch or something because that’s easy to make ahead of time.

I could make it myself, so they can’t screw it up. They’d just have to pour it.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Juliet replied.

“Something in the rum family, maybe,” Candace said, seemingly talking to herself. “Okay. I’ll be back, and I’ll bring something for you all to try.”

Then, she was off.

“What was that about?” Finley asked as she wrapped her arm around Molly’s shoulders and pulled her against her side.

“Candace is getting married. She’s a mixologist,” Gwen said.

“Oh,” Finley replied.

Molly then placed her hand on her thigh, and Finley had no idea how she could be worried about being bad in bed or not making her feel good, because just having Molly’s hand on her thigh was already driving her crazy.

“So, you got puppy stuff?” Juliet asked Molly.

“Yes. And I let this one here buy Wells a raincoat. It’s bright yellow, has a hood, and is ridiculous.”

Finley laughed and said, “And I got her matching shoes. Four of them. It’ll be super cute.”

“You know she’s just going to kick them off, right?” Gwen asked.

“Maybe, but I’ll take a few pictures before she gets the chance,” she replied and moved the arm that had been around Molly’s shoulders to her thigh instead, holding Molly’s hand, wanting that link between them.

“Hey, Candace is in the kitchen. It’s like Breaking Bad back there. What did she tell you she was making?” a woman asked as she approached their booth.

“Something with rum in it. Maybe a punch,” Juliet said. “Logan, this is Finley, and you remember Molly.”

“Yeah, hey,” Logan said with a nod at Molly. Then, she looked down at their joined hands. “And nice to meet you.”

Finley nodded and replied, “You too.”

Then, she squeezed Molly’s hand possessively.

“Um… I don’t mean to get involved or anything, but Ava’s sitting at the bar,” Logan said.

“Ava’s here?” Molly asked.

“Yeah, she’s over there.” Logan turned and nodded toward the bar.

Molly followed her eyes before she glanced at Finley and said, “Do you mind if I go talk to her for a second?”

“No, go for it,” she replied, hating that she felt jealous, but the feeling was there, and it remained there as Molly let go of her hand, stood, and headed over toward the bar.

“What can I get you?” Logan asked her.

“Um… I don’t know. Beer? Maybe one for Molls, too.”

“Sure. A local?”

“Yeah, whatever is fine,” Finley said, not really caring about her drink right now.

When Juliet and Gwen ordered their beverages as well, Logan walked off, and Finley tried to pretend like she wasn’t paying attention to Molly and Ava, who were still talking.

She knew she and Molly hadn’t made this official between them, so Molly could talk to any woman she wanted to, and if she wanted to go on another date with Ava, she could do that, too, but Finley hoped they were headed toward exclusivity.

Just the thought of Molly being with someone else made her feel sick, and that had to mean something.

“Sorry about that,” Molly said when she returned to the table.

“No problem,” she replied, playing it off. “I got you a beer. I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, that’s great. Thanks.” Molly reached for the beer that Logan had dropped off and took a long pull from the bottle. “I invited Ava over here to join us, if that’s okay. She just ran to the bathroom first,” she added.

“I haven’t spent much time with her, but she’s cool,” Gwen said.

“So, when are you picking up Wells?” Juliet asked.

“The puppy place lady is supposed to call me with a day and time,” Molly said. “But we got food tonight, some toys, and those puppy pad things.”

“And a raincoat,” Gwen added.

Molly laughed softly and said, “And a raincoat, yes.”

When Ava walked over to the table, she took a seat next to Gwen, which was surprising.

Finley had expected her to sit on Molly’s other side.

Instantly, she found Molly’s hand under the table again and entwined their fingers.

Molly moved their joined hands into her own lap, and her thumb grazed Finley’s hand as if she was trying to tell Finley that it was all okay.

“How’s Michelle?” Finley asked.

“Who’s Michelle?” Gwen asked.

Ava laughed and replied, “I have no idea. I haven’t seen her since that night, and I hope I never do.”

