Page 47 of The Ex Factor

‘It’s happening,’ Ashley assured her.

‘I didn’t say anything,’ Molly said.

‘You were biting your nails. I just thought you might…’ Ashley smiled. ‘Sorry, we haven’t known each other long enough for me to properly read your mind yet.’

Molly was immediately remorseful. ‘No, you read me right. I just didn’t want to talk about it.’

Hmm, bit harsh? Hard to say. Ashley wasn’t nearly so readable. She pushed a tortilla chip through a small puddle of sauce. ‘So tomorrow you go to the set?’

Molly nodded. ‘Yes. The set.’ Her pulse jumped. She didn’t have much experience. She would not be able to match the rest of the cast. She was going to be bad.

Should she say that? No. Molly didn’t like to talk about fears. It was like saying, ‘Hey, here’s my heart! Wanna stand on it?’

A pause settled between them, and it was awkward.

We started too strong, Molly thought. And now we have to catch up.

Ashley leaned back in her chair, finishing her soggy chip. ‘I’m meeting the guy tomorrow.’

‘The completely legitimate one?’ Molly said.

‘According to my best googling.’

Molly studied her for a second. ‘And you still think it’s going to go nowhere?’

Ashley hesitated, just briefly. ‘I think it’s safer to assume it won’t.’

‘Man. We are pessimistic for a couple of winners,’ Molly said.

Ashley laughed. ‘You’re a winner. I’m… I don’t know yet.’

Molly hummed, unconvinced, then took a sip of her drink. Her eyes stayed on Ashley a fraction too long before she realised and looked away first.

Ashley shifted slightly in her seat. ‘You keep looking like you’re about to say something and then don’t.’

‘I’m not.’

‘You are.’

Molly gave a short laugh. ‘You’re weirdly observant for someone who’s only known me a week.’

‘Five days,’ Ashley corrected automatically.

‘Five days,’ Molly conceded.

Ashley picked up her glass, then put it down again without drinking. ‘It’s just a lot, isn’t it? All of it suddenly happening.’

Molly nodded once. ‘Yeah.’

Another pause. Molly wondered if she should initiate a bit of footsy? No. She didn’t want Ashley to think she was trying to make everything physical. Because they had slept together the first night they met. Ashley might think Molly was just about that. And she wasn’t. The fact was, Molly didn’t quite know what she was about. But Ashley was something special. That much she knew.

Fuck, dating was hard when you cared.

Ashley ate another chip. ‘You’re going to be fine, you know.’

Molly laughed. ‘You don’t know that.’

‘I do,’ Ashley said simply.