Under New Management (23 page)

Mollie is bodily dragged from her car by Jim and propelled by her arm to stand beside the driver’s door of the brand spanking new car. She silently continues to stare at its shiny red exterior and black leather interior. Oh yes, she could see herself spinning round the lanes in this little beauty. In fact she could possibly live in it, the thing is that gorgeous. It would be easy to fall in love with a car like this. Shame it wouldn’t be so easy to fall back in love with Jack, not now that she had met Kieran.

Mollie clenches her fists in temper as she thinks about the ‘Liar’, her new name for Kieran. He had hurt her deeply by not telling her about Serena, by flirting with her and by making her feel more than she actually ought to for him.

During the last four days she has over indulged in a hideous amount of soul searching and questioning. She hasn’t been able to think of anything else. Still without any answers she has drawn the conclusion that he must be playing a game with her. Some sort of rich man’s game.

He clearly revels in the fact that she fancies him. He has made himself the puppet master, pulled her strings and she has danced.

Only one piece of this endless puzzle leaves an enormous question mark. Why hadn’t he slept with her? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t had the opportunity, yet he’d pulled back. Was that because he didn’t fancy her at all? Was it because he was deeply in love with Serena? She is a movie star after all. Perhaps he really did like her. Maybe he hadn’t slept with her because he didn’t want to hurt her? Or was it because she had been with Jack?

The whole ridiculous situation is driving her crazy. Had he used her or does he actually really like her? Kieran is a complete mystery. Nice and flirtatious one minute and running for the hills the next. She shakes her head at the endless, confusing thoughts.

As Jim pushes a button the door opens and the huge red bow dislodges from its position on the roof, jolting her from her thoughts. Before she has the opportunity to open her mouth Jim shoves her animatedly into the driver’s seat. The smell of new leather surrounds her as Jim does something else which makes the dashboard light up. With a flourish he is around the other side opening the passenger door. This releases the other end of the bow which he grabs from the top of the car and throws up in the air like a huge Chinese streamer. Mollie watches it float and catch on the gentle breeze. It comes to rest near the front door where it snags and hangs over her mother’s prize potted micro tree.

Jim dives into the passenger seat and starts pushing buttons. Suddenly, very quietly and seamlessly the roof disappears into the back of the car.

“Whoooohoooo, you jammy girl! This is amazing!” Jim shouts as he punches the air.

Mollie turns very slowly, eyes still wide, and stares at her over enthusiastic father. “Dad,” she says very quietly and firmly, “we are not keeping it.”

Jim stops punching the air and doing a little seat dance. “What? What do you mean? Of course we’re... well, you are keeping it. Don’t be ridiculous girl. This is awesome! You do realise how awesome this is, don’t you?” Jim stares at her in confusion. “Lindy, have a word with her, will you?”

Lindy is now standing on Jim’s side of the car watching the pair of them. “Jim, I’m sorry my darling, but Mollie’s right. She can’t accept a gift like this. It’s complete madness. You don’t want people to think that your daughter can be bought, do you?” She watches him carefully.

Where Jim is concerned, Lindy knows which buttons to press. The air rushes out of him and he deflates before their eyes as he realises that his wife is right, as usual and that the beautiful car has to be returned. They are all quiet as they contemplate the unfairness of life and the pros and cons of having morals.

Jim sighs deeply then, rallying, he puffs his chest back out, “No, well of course not, absolutely not. But ohhh, what a shame.” He strokes the top of the door lovingly but he now has the picture.

“Can’t we just take it for one little spin before you give it back, please Moll?” he begs childishly.

Mollie sighs in exasperation. “No Dad, we cannot. Now I am off to make a phone call and you can put this back the way we found it. Do you hear me, Dad?”

Jim nods at her sulkily, as she exits from the soft interior. She returns to her own car and grabs her bags from the back seat. She has to admit to a slight feeling of regret which is tugging at her as she walks back past the Porsche. Things like this don’t happen every day but she has to put Jack straight. He needs to cut it out.

Jim suddenly has a thought. He has a confession to make that perhaps Mollie won’t like, but he had better say something now. “Molls, hang on a minute. I’ve got something to tell you,” He calls shiftily.

Mollie stops her stomp to the house and turns back to him.

Lindy hisses at Jim, “What the hell have you done now?”

“What have you done, Dad?” Mollie asks him, hands on hips and with her eyebrows raised.

