Chapter 11

Red Junior’s first-year birthday party was a very intimate event. Family and friends were gathered in the backyard of The Jammed.

Everyone was eating, drinking, talking, and joking, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. The cake, which was red, white and blue, was mounted on a little decorated table.

At some point, the birthday boy was put behind the table to be photographed with different sets of adult friends and relatives.

When the photo session was finished, everyone gathered around the birthday cake, lighted the candles, and sang “Happy birthday” to Red Junior. He had been all dressed up for the occasion and he was wearing a party hat.

Finally, Kat was able to relax and sat down with her friends holding a sleeping birthday boy in her arms. Laura and Mary were sitting at her sides cuddling their baby girls. Mary’s daughter, Sabrina, was chatting with Tony, the chef of the restaurant.

“We tried to keep the party small,” Kat explained to her friends. “I read on the internet that a room too crowded, even with familiar faces, may overwhelm a baby.”

Laura and Mary nodded. The three mothers shared information about how to raise their children.

“Seems baby Red is going to have two gorgeous ladies fighting for his love when he grows up,” Kat joked. “Both girls are gorgeous.”

“Thank you, Kat,” Laura smiled at her friend, “Lily is a true blessing!”

“Maggie is an angel too. Nothing like Sabrina was,” Mary added smiling at her sleeping daughter.

“How are things going between Molly and John,” Laura asked Kat.

“Getting information out of my husband is harder than breaking into Fort Knox,” Kat told both women with a frustrated expression. “It seems things are not working as expected. I thought that once Molly and John were living under the same roof, things between them would progress, but apparently, they have not. He had friend-zoned her.”

“How come?” Mary asked.

“Well, John doesn’t let Molly dress him or undress him, so Red is the one who’s helping John to change and shower,” Kat explained.

“Do you think he is not comfortable having Molly around?” Mary enquired again.

“I think it’s actually the opposite. He is afraid of feeling too comfortable with her. After all, it has been a long time since John was with a woman,” Kat shared with her friends in whispers.

Mary and Laura nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, it must be hard for John, having Molly around,” Laura added with a sassy smile. “Pun intended.”

The three women laughed.

“I don’t know what to do to bring those two together,” Kat exclaimed letting out a long sigh.

“Well, I’ve prepared something for today,” Laura said with a wicked smile.

Kat frowned. “Careful, Laura, I don’t want anything to ruin my son’s birthday party.”

“It won’t,” Laura reassured Kat, and then muttered, “At least, I hope not.”

At that moment, a tall handsome man approached Molly and John’s table, as if he was waiting for his cue.

“Good evening, my name is Jack. Nice to meet you.”

“I am Molly, nice to meet you too.”

“I am John,” he grunted eyeing the man standing in front of them.

“Are you two together?” Jack asked Molly.

“Yes...” John said.

“No, we are not,” Molly corrected him. “We are just friends.”

“In that case, would you do me the honor of joining me for a dance, Molly?” Jack asked offering his hand.

Molly just bit her lip, not sure what to do or say.

“I don’t know...,” she looked at John and he just shrugged and looked away.

“Okay, Jack. Let’s dance.”

Molly’s eyes slid to John as they reached the dance floor, but she looked quickly away. If looks could kill, she and Jack would be corpses on the floor. Molly pulled back slightly when Jack held her tightly to his chest.

“Sorry, but John is watching,” she muttered apologetically.

“I’m well aware of that,” Jack winked at her. “Probably, I shouldn’t have invited you to dance, but I couldn’t resist when I saw you in this dress. You look gorgeous.”

Molly flushed and glanced away, whispering, “Thank you, Jack.”

“I can tell you haven’t had anyone’s hands on you for a while,” Jack said conversationally. “You’re as tense as a cat over water.”

Molly grew tenser as Jack’s hands moved to clasp her waist.

“Sorry,” Molly muttered.

“It’s quite alright.”

They danced around to the sound of the music, making small talk. At their side, Tony was having a ball dancing with Sabrina. Very soon Molly relaxed, and they chatted and laughed. Jack was a charming man who always wore a smile.

Molly made an effort to keep her eyes on Jack. She didn’t want to see John staring at her. Even so, she could feel his eyes burning holes into the back of her head.

Laura and Kat hurried to sit at John’s side.

“Molly appears to have made a friend in this Jack guy,” Kat commented to Laura watching the couple dance. “He dances very well.”

“Hmmpfff,” John exclaimed. “He looks like a smooth talker. Who invited this creep?”

Kat raised her eyebrows at his testy voice and eyed John silently.

“I did. He is Percy’s main supplier. He’s staying at the inn for a couple of days,” Laura explained John. “I think Jack and Molly make a nice couple, what do you think?”

John just growled again.

“You’re jealous, Dad, admit it,” Kat stated, she placed her hand on John’s arm and squeezed it gently.

That accusation from his daughter-in-law made him glance at her sharply with surprise. It was true. Jealousy had positively devoured him when Jack had put his arm around Molly. It was still eating at him like acid. The fact that Molly seemed to be having a good time with that moron just made it worse.

John would have wanted to wring Jack’s neck, and he probably would have if he could use his hands. No man should touch Molly like that.