Elvis is hosting a party
Elvis is surveying his packed restaurant and feeling very pleased with himself. The launch party is in full swing and everyone looks to be having a great time. All is well in the world.
He has to admit that it has been much harder work than he expected. He's used to planning in meticulous detail from his Special Forces days but give him a Taliban insurgent cell to disable over dealing with the local council, restaurant fitters, suppliers, printers, volatile chefs and flaky wait staff any day.
Thank goodness for Molly Dawes.
Molly misses the train
He can't believe he almost didn't interview Molly. Lady Luck was smiling on him when his original front of house girl let him down a week before opening. On paper, Molly didn't have a lot of catering experience, just some recent cafe work but she had previously worked in PR launching restaurants and hotels and was able to put on a good show in the interview.
Being a well-practiced bullshitter himself, he recognised similar traits in her, but suspected that much like himself, this was something of a mask. He had liked her immediately, so he took a chance and offered her the job on the spot. Molly certainly looks the part too, very pretty although not a natural blonde and not really his type. Besides, it probably isn't the best idea to get involved with someone in his chain of command and although she hasn't mentioned it, he is pretty sure there is a boyfriend on the scene.
The last week has been crazy busy, but she has worked like a trooper on the final preparations for the launch. She's brought some great ideas and has created a much cooler and more sophisticated vibe to the party than he could ever have achieved on his own. She's kept everything calm when others, including himself, have been losing their shit in the run-up to the big day. She's proved herself to be organised, adaptable and quick to learn, as well as having a great sense of humour. She has fitted in very well with the rest of the team and she's even managed to charm Antonio his excellent, but extremely high maintenance, head chef.
It was only after the interview that he realised that the cafe she's been working at is the one owned by Charlie's friend from Afghan, Qaseem. Although he doesn't know Qaseem very well, it's clearly another sign that he was meant to employ her. He must remember to mention it to Charlie when he gets here.
Right on cue, Charlie enters the restaurant and he walks over to meet him, "Welcome to my little restaurant Charlie."
"Wow Elvis, the place looks amazing."
"Thanks Charlie. I'd like to take the all the credit but the person behind tonight's launch is my new front of house, Molly."
He scans the room, catches Molly's attention and indicates for her to come over. He watches her effortlessly excuse herself from the conversation she's in and join them.
"Alright Bossman? Everythin' ok?"
He laughs at the nickname she's taken to using for him. It reminds him of his Army days, "Yes, everything's great. Molly, I just wanted to introduce you to my old friend Charlie, I mean Charles, James. Charlie, this is Molly Dawes."
Charlie looks slightly miffed at this less than eloquent introduction and is no doubt annoyed about him using his nickname, "Elvis, less of the old please." Charlie, ever the gentleman, is extending his hand, "Hello Molly, nice to meet you. I understand you're responsible for tonight."
Quick as a flash she's back at him, "Yeah, sorry about that."
He recognises her mischievous look, but poor Charlie doesn't realise she's taking the piss and is apologising, "Shit, no, I meant that as a compliment. The place looks amazing. This is a great party."
Although he is quite enjoying watching his friend suffer, he throws him a lifeline, "So Charlie, you and Molly have a friend in common, Qaseem."
Charlie seems eager to move the conversation on, "Really, how do you know Qaseem?"
"Well, I used to be 'is customer but then I lost me PR job. Now I work for 'im in the daytimes, makin' and deliverin' sandwiches. He's a proper diamond geezer."
"Right." Charlie looks confused, "Sorry Molly, I don't mean to be rude, but what the bloody hell does that mean?"
She's laughing, "Sorry. You know, he's a top bloke."
Charlie now appears embarrassed, "Right, yes. Of course."
He's fascinated to watch this exchange between Molly and Charlie. He's not entirely sure what is going on tonight with his normally confident friend, but something is definitely troubling him.
At this point one of the wait staff comes up to talk to Molly and she makes her leave, "Anyway, nice to meet you Charles. Enjoy the party."
Before she leaves, she gives him a cheeky wink, "Bossman, excuse me, but some of us 'ave got work to do."
As Molly walks away he can't but help notice that Charlie cannot take his eyes off her, "You alright mate?"
His friend looks troubled, "Yes, it's just a bit strange. Qaseem has mentioned her and now she's working here for you as well. And now I've met her, she seems kind of familiar….. I feel like maybe we've met somewhere before."
"Well I can tell you Charlie boy, she's a top bird. She's saved my life this past week."
"Indeed. She's also bloody gorgeous."
Molly catches the train
When Charlie had suggested that he could maybe engage Molly to do the PR for his restaurant launch, he'd been a bit sceptical about whether it was necessary. Initially, he'd gone along with it, partly as a favour to Charlie but mostly to get into Jac's good books.
