First Date With Molly - Nace/Ivy(Molly)
(Cowritten with Ivy Monaghan)
Sometime later, Nace sat down at the Java House at an outside table with Molly O’Sullivan. Goliath was lying down beside Nace’s chair as they sat at the waterfront coffee house, overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Nace smiled and asked, “So, Molly, tell me a bit about yourself? What makes Molly O’Sullivan tick. I can see you know your plants.”
Molly watched as the cream swirled around in her coffee cup, tinting the black liquid a caramel brown. "You noticed with the plants? It's flowers, mostly the exotic ones. I try to volunteer when I can at the Academy of Sciences. It's all I do when I'm not at the bar."
“Yes, actually I did notice with the plants. Some of my training did cover plants, more edible plants and the like. Long story really.” Nace replied, referring to survival training he had undergone as part of Great Britain’s Territorial SAS.
From the Java House Molly could see a partial view of the Giant's stadium and O'Sullivan's Sports Bar close by. "My dad would have killed me if I ever joined ACME... the way you all run around the world getting into scrapes. You have family? Back home?"
“Yes I do. My parents live in South Africa, with my youngest brother, David. My oldest sister Rey, and my two younger siblings, Michael and Danielle all live in Great Britain with me.” Nace replied, sipping his coffee, “So do you have siblings?”
“A stepbrother, Owen. I haven’t seen him forever but he was in ACME for a while. Not here though, back in Ireland. Actually you might have met him at the London HQ.”
“I don’t believe I ever met him, I wonder what department he worked for?”
“Not fieldwork. Internal affairs I think.” Not knowing much about the inner workings of ACME, Molly thought she’d change the topic, “So I hear you’re transferring to San Francisco. Are you on a case?”
It’s an exchange assignment from the London branch of ACME.” Nace replied, “They do things of that sort periodically. I got assigned here recently, after I helped Ivy with an assignment of some sort. So how far back do you and Ivy go?”
Molly rested her chin on her hand and thought back, “I guess there wasn’t a time when I didn’t know her. Our parents were friends since forever.”
“That really is far back. Sounds like your two are sisters in all but name.” Nace remarked with a smile as he sipped his own coffee, “So what drove your interest in botany if I may ask?”
“I guess when you spend your time in a bar all day, cut flowers are the closest thing to heaven.” She stirred her coffee again, “Now, you said something about knowing edible plants earlier. Do you garden?”
“I actually learned about that via some training with the British Army.” Nace said, “I am in the Territorial Army as well as working for ACME, basically akin to your American Army Resreve, and I’ve been, and my unit received some training from some herbalists and botanists.”
“To answer your question, no I don’t really garden. My mum and elder sister are the gardeners of the family.” Nace replied with a smile, leaning a bit closer to Molly as they talked, “Other than study plants of various sorts, what else do you like to do for fun when you’re not tending the bar?”
With a shy smile, Molly looked back to her empty cup. “Well, I’d like to start spending more time with you. If you’re up for it.” She leaned forward to study Nace’s reaction.
Nace leaned closer to her, looking at her shy smile, and smiling in return, “I would be most amenable to that, putting it mildly.”
By this point in the conversation, most men would have decided to make some sort of a pass, but Nace had been a perfect gentleman throughout. Molly decided it was her move to make. Shifting closer, she gripped onto the collar of his rugby jersey and pulled him into a kiss.
It had been quite a while since Nace had last had a date. Honestly he hadn’t really had too many dates since Evey had died, or at least not ones that turned out well. He felt Molly pull him closer and start to kiss him. It was a slow, warm kiss and Nace kissed her back, closing his eyes as he drew her a bit closer before they finally parted for want of air.