Ben and Molly

Ben did not like what he saw.

It took him most of the week to get up the courage to find Molly at work. First he was going to play hard to get after he didn't hear from her. He could play that game. The more he waited, the madder he got. He wasn't exactly sure the reason why, but it was set in his mind. She was what he wanted.

His mother could talk his ear off if she wanted, yet he was not listening. Instead, he was thinking what to do. How he'd act if he saw Molly, again. How could he not over react?

 When he saw how she smiled at that co-worker in the kitchen, from the empty dining area, he almost lost it.

"Excuse me," Ben said ever so quaintly when he peeked in from the kitchen door.

Of course, she looked at him as if he'd interrupted something while she was working with steaming trays of an apple cobbler and possibly mushy broccoli.

"What are you doing here?" She looked stunned.

"You work here?" First he was going to mention something about visiting a great aunt, but he came closer. Was it really her under that white hat and chef's jacket?

That impish smile of hers, got him every-time.

"When do you get off?" He wanted to know.

"Another two hours." She shrugged.

"I just dunno know.. if I can wait that long." He grinned as he came over and swept her off her feet.

"Ben!" Her little squeal didn't protest much. She looked to her partner and told him she needed to take five minutes, if she could. Molly took him to the freezer.

Naturally, Ben shivered in the cold and hugged her quick. Kissing her before she could fuss about it.

"Why didn't you take my calls?" He finally asked hugging her tight.

"I've been busy." She wouldn't look him in the eye.

"Is that really it?" He didn't believe her.

"I dunno." Suddenly, she seemed younger than he remembered. How could that be? He was remembering someone who knew what she wanted and could easily persuade him into anything.

"I want to come over tonight." He just said.

"And do what?" She rolled her eyes. "Talk like that, you sound like you could move in."

"And you find that funny?" His lips curled up at the corners. "Maybe your parents wouldn't care."

She pressed her lips tight. He wrestled his hands behind her.

"I'm gonna wait for you. We'll figure this out, because I'm not going anywhere."

"Uh-huh." She laughed at him as if this was the best joke he'd ever told.

"I'm not lying. I swear. We are gonna be together." Ben was serious. His tender shaved face grazed her cheek.

"But you have school." She whispered as if they might as well hog tie him at his parents house and drop him off at the University.

"There are online classes." Compromises. That's what it would take.

"And my parents would want a free-loader?" She pursed her lips so, as if he would live at her house and go to clown school.

"I have skills." He grinned.

She laughed. He hugged her harder to stay warmer. They kissed as if to rekindle a heat in the frost. It was definitely the start of something. And Ben really wanted to start something.