Emporium."
"Is that place still around? They were popular
when I was your age."
"Yeah, it's improved a lot," Manuel said.
"My mom told me all about how it looked twenty years ago. It looks a lot
snazzier today."
"I'll have to step in and take a look."
Molly glanced at Manuel as Richard studied the menu.
Manuel made eye contact surreptitiously through the corner of his eye. He was
as attracted to Molly as she was to him, but he was careful not to let on to
Richard that he was digging his mom.
"Oh," Manuel turned his head toward
Richard. "Coming to my party next Saturday?"
"Oh I forgot. His eighteenth birthday. He
invited me and I forgot to tell you."
"Eighteen? So you're going to be a voter,"
Molly exclaimed, suddenly feeling a little bit self-conscious.
"Yeah, I guess I am," Manuel laughed.
Molly put her hand on Richard's arm. "You can
absolutely go to his party. In fact, I insist that you do, and I'll even chip
in for the birthday present."
Manuel blushed. "You don't have to do that,
Mrs. --"
"Nonsense! And cut out that Mrs. business. You can call me Molly."
Richard suddenly took notice that his mother was
blushing.
"Okay, Molly. You're welcome to attend the
party as well. My folks are inviting their friends and there will be some adult
beverages. Drop by if you want. It starts at seven."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the
invite."
After dinner, Manuel and Richard for their afternoon
of guy time. Molly went shopping. She thought about Manuel all week. She tried
to think of a reason she had to attend his party without Richard knowing she
had the hots for his friend.
On Thursday she purchased Manuel a nice birthday
gift with a card, writing on it "from Richard and Molly."
"I hope you don't mind," she said, hoping
Richard wouldn't get upset that she bought a gift from both of them.
"Well, I was going to get him a gift. I just
hadn't gone shopping yet."
"Now you don't have to."
"Guess not. Thanks, Mom."
"Don't mention it,” she replied. “Say, would it
be okay if I tagged along. I'd like to see the look on his face."
Richard shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I guess
so."
"We'll go in separate cars. That way, I can
leave early and you can stay as long as you want."
"That's fine," Richard said.
When Saturday came, Molly dressed up nice, but not
too formal. She wanted to look pretty for Manuel without letting on to Richard that
she was getting all dressed up to impress his best friend.
She put on an old dress that she still liked and
that didn't look overly worn along with a pair of nice shoes and some nylons.
She applied just enough make up to look good without appearing trashy or
desperate.
Richard had gone ahead of her, arriving at quarter
after seven. Molly walked out the door at quarter of eight and showed up at
Manuel's house where he lived with his parents at five after. Manuel's mom answered
the door.
"Hi! You must be Molly?"
"Is it obvious?"
"Not really. Richard told me what you'd be
driving. We're so glad to have you. We were just about to cut the cake."
"Oh, goodie. Has he opened the gifts yet?"
"No, that will come after the cake."
"Great. I wanted to see him open the
gifts."
Molly stepped in and watched as Manuel blew out the
candles then cut the cake. He gave his mother the first piece, then Molly the
next. After that, his father took over and started handing out cake, giving
Manuel the next piece.
"Would you like a drink, Molly?" Manuel's
mom, Angie, asked.
"Sure. Do you have wine?"
"I'll get it."
Manuel put his cake down and went to the wet bar. He
poured Molly a red wine and delivered it. She managed to brush her hand against
his as the wine glass exchanged hands.
Later in the evening, after Manuel opened his gifts,
his mom and dad decided to open the pool. Manuel and Richard were the first to
jump in. Other guests slowly waded in while Molly sat on the side of the pool
and watched. Manuel caught her attention at one point and asked if she'd like
to join the rest of the
"Is that place still around? They were popular
when I was your age."
"Yeah, it's improved a lot," Manuel said.
"My mom told me all about how it looked twenty years ago. It looks a lot
snazzier today."
"I'll have to step in and take a look."
Molly glanced at Manuel as Richard studied the menu.
Manuel made eye contact surreptitiously through the corner of his eye. He was
as attracted to Molly as she was to him, but he was careful not to let on to
Richard that he was digging his mom.
"Oh," Manuel turned his head toward
Richard. "Coming to my party next Saturday?"
"Oh I forgot. His eighteenth birthday. He
invited me and I forgot to tell you."
"Eighteen? So you're going to be a voter,"
Molly exclaimed, suddenly feeling a little bit self-conscious.
"Yeah, I guess I am," Manuel laughed.
Molly put her hand on Richard's arm. "You can
absolutely go to his party. In fact, I insist that you do, and I'll even chip
in for the birthday present."
Manuel blushed. "You don't have to do that,
Mrs. --"
"Nonsense! And cut out that Mrs. business. You can call me Molly."
Richard suddenly took notice that his mother was
blushing.
"Okay, Molly. You're welcome to attend the
party as well. My folks are inviting their friends and there will be some adult
beverages. Drop by if you want. It starts at seven."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the
invite."
After dinner, Manuel and Richard for their afternoon
of guy time. Molly went shopping. She thought about Manuel all week. She tried
to think of a reason she had to attend his party without Richard knowing she
had the hots for his friend.
On Thursday she purchased Manuel a nice birthday
gift with a card, writing on it "from Richard and Molly."
"I hope you don't mind," she said, hoping
Richard wouldn't get upset that she bought a gift from both of them.
"Well, I was going to get him a gift. I just
hadn't gone shopping yet."
"Now you don't have to."
"Guess not. Thanks, Mom."
"Don't mention it,” she replied. “Say, would it
be okay if I tagged along. I'd like to see the look on his face."
Richard shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I guess
so."
"We'll go in separate cars. That way, I can
leave early and you can stay as long as you want."
"That's fine," Richard said.
When Saturday came, Molly dressed up nice, but not
too formal. She wanted to look pretty for Manuel without letting on to Richard that
she was getting all dressed up to impress his best friend.
She put on an old dress that she still liked and
that didn't look overly worn along with a pair of nice shoes and some nylons.
She applied just enough make up to look good without appearing trashy or
desperate.
Richard had gone ahead of her, arriving at quarter
after seven. Molly walked out the door at quarter of eight and showed up at
Manuel's house where he lived with his parents at five after. Manuel's mom answered
the door.
"Hi! You must be Molly?"
"Is it obvious?"
"Not really. Richard told me what you'd be
driving. We're so glad to have you. We were just about to cut the cake."
"Oh, goodie. Has he opened the gifts yet?"
"No, that will come after the cake."
"Great. I wanted to see him open the
gifts."
Molly stepped in and watched as Manuel blew out the
candles then cut the cake. He gave his mother the first piece, then Molly the
next. After that, his father took over and started handing out cake, giving
Manuel the next piece.
"Would you like a drink, Molly?" Manuel's
mom, Angie, asked.
"Sure. Do you have wine?"
"I'll get it."
Manuel put his cake down and went to the wet bar. He
poured Molly a red wine and delivered it. She managed to brush her hand against
his as the wine glass exchanged hands.
Later in the evening, after Manuel opened his gifts,
his mom and dad decided to open the pool. Manuel and Richard were the first to
jump in. Other guests slowly waded in while Molly sat on the side of the pool
and watched. Manuel caught her attention at one point and asked if she'd like
to join the rest of the
Similar Books