“Who’s Michelle?” Juliet asked this time.

“I met her on an app, and we went for a drink here. It did not go well. These two were on a date and saw the whole thing, unfortunately.”

“We weren’t dating yet,” Finley said, wishing that she hadn’t.

Molly leaned over then and whispered into her ear, “It’s okay. I’m here with you. You can maybe let the blood flow back into my hand now.”

Finley looked down and realized that she had Molly’s hand in a tight grip.

She let go and put her hand back in her lap.

She hadn’t felt this jealous in years; maybe ever.

Molly picked it back up and placed it back in her lap, which made Finley feel a little better.

Then, Molly rested her head on her shoulder, and Finley smiled before she caught Ava’s eyes on them.

Ava gave her a soft smile, surprising her again, but now wasn’t the time to try to figure this woman out because under the table, Molly’s hands were playing with Finley’s fingers as if she needed that to keep herself focused on the conversation.

Finley wondered why, but she didn’t ask with the group chatting around them.

Instead, she shifted her hand up higher on Molly’s thigh.

Molly didn’t move or push her hand away, so Finley left it there.

Minutes later, Candace had shot glasses in front of them that had a bluish liquid in them.

“Taste it first, and then I’ll tell you what’s in it.”

Finley downed the drink, and it tasted tropical. There was coconut in there for sure, and maybe a little pineapple. It was nice.

“Sweet,” Gwen noted.

“Too sweet?” Candace asked.

They talked about the drink, but Finley wasn’t listening because Molly had just kissed her neck before putting her head back on Finley’s shoulder. Finley slid her hand up a bit higher and heard Molly gasp. She felt her shift , too.

“Should I stop?” she whispered to her while the others were distracted with Candace and talking about the drink.

Molly cleared her throat and shifted her head to look down at where Finley’s hand had ended up. She was covering Molly’s center, but not pressing down into it to offer her any pressure.

“Probably,” Molly said and looked over at her with the bluest eyes Finley had ever seen.

Finley leaned in and said, “I will if you want me to, but just know that I don’t want to.”

“Is it because…” Molly nodded toward Ava. “Because she’s here?”

Finley shook her head and said, “No.” She nibbled on Molly’s ear for a second and whispered, “I won’t lie, though: I am extremely jealous. I just also really, really want to touch you. Last night, on the couch, my hand was so close, and it was so hard to pull away.”

“Hey, you two? What do you think?” Candace asked, interrupting them.

“It’s great. Great drink,” Finley said. “Fruity.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Just tell her it’s good so that she can pick a damn drink already,” a woman said, walking up to the booth. “She’s been very annoying. Hi. I’m Rory.” She greeted Finley.

“Finley,” she replied to Logan’s girlfriend.

“I think I’m going to go,” Ava said, standing up. “Any chance you’re leaving, too, and can give me a ride? I had a glass of wine before this, and Candace’s shot was mostly rum.”

“It’s too much alcohol? God, what is wrong with me?”

Candace rushed off.

“It’s the wedding. It’s not even close yet, but she’s already freaking out, so this should be a fun year,” Rory added. “And, yeah; Logan’s off now, so we can drop you off, if you want.”

“Thanks,” Ava replied. “Good to see you again,” she added to the table.

“You too,” Molly replied.

Finley chanced running her index finger over Molly’s center, and Molly gasped and looked down as if she needed to make sure that that had just happened for real, which had Finley smiling to herself.

“You doing okay over there, Molls?” Juliet asked.

“Yup. Great,” Molly replied in her high-pitched voice. “I’m really, really great right now.”

Finley repeated the motion, wanting to see if she could get Molly to gasp again because, it turned out, she loved that sound.

“Actually, I think I’d be even greater at home. Is greater a word?” Molly pretended to cough then. “I’m feeling a little under the weather. I think I should just get some sleep. Lots of sleep now. Fin, can you maybe drop me off at home?”

Finley smirked and replied, “Absolutely. I’ll drop you off at home.”