Author's note:
Welcome back, returning readers! If you've gotten this far, you probably have a sense for how I'm pacing these chapters, splitting time between fun scene play and diving into Nick and Molly's developing relationship. (And if you
haven't
read the previous chapters, you should definitely go do that first! It won't take you too long, and this chapter almost certainly won't make sense without them.) This chapter ramps up the intensity on both fronts, but if you're looking for either a quick way to get off or a happy ending, this isn't the chapter for you. (You'll probably have more luck with Chapter Two, if that's the case.) I hope you'll stick around, though, because we're going to learn a few things about Molly's past...
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Chapter 3: The Keys to the City
The door to my apartment banged against the door jamb, and Molly crashed through it like a wave hitting the beach. I was in the middle of slicing a log of mozzarella into rounds, so I set down the knife and wiped my hands on a dishtowel.
"Hi, Molly, it's nice to see you again so soon." We'd actually gotten together for dinner just a couple of weeks earlier, but it was just dinner. I knew her original pitch had been 'sometimes', not 'all the time', but I have to admit I was a little disappointed. That feeling quickly went away though, and ultimately it really was nice to just spend the evening like we used to: two old friends just talking the night away and getting caught up on each other's lives. This was almost a record for back-to-back dinners so close together.
She gave me a big hug in greeting. "You got my email, right?"
"I did. Multi-course meal of small plates with one main, and don't expect leftovers. Honestly, it's one of the weirder sets of parameters you've ever put on dinner."
"So what did you come up with?"
"Well, I figured I'd do a caprese salad, filet mignon for the main, and chocolate mousse for desert. The starter is a cold pea soup recipe that I've been trying to work out for a while. The soup and the mousse are in the fridge already because I made them last night. I'm just finishing up the salad and then I'll need to sear the beef and stick it in the oven. Does that work for you?"
I could see her turning something over in her head, although I had no idea what. Eventually she smiled and nodded. "How long does the filet stay in the oven?"
"Not long, just five minutes or a little longer. Then it wants to rest for a bit before we eat it, so I'll take it out before I serve the soup."
"Great. And do you have to do anything to it while it's resting?"
"No, though I might put a tent of aluminum-- wait a second. Why are you suddenly so interested in all of these details?"
"Can't a girl be interested in your kitchen skills?"
I arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Of course. But we've been doing this for years and I'm pretty sure this is the first time you've ever asked me how long the steak is supposed to rest before we slice it."
"Well, maybe I'm feeling inspired tonight. Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"
"Split a cocktail with me?"
"I'd love to."
She turned and walked into the living room, pulling out her phone as she did so. I fetched a pair of bottles from my liquor cabinet and two tumblers from my cabinets. I'd gotten hooked on two-ingredient cocktails several months prior, and I made one of my favorites, with equal parts mezcal and amaro. It was a simple, fun drink with a million varieties. I quickly put two drinks together and brought them to the living room, taking a seat across from Molly. She'd already changed the music, of course.
She took a healthy sip of her drink. "I see you've figured out my taste for agave spirits."
"Do you like it?"
"It's delicious, which means it's dangerous. Like a certain chef I'm fond of."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You should."
"Should I also take that to mean you've picked out a story for tonight?" I found myself getting a little bit excited, and a little bit hard, in anticipation.
"I have, but first I..." She sighed and looked down at her drink. "I owe you an apology."
I blinked. "An apology? What for?"
"For using my safeword last time we played. I'm really sorry I did that, I just--"
"Molly! Don't apologize for that. You don't
ever
need to apologize for that." I'm sure the look of confusion on my face wasn't comforting, but it was such an alien concept to me I couldn't help it.
"But I didn't want to mess up the scene! You were so into it, and I- I had to..." She turned away from me, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.
"Hey. Hey. You didn't mess up anything. You didn't do anything wrong."
Molly wiped her eyes, then lifted her drink to her lips and drained the rest of it. The ice cube, still fully-formed, clinked in the glass when she put it back down. She turned back to me with a smile on her face, but it wasn't genuine. "That's really sweet of you to say, Nick. Thanks."
"I don't understand. Why did you apologize just now?"
"I told you, because I'm sorry I stopped the scene."
"You had a good reason."
"No I didn't."
"Sure you did. I was in the middle of c--"
"
Don't.
Say. It."
"Okay... I won't say it. But I was about to do