The laugh that rattled through her body melted some of the ice building in her veins. She loved throw pillows too – but that was beside the point.
Molly:We’ve been dating for a hot minute, Finn. How can you just... say that?
Finn:I told you, I’ve loved you for an age. It’s been sitting in a corner of my heart, growing – despite my attempts to ignore it and pretend it wasn’t there.
Finn:It hurt to keep it trapped inside like some dirty, ugly secret.
Finn:I know it’s scary for you, and freaks you all the way out, but for me… finally being able to say it out loud… finally running toward it, instead of away from it – it’s like I can breathe for the first time in a long time.
Her heart raced.
“Do you feel the same way?” Cleo’s voice was so close to her ear Molly shrieked and dropped her phone. “Sorry not sorry. I needed to make sure you were okay. Your face did this weird thing, and it looked like you might cry. And you ignored me when I said your name three times.”
“You’re reading over my shoulder?”
“Best friend privilege. It’s my duty to help you lean into the big scary feels, rather than tuck tail and run the fuck away. So again, I ask: Do you feel the same as Finn? Do you feel freer now that you’ve given into his roguish charms?”
Molly gulped down the last of her coffee with a loud slurp. “Never…everlet him hear you refer to him as roguish, or charming.”
“Noted. Stop avoiding my question.”
“I don’t think I’ve given in to anything but his dick yet. I’m so scared it’s all going to go tits-up and I’m going to be left with a brother who hates us both, and a friendship that’s in tatters.”
Cleo tucked her leg under her and frowned.
“What? What’s with the frown? Is this another romance novel thing? You know my life isn’t a friggin’ romance novel, right? I’d make a terrible heroine.”
“Stop fighting it. It’s another thing that messes shit up in my books.”
“You read too much smut. Can’t you read something productive, like Gray’s Anatomy? Encyclopedia Britannica?” Molly eyed a third donut. Was she feeding her feelings? Absolutely. But she gave zero fucks.
Cleo held her hands up in surrender. “I’m just sayin’. Fighting it, keeping yourself at a distance while Finn goes all-in? It’s not fair to either of you. Open yourself up to him, Molly.” She paused, paled, then gagged. “Ew. Ew. Double ew. That’s not what I meant.”
“We both know I’ve already opened up to him just fine.”
Cleo leaned forward as Molly lifted the donut to her face. Cleo’s hand smacked across Molly’s mouth, squishing the donut against her lips.
“What the hell?”
“TMI, MoMo. T-M-fucking-I.” She retracted her hand and dusted the sugar off on her thigh.
Molly laughed as her phone chimed.
Finn:You’re really not good for a man’s confidence you know.
Her heart twinged.
Molly:Sorry. Talking through my feels with ChoCho and trying not to give in to the desire to flee.
Finn:You can run, you can hide, but – spoiler alert – my dick planted a homing beacon inside you.
She laughed out loud.
Molly:Damn. Seems I really can’t escape.
Finn:Do you really want to?
Molly:No.
