Encounters Molly: Encounters, #1

By Simona Carr

Welcome to Encounters, the restaurant of love. There is something magical about Encounters. People who go there don't just get a wonderful meal, they find their true love. The Encounters stories are a series of novelettes, each one telling the story of a couple whose lives are forever changed by the Encounters magic.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vixen
• Release date: May 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224660070

Book preview

Introduction

Welcome to Encounters, the restaurant of love. There is something magical about Encounters. People who go there don’t just get a wonderful meal, they find their true love. The Encounters stories are a series of novelettes, each one telling the story of a couple whose lives are forever changed by the Encounters magic.

Molly

Chapter One

Molly hesitated outside the restaurant. Dinner for one had sounded a lot better in her head than it was feeling in reality. It had been a long time since she had even gone out to dinner, let alone on her own. She looked in through the large windows. The restaurant was full, and she could not see any other lone diners. Oh well, busy meant she would not be noticed, right?

Swallowing hard and gripping her small clutch purse more tightly than she needed to, she went in through the imposing entrance. Standing in line at reception she looked around as unobtrusively as she could. The place gave out an unmistakable air of elegance. The wait staff moved swiftly and silently, while the soft murmur of conversation was interspersed by the muted clack of cutlery on fine china. She was definitely out of her comfort zone.

Your name, madam?

Molly swung her gaze to the man waiting patiently, his pen hovering over the ledger in front of him. She wondered briefly why the bookings weren't on the computer sitting on the edge of the desk.

Smith, Molly Smith, she replied.

He ran his finger down the bookings, stabbing at her name in a small gesture of triumph when he found it.

Here you are, excellent!

Molly wondered if there had been some mistakes tonight, given the underlying note in his voice that suggested he was relieved to see her booking.

Susie will show you to your table. Susie?

He looked around, and Molly did too. Nobody wearing the restaurant uniform was nearby that she could see, and judging by the tapping of his fingers, the man – Simon, according to his name tag – couldn't see the errant Susie, either.

Right. He looked at the people in line behind her. Please excuse me just for a moment while I escort Miss Smith to her table.

The other customers smiled and murmured assent, and Simon came out from behind the desk.

Please follow me, Miss Smith, your table is this way.

He led her to a small table in the back corner. Molly was relieved to see that it was secluded, which made her feel less awkward to be dining alone. Simon drew out a chair and made sure she was comfortably seated.

I will make certain that someone comes to take your drinks order straight away, he said, his ominous tone making her glad she was not Susie.

She picked up the menu and studied it, trying not to feel conspicuous. Tonight was the beginning of a new way of living for her. No more sitting around at home feeling sorry for herself, she was going to reclaim her life!

Molly lived alone, had done so for several years since her marriage breakup. She had not been expecting her husband to leave her and was shocked when he told her