Page 20 of Take Her On

She slowed the car to a crawl outside their houses, and her mind soured, thinking about what rested behind her own door. She had no choice but to go inside or Maya would know something was off. She supposed everyone had something going on behind the scenes.

They sat listening to the music, neither of them making an effort to leave the car. Maya just watched Jamie dancing. She didn’t mind.

She thought Maya wanted to ask her something, but when she turned to her, she found she’d pressed her lips back together. Maya’s attention was then drawn to the contents on Jamie’s dashboard. Loose change, Starburst wrappers, half-eaten packs of chewing gum, and a small cuddly toy rat.

The song finished, and Jamie faded the volume out.

“Is that Ratatouille?” Maya asked.

“Ratatouille?”

Maya nodded to the rat, who was sitting with a slightly lopsided expression, its round pink nose turned upwards at her question.

A slow smile spread across Jamie’s face, gathering in the corner. “You mean Remy?”

“If that’s his name, then yes.”

Jamie tutted, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you haven’t seen it.”

“Who says I haven’t?”

She eyed her, challenging with her gaze. “Well, we already had this conversation.”

“What? When?”

Jamie shifted in her seat and glanced away. “On Sunday night. Well, Monday morning, to be more precise.”

Maya’s face hardened, the smile smoothing into a hard line. “You drove home?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah.”

“Drunk?” She snapped upright. “What the hell were you thinking—”

Jamie held her palms up. “Whoa, whoa. Who said anything about being drunk?”

“You were at the Globe all night! You trying to tell me you weren’t? They’re the cheapest pints on campus.”

“And while that might be true, I wasn’t drunk.”

Maya shook her head, that fiery streak back with a vengeance. “Don’t lie to me,” she snapped. “And don’t ever do that again.”

“Maya. I don’t drink.” Jamie gripped her forearm, and Maya glanced down at it. When she didn’t immediately hit her hand away, Jamie’s stomach tingled.

Why is my breathing so heavy?

“What?” Maya snapped.

“Despite the terrible things you think about me, I would never drink and drive. And I don’t drink.”

Maya furrowed her brows, and Jamie laughed. Reluctantly, she removed her hand and placed it on the steering wheel. “I’ve never met someone like you.” She shook her head, looking out the window briefly into the street.

Maya’s tone was accusatory. “What do you mean?”

Jamie turned back to her, studying her for a moment. Those inquisitive, immobilising eyes. The full, pouted lips. Jamie didn’t think she understood what power she held in her gaze. “You’re so…stubborn.”

Maya let out a laugh, and Jamie relaxed a little. “You’re not the first person to tell me that.”

“I can’t say I’m surprised.”