“Well it’s not really a case of done, more what I’ve said,” he tells them warily.

“Dad..? Spit it out!” Mollie orders.

“Well, the thing is, there might be two things.” Mollie and Lindy both let out held breaths. This is not looking good.

“Not long before your mother got home the phone rang. Anyway, I was excited. I answered it and it was that Kieran bloke.” Mollie lifts her head to the sky and takes a deep breath. This is all she needs. “Well, he wanted to speak to you and I may have told him about the car and the flowers.” Jim blurts the last bit out quickly and braces himself for the fallout.

Lindy hisses at him again, “You complete idiot!”

Mollie stares at her dad in disbelief, “You told him that Jack bought me a ninety thousand pound car? You also told him that we could rival Chelsea Flower show? Oh my God, Dad. Why do you have to open your big gob all the time? He is the last person I want to know that.” Mollie lets out an angry screech and stamps her feet in frustration. Her parents stare at her warily.

“Alright Molls, don’t go over the top. What does it matter, they’re cousins, ain’t they? I expect he already knew, Jack would have told him. I don’t see what the problem is. To be honest, that was the bit that I wasn’t that bothered about telling you.” As Jim confesses to her, he just doesn’t see there’s a problem with telling Kieran, although a small part of him understands that it could impact on the possible job offer, hence his reluctance to fess up.

Jim is completely unaware of the whole Mollie/Kieran situation and he hasn’t been told that there is no job. Both his daughter and his wife have kept their mouths firmly zipped.

Mollie stares at him, “What? It can’t be any worse than that!”

“Ah well, umm maybe, and umm don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to it. In fact I am pretty damn excited but your mother doesn’t know yet.” Jim starts to build the momentum because he now realises that Mollie is going to be evil and will probably refuse point blank, what with the car and everything but he is made up. “Well, thing is, before Kieran phoned, Jack did. He wanted to know if the car had arrived and he also gave us an invitation.”

Mollie stares at him suspiciously.

Jim ignores her and continues, “Thing is, we’re not allowed to tell anyone because of the press and stuff but did you know that Kieran is going out with a film star?” Mollie puts her head down. She hadn’t told anyone about Serena.

“What? Who?” Lindy shoves Jim’s shoulder roughly.

Now, Lindy does do celebrities. She loves them. She gorges constantly on magazines, TV and online finding out the latest gossip and keeping an eye on the fashions, hair styles and make up. She loves it, can’t get enough.

Jim smiles smugly. He knows this will get his wife onside. “You’ll never guess, and what’s more we, the whole family, have been invited by Jack to the Hall for dinner with her on Saturday night.”

Mollie jolts her head up. No way. Dinner with Kieran and Serena? Oh no, there was absolutely no way. She wouldn’t go, the rest of them could go without her. The thought of being in the same place as Kieran while the superstar schmoozed all over him made her feel slightly faint. No, she couldn’t watch that.

Lindy is shrieking at Jim to tell her who it is.

He puffs his chest out importantly, “You have to promise not to tell anyone.” At Lindy’s excited nod he carries on, “It’s only Serena Bonart.” He lets out this little gem and sits back in the seat pleased with himself.

Jim knows Mollie will be pissed right off that he accepted Jack’s invitation but Lindy won’t miss it, not for anything. They would be going.

The only bugbear was that in return, they all had to keep quiet about it. Jim wouldn’t be able to tell anyone that they, the Browns, had had dinner with a superstar.
What a bummer.

Jack explained his reasons and obtained Jim’s promise before he let on about the reason for the invitation. Jim had puffed out his chest with self importance and assured Jack that he could rely on their discretion.

Lindy now loses the plot totally and letting out an ear-splitting scream she begins jumping around like a Duracell bunny. She pulls open the passenger door and drags at Jim’s arm to get him out of the Porsche. Once free, she throws herself into his arms shrieking and hugging him. Jim is happy to partake and he picks her up and they dance around the drive. Mollie shakes her head at the spectacle and heads inside to make that phone call.

Storming into the house she throws her bags onto the sofa. She burrows around in her handbag for her phone. Finding Jack’s number she phones it, pacing up and down the lounge while she waits for him to answer.

He picks up on the fifth ring, “Mollie I knew you’d ring! What d’you think of the car? You said you wanted a Porsche, so I got you one. D’you like the colour?”

