“You want to ride shotgun?” I ask, approaching the car.
She looks down at her dress and nods. “Might be a good idea in this dress,” she replies softly.
Opening her door, I hold out my hand as she slides in and then I lean over and kiss her lips before pulling on her seatbelt.
Her blush is the sweetest perfection. “Fucking, stunning,” I say, pulling back and closing her door.
Caleb rounds the driver’s side, staring over the roof of the car.
“Does she seem okay to you?” he asks, voice low.
I tilt my head slightly. “I think so,” I reply, but not too sure.
He gives a curt nod. “She’ll talk when she’s ready,” he says before climbing in the car.
I follow suit, reaching over the back of the headrest and squeeze Jessica’s shoulder before pulling on my seatbelt.
Caleb starts the engine and turns to Jessica.
“Lady’s choice, you’re in charge of the music.”
I already know what she’ll choose before surround sound fills the car.
“Why am I not surprised?” I say as I catch Caleb’s eyes in the rearview mirror, his mouth lifts into a smile.
“Hey, you love Sleep Token,” she says over her shoulder.
I mean yeah, I do. I’d like a puddle of mud too if Jessica liked it.
We all fall into general chit-chat and before we know it, we’ve arrived at Hyde and make our way to the Reading Room.
“What can I get you all to drink?” the waiter asks.
“A bottle of Bolinger,” I say, eyeing Jessica and Caleb.
But Jessica shakes her head and clears her throat. “Just water for me please,” she says instead, causing me and Caleb to exchange a look.
“Sorry, can you give us a minute?” Caleb asks the waiter who nods and leaves us all alone.
“Okay, what’s going on?” he asks as soon as the door clicks closed. “Are you ill? We can go home.”
She averts her gaze and begins to fidget, her nerves evident before she lets out a breath and looks between the two of us.
“I think I might be pregnant,” she says so quietly that I think I’ve misheard.
“Pardon?”
Her tongue flicks over her bottom lip as she swallows hard. “I think I’m pregnant,” she says again.
Caleb moves, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and tugs her close, so their mouths are only a hairsbreadth away from each other.
“Jessica,” he says, his eyes boring into hers like he might have misheard her too. “Have you taken a test?”
She nods and clears her throat. “I have, but I’m too afraid to look. It’s in my bag.”
“Fuck.” His eyes flick to mine and then back to her. “Let’s look together, okay?”
Her hands shake as she fumbles with her clutch and pulls out something wrapped in a silk scarf. I reach over and take it from her hands.