He'd given Jac his number that first night he'd met her and Molly with Charlie. He had been surprised when she'd got in contact a few days later. Initially their texts had been about pushing Charlie and Molly towards each other, but once that mission was accomplished he'd asked her out. They've been out on a few secret dates in the last month or so and he is totally and utterly smitten. She's independent, confident, intelligent, funny and completely different to the girls he normally goes out with. Since leaving the Army he's realised he's looking for something much more than casual sex with pretty girls. His whole perspective on life has changed now that he's not constantly disappearing on dangerous missions and he finally feels ready to start building a life with someone special. Unfortunately, Jac set the ground rules on their first date, adamant that she's not looking for a relationship with anyone, and although he told her that he felt the same, he was lying.
They'd first slept together on the second date and it was incredible, she was incredible. He literally cannot get enough of her, but can't read her emotions at all and she seems impervious to his charms, which is driving him crazy. It's a bit frightening, but it is almost like Jac is a female equivalent of himself and he knows he has definitely met his match in her.
He's not really sure that he has actually ever felt this way about a girl. He certainly didn't with the girl he almost married all those years ago. That relationship had been a massive error of judgement on his part. He had thought he should be getting married because that was what his friends were all doing, but he'd realised at the eleventh hour that it would be a mistake for both of them. Not long afterwards she had met someone else, got her wedding and he had continued with his carefree Army life.
He eyes the crowds, searches her out and takes her in. She looks sensational in a simple but incredibly flattering red cocktail dress and he feels his groin tightening with lust for her. It's almost as if she senses him eyeballing her because at that moment she looks at him and slyly winks, causing him even more discomfort. He's taking it as a good sign that she's here tonight. He'd been delighted when she had accepted his invitation, although she'd made it clear that she would be coming primarily to support Molly and that she did not want Molly or Charles to know they were sleeping together. He's hopeful they'll get together later when the party's over and he'll have another chance to try and change her mind.
Turning his attention back to the party, he has to admit that Molly's ideas for the launch were actually hugely impressive and there is no way he would have been able to have delivered anything nearly as professional on his own.
Over the last four weeks Molly has worked brilliantly with his restaurant team and on a fairly modest budget she has delivered what she promised from the outset, a truly glamorous and stylish evening.
Molly's currently working the room, looking confident and radiant, casually making sure people are having a great time, whilst Charlie is watching her intently from the bar.
He goes over to his friend, wanting to catch him on his own, "She's done a cracking job Charlie."
Charlies looks as proud as he sounds, "Yes, she has, hasn't she? She's brilliant."
"She makes you happy, doesn't she?"
"Yes, more than I thought possible. I'm in love with her Elvis."
He doesn't think he has ever known his friend so happy and relaxed, which makes what he is about to ask so much harder, "So, have you told her about Rebecca and Sam yet?"
Charlie's face tells him all he needs to know.
Although there is no love lost between him and Rebecca, Charlie's almost ex-wife, he has to admit that she has been very decent in agreeing to keeping news of their separation and impending divorce from Charlie's dying mother, knowing that it would unnecessarily break her heart.
In reality, the marriage was over a very long-time ago and the final split six months ago was completely amicable, with both Charlie and Rebecca wanting to maintain a good relationship for the sake of Sam, their thirteen year-old son, and his godson. Charlie had really only married Rebecca out of a sense of duty when he accidentally got her pregnant and by his own admission, he wasn't a very good husband for much of their marriage. He's fairly certain Charlie never once cheated on Rebecca, but he just wasn't there for her either emotionally or physically for long periods of time as, like him, Charlie was always happiest when he was on tour or living out of his bergen. In the last few years since leaving the Army, Charlie's thrown himself into running the family business and looking after his mother. From the outside, their marriage always looked solid and they were good at presenting a united front, but inevitably Rebecca had looked elsewhere for affection and has had various, albeit discrete, affairs over the years. In the end, she had asked for a divorce, having met someone she wanted to marry and Charlie had obviously agreed.
"Look, I know that I'm not exactly the best person to give you relationship advice, but you've been seeing Molly for what, 6 weeks? If it is as serious as you say, you need to tell her."
"I know, but the appropriate moment hasn't come up and it is a lot of baggage for her to take on board, especially given the circumstances of her last relationship."
"Come-on mate, she's a big girl, she's clearly crazy about you, she'll be fine with it. It will be a whole lot worse if she finds out some other way."
"I know. I know. Please Elvis, can we just leave it for tonight. I don't want to spoil things."
Charlie appears shaken by their conversation, which is brought to an abrupt end by Molly joining them. She seems to immediately sense that something is wrong, "You alright, Charles?"
Recognising the conflict going on in his friend, he attempts to distract Molly by grabbing her and twirling her around, "It's official. I love you. Thank you for tonight. You're a genius. I'm ecstatic!"
She's laughing at his over-the-top praise, "Thanks Elvis, but I were just doin' me job!"
Suddenly her expression changes, she visibly deflates in front of them, her once-radiant face replaced by an anguished one. She's staring at the restaurant door, "What the bleedin' 'ell is he doin' here?"