Once I’ve seen everything, we head downstairs and outside. It’s then that I get to take in the massive Angel Designs sign hanging between the two front windows. I love it.
As we get back in Ryan’s car, Lilly and Dec join us while Emma chooses to go with Susan and Pete. I can’t help but think she’s pissed off after my display with Ryan upstairs. She’s going to have to get used to us being close, because I can’t be without him.
I just get settled in my seat when I feel the blindfold coming back around my eyes from behind me.
“For fuck’s sake, not again.”
“I’m afraid so,” Lilly says. “I’m under strict instructions from Ryan.”
I hear him and Dec get in the car and join in with Lilly’s laughter at my pouting face.
“We aren’t going far, Molls, stop sulking,” Ryan says. I fold my arms over my chest and huff my annoyance.
Ryan was lying when he said we weren’t going far. I’ve been sat here in the dark for ages. Eventually, the engine turns off and hear the others get out. They’ve been talking amongst themselves during the journey, but I didn’t join in. I was trying to show them how miserable being blindfolded was making me but, apparently, they didn’t care.
Once Ryan has successfully guided me to our destination without letting me fall on my arse, he takes the blindfold off.
We’re in our favourite pub, and sitting in front of me are the Morrisons, as well as Steven, his wife Debs, their two little girls, Poppy and Mia, and Daniel.
“Happy birthday, kid,” Steven says as comes over to give me a hug.
A wide smile splits my face at seeing everyone I love in one place.
It’s been ages since I’ve spent time with my brothers. I hug Daniel after Steven has put me down, then Debs and the girls, who are very excited to see me. Poppy is six and Mia is four; they’re both the spitting image of their mum, with light blonde hair and pale skin. Poppy has her mum’s blue eyes, whereas Mia has her dad’s green ones. I can just imagine how much stress they’re going to cause my big brother when they’re teenagers.
“I can’t believe you’re here!”
“Ryan phoned us at the beginning of the week to invite us. He told us you were going to see the office. What do you think?” Daniel asks.
“I love it. Thank you so much for helping do it.”
“Anything for you, Molly-moo,” Daniel says, rubbing his hand on my head, messing up my hair as if I were a little kid again.
We had a brilliant evening. I was surrounded by my family, and I couldn’t be happier. I loved them all, and was grateful to have such amazing people in my life.
It’s just past midnight, and I’m sat on the sofa with my laptop. As it’s now officially my birthday, I have something to check. Ryan puts some music on and sits next to me with a beer in his hand.
“What are you doing?” he questions.
“I just need to check something.”
“What’s so important that you dived straight for your laptop as soon as you got in?”
“Nothing much,” I say, to try to stop him prying. I hate what I’m about to check, but I need to know what it’s going to be this year. I know it will make Ryan mad if I tell him the truth. I get the webpage up and log myself in, opening my account. As usual, it’s already there. A lump forms in my throat, and my eyes tear up a bit. Every year, I hope it is going to be different and they’ll actually do something to show me they care about me. Even a card would mean more to me than this.
“Molly, what’s wrong?”
I knew I should have done this when I was on my own. “Nothing. I’m okay.”
I go to shut the lid of my laptop, but Ryan is faster and grabs it from me.
“What is this?” he asks, his eyes running over the page. “Why have you had thirty thousand pounds paid into your account with the reference of ‘Love’?”
“It’s nothing.” I feel myself getting more upset as he turns his head to look at me.
“It’s from your parents, isn’t it? When you said last week that you would hear from them on your birthday, this is what you meant?”
“Yes. I fucking hate it. Every birthday and Christmas, the only contact I have from them is a bank transfer.” Saying it out loud makes the dejection only stronger.
“All I’ve ever wanted from them is their love, to be actual parents to me, but all they do is palm me off with money. I’m sure it’s all a tax fiddle or something, because it’s a different amount every time—like they just have some money to lose, so gift it to me. Some years they really ‘love’ me; others not so much. I would be so happy just to receive a hand-written card from them, because at least they would have gone to the effort of writing it themselves and putting a tiny bit of thought into it.”
I take the laptop back and move the money out of my current account and into my savings. I log out, and take a big gulp of wine.
The muscle in Ryan’s neck starts to pulse. “Have they always done this?”
“Since I graduated.”
“What do you do with it? You don’t live like someone who’s loaded, and I’ve seen your bank account before now—it looks like a normal working person’s.”
I blow out a big breath. “Well, I got big lump when I turned twenty-one. I paid off the debts I’d accumulated as a student, and I gave Susan and Pete the rent I believed I should have been paying for all the years I lived in their flat for free. Then, with my brothers’ help, I bought two cheap run-down flats in the city, did them up, and now rent them both out. I wanted to put the money to work, not just blow it on expensive clothes, holidays, and cars, like the other trust fund babies I grew up around. Steven reckons if I sold the flats now, I would easily double my money. I hate that I’ve used the family business for it, but Steven and Daniel are brilliant at what they do, and I knew I could trust them with it. They’re sworn to secrecy. I never want my parents to know.
