Page 39 of My Girlfriend is Not the Father

The sound of crunching gravel made her chest flutter. Breathe. Why was she so damn nervous? She didn’t even want to answer her own question – she knew why. She hadn’t had feelings for someone in forever. Truly, forever. Sure, she’d liked people in the past, had a few relationships, had some amazing sex. Okay, and mediocre sex with a terrible kisser once, but she didn’t want to dwell on that now.

This whole-body flush feeling was so out of the norm that she felt like she was being lust electrocuted. She was jolty and shivery and didn’t know what to do with this burst of energy.

And it was all a little scary. After they’d kissed a few weeks ago, and Jade stopped talking to her, it stung. Bad. Lucy would probably need to address that at some point but didn’t feel like ruining the time they were about to spend together.

She opened the door. Um – wow. Jade was killing it in skinny ripped denim, sandals, and a snug, white button-down shirt, showing a peek of deep cleavage. Lucy ripped away her gaze. Jade strolled up to the porch, so effortlessly cool, her purple undercut with fresh lines carved in the right side. Lucy gnawed on the inside of her cheek to refrain from whistling.

‘That dress is super cute,’ Jade said as she stepped onto the porch. Chucky nudged himself past Lucy and pushed against Jade’s legs with his tail wagging.

Lucy made an awkward curtsy, then straightened. ‘Thanks. Chucky helped pick it out. He was like ru-roa, that one, and threw a paw.’ I did not just do a terrible imitation of Scooby-Doo. Pull it together.

‘He did great,’ Jade said, petting Chucky’s scruff.

Seriously, breathe out the nerves. Tonight was just a typical Saturday night and Lucy was just having a casual dinner with freaking beautiful Jade. No biggie. They’d shared a quasi-meal before on her couch. They chatted all the time. They were friends for God’s sake. Her thumping heart needed to chill.

Lucy tossed her matching cotton-candy pink purse across her shoulders and scratched behind Chucky’s ear. ‘You be good. When I come home, I better not find that you brought over any bitches.’ She cracked herself up and glanced at Jade. ‘I can say that word ’cause—’

‘Female dog. Got it.’ Jade chuckled and held open the screen door. ‘Ready? I can drive.’

‘You drove over here. The least I can do is drive us there.’ Lucy followed Jade down the porch steps to the truck. ‘Besides, Betty Yellow likes having guests. Makes her feel useful.’ She opened the truck door for Jade and released a trapped cloud of heat and humidity. With her long ballerina legs, Jade hopped into the raised truck without needing the step like Lucy did.

Lucy shifted into reverse and tossed her arm behind the seat as she backed down the driveway. Her eyes flickered to Jade, whose glossy grin made Lucy want to melt.

‘You drive a stick-shift?’

Lucy pushed the gear into first, then second, as she gained speed. ‘Yep. Love it. I don’t think I would do an automatic.’

The evening sun blazed through the window and illuminated Jade’s face. ‘Why?’

So many reasons. Lucy always struggled to explain why things from ‘back in the day’ were so comforting to her. Saved by the Bell episodes. Obsessing over Rachel and Ross. Perfecting the ‘Bye, Bye, Bye’ dance – which she was damn good at, if she said so herself.

‘A sense of power, maybe? My dad taught me when I was super young, like twelve or thirteen. He didn’t want me to get stranded if there was only a stick-shift option available. I think since he was raised in the no cell phone, no internet era, he forgets I could just call an Uber.’

‘Such a dad move.’ Jade flattened her arm against the window edge. ‘Sounds like he loves you a lot.’

‘Yep. I think I earned the whole “daddy’s little girl” title.’ Lucy shifted lanes. ‘So, you drive a Prius, huh? I think we need to come up with a name for it. Since it’s all New Agey and has fancy things like a back-up camera and moon roof, we need a good name. Flashdance?’

‘Flashdance? For my car?’ Jade chuckled. ‘Um … not sure that works.’

Lucy tapped the steering wheel. ‘Sparkles? Galactic? The Milky Way?’

‘The Milky Way? Nope, hard pass.’

Lucy grinned. ‘Oh, oh! How about Starlight? You know what, I’m actually not even going to give you a say in this because you clearly have terrible taste. Starlight it is. You’re welcome.’

Jade laughed again, a sweet, full laugh, and Lucy soaked up the sound. ‘Starlight is perfect.’

Fifteen minutes later, Lucy backed Betty Yellow into a parking spot with the ease of a NASCAR driver and hopped out. She raised her hand in salute to shield her eyes against the bright evening sun and followed Jade. A garlicky, meaty haze enveloped them before reaching the door. She filled her lungs with the savoury scent. ‘Yum.’

‘My God, how much garlic does this place use?’ Jade opened the door for Lucy.

Chivalrous. I like it. ‘So much. We have to promise we’ll both eat it, so we’ll neutralise each other’s stinky.’

Jade grinned. ‘Deal.’

The Italian restaurant was hopping, and thankfully when Lucy called earlier, they had a reservation available. She had an 8 p.m. sharp (no pun intended) date with a syringe, and even though she normally wouldn’t have made a reservation, tonight she couldn’t chance an hour wait for a table.

A hostess escorted them past the massive wine display, plants, and paintings of Italy, and sat them down at a red-and-white-chequered table. Delicious smells filled the air – hearty tomato sauce, sage- and fennel-stuffed sausage from a table near theirs, and the restaurant’s signature fresh baked bread. Clanking dishes and laughter surrounded them, and Lucy thanked the heavens they’d got a quiet-ish booth in the corner.