“Jack, I want you to get them to pick up the car immediately, do you hear me? I can’t keep it,” Mollie says clearly. She’s not messing around.

“What? No, don’t be daft Molls. Don’t you like it? I can get a different colour, if you want.” Jack’s tone is bemused.

“Jack, you need to listen to me. I do not want the car. It has nothing to do with the colour, I want you to arrange for it to be collected. Do you understand me Jack? I want it gone.” Mollie explains slowly.

Jack goes quiet for a while as he processes the information. “Molls, actually no I don’t understand. Why don’t you want it? It isn’t as if I can’t afford it. Please Molls, take the car.”

Mollie sighs loudly. She tries again a little less tersely, “Jack, I’m sorry but you can’t go round buying people gifts like that, it’s ridiculous. I know you get carried away, but even you can see that, surely. It’s a lovely, beautiful car, but I cannot accept it, OK?”

Jack is quiet again. He isn’t actually that surprised. He knows Mollie well enough. Most girls would bite his hand off, but Mollie is different, which is exactly why he wanted to buy the car for her. Now he thinks about it, the fact that she’s different from most girls is exactly the reason why she would never accept it. He kicks himself for being an idiot. He should have known better but still, all is not lost.

“What about dinner on Saturday night? Did your dad tell you?” he suddenly pipes up, changing the subject admirably.

“Yes, he told me and thanks, but no thanks. I’ve met Serena once and I have no wish to repeat the experience,” she tells him in no uncertain terms.

“Jack, I made myself perfectly clear. I only want us to be friends. I am not being your date for dinner. You have already told her that we are a couple and I’m not playing make believe for your amusement.”

“What? Don’t be daft Molls. I don’t want to play make believe, I want you to be my date. I told you I’m serious. I want us to give it another go.” Jack is serious now.

Mollie sighs again, “Jack I’m not coming OK? Now please sort out the car. I’ll see you around.”

“OK, I’ll get the car taken back but only if you come to dinner on Saturday night.” Jack tells her.

“What? Don’t be daft. You’re not blackmailing me Jack, I mean it.”

Jack says smugly, “It’s not blackmail - it’s a mutually convenient compromise. You get something you want and I get something I want, everybody’s happy.”

Mollie is exasperated, “For Christ’s sake Jack, hardly mutual. I don’t want either, you moron. I get nothing from the deal. Now stop arguing and get rid of the car.”

“Nope. If you don’t want the car, I’ll change it in to your dad’s name. I bet he wouldn’t give it back.” he says seriously.

Mollie sucks in a breath. Would her father keep it? He would probably sell it and take the money. She could hardly blame him if he did. Of course if she told Jim that she was being blackmailed, he wouldn’t. He would, however, probably smack Jack one. How did you tell someone you were being blackmailed to either go to dinner with a Hollywood star, or keep a Porsche?
The whole thing was bonkers.

Mollie wants the car gone. She doesn’t want to go to dinner because she doesn’t want to watch Kieran and Serena together. Lindy will quite possibly never speak to Mollie again if she puts the kibosh on dinner with a superstar.

Mollie is struggling. She knows she’s being ridiculous. Jack is just trying to be kind albeit with a hint of showing-off involved. It’s not as if he’s doing any of it to hurt or upset her. Is she being slightly mean spirited? She doesn’t want to go to dinner because of Kieran, yet he has made it abundantly clear that he isn’t interested. Why shouldn’t she go to dinner and play up, just a little bit, to Jack? Would that make Kieran a little jealous? It would certainly show that she didn’t care about Kieran, which is what she wants. She doesn’t want him to know that he’s hurt her; doesn’t want him to know that she’s remotely bothered by him and his A-list celebrity girlfriend. Mollie mulls all this over while Jack waits on the other end of the line.

Eventually she answers him, “OK Jack, take the car away. I will come to the dinner but as a friend, not as your date. You let me invite Lou and you have a deal.” Lou would be as ecstatic as Lindy to meet Serena Bonart. Mollie couldn’t leave her out. If she and Jack were negotiating, then why not get something she wanted out of it?

Without missing a beat Jack simply says, “Done. I’ll sort the car and see you on Saturday at the Hall for seven. Don’t worry about transport, I’ll organise that and I’ll have you all picked up from yours at six forty-five. By the way, dress code is black tie. See you Saturday. Missing you already.” He gives her no opportunity to respond but hangs up, leaving Mollie staring at her phone, feeling very nervous indeed.