“I bought my car one year because I needed to meet with clients and taking the bus wasn’t cutting it. I paid for the three of us to go to the Caribbean after graduating, too.” Hannah and Ryan were together by then, so he would remember that. “I wanted to treat the most important people in my life to an unforgettable holiday. Every year, I give some of it to charity, and I make sure the people I love are looked after—no matter how slyly I have to do it.”
Ryan looks thoughtful. “Have you done it to me before?”
“Maybe. I’m not telling you what, though.”
“I’m going to let that slide, but I’m watching you, Molly Carter.”
I’m woken up Saturday morning by my phone ringing. I begrudgingly open my eyes to see who it is.
“Steven, do you know what time it is?” I grumble. Then, I hear giggling.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” my nieces sing to me.
“Aw, thank you, guys. That was lovely. Best birthday present ever.”
“Auntie Molly?” Poppy asks.
“Yes, Pops?”
“It’s lunchtime. You should be awake by now!” she admonishes me.
“Um, yeah, I guess I should.” I hear a commotion in the background as Steven comes on the phone.
“Happy birthday, kid.”
We chat for a bit, and I open the present the girls gave me last night. It’s my favourite smellies. Debs always picks the best presents. Not long after, I hang up and lie back down, feeling like I could sleep the day away, but my phone goes off again. It’s Daniel’s turn.
“Happy birthday, Molls.”
“Thanks. You sound as bad as I feel,” I comment at his sleepy voice.
“I may have gone out after the meal last night,” he explains. “Yes, just help yourself,” I hear him say away from the phone.
“Got a friend, Daniel?” He’s a bit of a player, my youngest big brother.
“Yeah, just some blonde I met last ni—yes, sorry baby, I know you have a name. Is the coffee ready yet?”
“I think I should let you go. If you’re up for another
night out, we’re all going out tonight. Not sure where yet, but I can text you.”
“You know me, Molls—can’t turn down a night out.” My brother may be thirty-seven, but he’s still twenty-one at heart. I’m just waiting for the day he meets a woman who knocks him on his arse.
I snuggle back down again into my covers, when I hear a knock at my bedroom door.
“Yeah?” I groan.
“Happy birthday,” Ryan chimes as he walks in with a tray of food and a huge bunch of flowers.
“Wow, is that all for me?”
“I thought you could have breakfast in bed.” He places the tray down on my bedside table, and I see he’s brought me all my favourite pastries, a pot of tea, orange juice, and a huge display of dusky pink flowers of all different types. He stands back and heads to the door.
“Where are you going? I can’t eat this all by myself. Come join me.”
“I’m just getting your present. Don’t worry, I’m not leaving the food!”
He comes back in holding a huge, flat, rectangular giftbox. I feel a huge smile break across my face.
“Can I open it now?” I put my arms out like a little kid.
“Of course, birthday girl.” I take it from him and rip into the paper to discover what I suspected.
“When did you go back and get this?”
“I didn’t. I rang them and had it delivered to Susan and Pete’s house.”
Tears well in my eyes as I look down at the canvas in my hands. It’s a painting looking out over the bay where we stayed. The roofs of the beach huts are showing, and the sun is going down, just like the night I watched it from the hot tub. When I first saw it in the gallery, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The artist had captured the scene perfectly.
“I can’t believe you got it for me. Thank you so much. I love it.” I crawl over to him so I can say thank you properly, placing a kiss on his cheek and squeezing him tight. It’s when my arms touch his bare skin that I realise he’s only in pyjama bottoms. A birthday breakfast can’t get any better than this.
“Remind me, what’s the plan for later?” Ryan asks around a bite of croissant.
“Megan is coming over later this afternoon to get ready with me, then we’re meeting everyone at the Indian at eight before drinks. Chris and Shane have it all planned.”
“They’d better not take us to the gay clubs again.”
“Are you still grumpy about being hit on repeatedly that night?” I can’t help but laugh at his unimpressed face. “Oh, come on, you can’t blame them. You’re hot.” He looks up at me through hooded eyes, and my breath catches. Something sizzles between us and I move away, hoping the distance will take the edge off the connection.
Chapter Ten
Ryan
Molly and Megan have been downstairs for a couple of hours, getting ready for tonight. I have no idea what takes so long, but they must be having fun because I can hear them laughing over the music from up here.
I’m stood in the kitchen with a towel wrapped around my waist as I look in the fridge for a beer. A noise startles me and, turning my head, I see Molly heading my way, wearing a little vest top and shorts. Her hair is loosely curled and her makeup done. She walks straight to me; I feel her breasts crush against my back as she leans into the fridge with one hand while resting the other low on my hip. She grabs the bottle of wine and slowly pulls back. Her hand moves from my hip, slides up my abs and wraps around the other side as she hugs me. I can feel her nose against my shoulder as she inhales.
“You smell amazing,” she whispers against my skin before she walks out of the room, and down the stairs until I hear her bedroom door shut.
What the fuck was that? Tingles warm my skin and my heart races.
“Ladies, it’s half past seven, and the taxi is waiting. Hurry the fuck up,” I shout through Molly’s bedroom door. I have no idea what they’ve been doing in there all this time, but I’m expecting something awesome. It took me ten minutes flat to be dressed in dark jeans and a polo shirt. I ran some wax through my hair, and I was ready. I’ve spent the rest of the evening waiting. I haven’t been able to shake the feelings Molly ignited in me earlier, and I can’t wait to see her.
Suddenly, the door flies open and Megan walks out, ready to go. She looks good in her black skinny jeans and glittery silver top. Her normally tied up hair is hanging straight around her shoulders, and I notice it’s a brighter red than the last time I saw her. She’s taller than Molly, which isn’t hard, and has more curves thanks to her cute little boy.
“Please tell me she is ready,” I say to Megan.
“Yes, she’s coming, it’ll be worth the wait, I promise.”
Shit.
I turn away from Megan when I see movement to my left, and Molly appears from her bathroom. My chin drops to the floor as she sashays towards us. Her hair and make-up is the same as I saw earlier, but now she’s wearing a tight, deep purple short dress that shows a small amount of cleavage, making me lick my lips. On her feet are glittery silver heels, which make her exposed legs look extraordinary.
“See what I mean?” Megan says beside me.
Molly turns to grab her bag off her bed, revealing the back of the dress—or lack thereof. I suck in a breath at the amount of exposed skin. I can see almost down to the top of her arse. The desire to run my hands across her back is painful—almost as painful as my dick staining against the fabric of my jeans.
“Ry, you okay?” Molly asks as she moves towards me.
I swallow before nodding my head and saying, “Uh huh,” as she walks past me and out the front door. Her scent fills my senses, making my mouth water. I don’t think I have ever been as turned on as I am right now, and I haven’t even touched her.
“Shit, you’ve got it bad, haven’t you?”
I shake my head. “Sorry, what?”
“Molly. You want her.”
What do I say to that?
“She’s my best friend, Megan.”
With that, I walk out with Megan and lock the door, putting an end to the conversation, but I can tell by the look she’s giving me that I haven’t convinced her.
The others are already seated when we arrive, which is no surprise. We quickly say hello to everyone and get sat down. I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or not that I’m opposite Molly. I’m not close enough to touch her, but every time I look up, she’s all I can see. Shane and Chris are busy filling her in on their wedding plans on one side of me, and Megan and Emma are talking about Cocoa’s on the other. All I can do is try to concentrate on not just staring at Molly. The guys have tried dragging me into their conversations, but I wasn’t really paying attention to anything. They seem to have given up on me now.
As the meal comes to an end, I go over to the bar to settle the bill. If I’m not quick, Molly will beat me to it, and she’s not paying for her own birthday meal.
“Can I settle the bill for the table over there?” I ask, pointing in our table’s direction.
“Sorry sir, but it’s already been paid for. The lady in the purple dress came up here when you first came in, gave me her card details and told me not to let anyone else pay for this meal.”
“I should have known.” I look back to the table and see Molly grinning at me. Shaking my head at her, I walk off to the men’s room.
I’m washing my hands when Shane walks in.
“She looks hot tonight, doesn’t she?”
“Who?”
“Don’t pretend you haven’t noticed. I’ve watched you watch her the whole time we’ve been here.”
I say nothing.
“Look, Ryan, if you’re into her, then go for it. I want to see you both happy. You deserve that after the year you’ve had. But I should warn you that whilst you’ve been drooling over Molly, Emma has been shooting daggers from across the table.”
“Nothing will happen between us. She’s my best friend. She made it quite clear to Emma the other day, I’m like a brother to her.” Shane raises an eyebrow
at me. “Yes, I was eavesdropping on their conversation. I wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“You’ve got to understand—she’s lost her twin, the other half of her, and she suddenly finds out you’ve moved Molly in. It must have been a shock. But even a blind person could see how much you and Molly care about each other. Emma will be able to see that as well, and if something is destined to happen between the two of you, it will all work out.”
“I can’t risk it, Shane. I’ll see you out there,” I say, leaving him to it, but I can’t deny that his words ring in my ears as I make my way back to the table.
“Was my fiancé trying to turn you gay in there or something? You’ve both been gone for ages,” Chris laughs as I get back to the table.
“Yeah, we had a quickie in one if the cubicles. Not sure what the fuss is all about; you can keep him,” I deadpan, as they all turn to me with shocked looks on their faces. I can’t help but laugh.
A couple of hours later, we’re on the dance floor of one of Oxford’s biggest clubs. We’re all nicely buzzed, thanks to the shots Shane and Chris ordered for us all.
I’ve tried my best to stay away from Molly. I don’t want to cause any more problems with Emma. I don’t want to be the reason they argue.
I watch as a guy who’s been eyeing up Molly plucks up the courage to dance with her. I don’t like the look of him—he’s like the dickheads she would have been with before. He goes up right behind her, puts his hands on her hips, and starts grinding her arse into him. My fists clench at my sides and fire races through my veins as I take in his hands on her body. Looking up, she tries to shrug him off, but he’s not having any of it and pulls her tighter to him. I can tell she’s getting pissed off, and it makes me want to break the fucker’s nose. I move towards them and stand right against her side, removing his hand from her hip.
Falling For Ryan: Part One Page 9