Page 56 of Love Is…?

“Jayde?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not sure I can kiss anyone else like that.”

Jayde’s entire body heated. “Why not?”

“Because…Well, because…” Tessa took a deep breath. “It won’t be the same, that’s all.” She took another deep breath. “But I’m up for it.” Her voice held the same type of enthusiasm that people exude when they’re bolstering themselves to bungee jump off a bridge in New Zealand. Jayde was positive that Tessa had actually meant to say something else besides being ‘up for it’. Something along the lines of not kissing anyone else because she only wanted to kiss Jayde. Perhaps that was wishful thinking.

“Jayde, I’m at Hugo’s shop, so I better go.” Tessa turned the phone so Jayde could catch the window display.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Tessa whispered, then she ended the call.

Jayde dropped the phone onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling.

So, here she was on Tuesday evening reliving Sunday’s delightful and intimate FaceTime.

“I need to drop by, even if Abby’s away,” she mumbled at the wall in her tiny lounge room. Apparently, her heart was proposing that the speed dating, the dinner, the kissing, the eye contact, the touching, the shortness of breath, the distracting thoughts, the chatting, the reliving, and the phone calls allmeant that Jayde must visit Tessa’s personal space and actually contemplate falling in love.

And that was unacceptable.

She stood up and decided to visit her father. There. No point in fixating on things that were unacceptable.

The unacceptable was inexplicably perchedon the couch in her father’s lounge room when Jayde wandered in. She stopped short and cocked her head.

“Tess. What are you doing here? It’s a Tuesday night.”

Both Oliver and Tessa turned. “Hi to you, too. Oliver rang me and invited me over,” Tessa said, her smile blooming, and Jayde’s stomach flipped over. The good kind of flip.

“He did? You did?” Jayde stared at her father, then moved into the room and sat next to Tessa, taking in Tessa’s jeans, jumper and pink sneakers. The plainest of outfits worn by the most gorgeous of women. Their thighs touched.

“I didn’t realise you’d invited Tessa over.” This was a new and completely unexpected development in her father’s behaviour. Except for visiting Thomas at the gardens, her father kept the outside and the inside in their own circles in his Venn diagram of life. Jayde was amazed. Obviously he felt comfortable—brave?—to bring a little bit of the outside in, and clearly, Tessa was that bit.

Oliver clapped his hands, obviously relishing the chance to give his explanation. “I telephoned Tessa to invite her for dinner. We had those two minute noodles.”

Jayde turned. “I’m sorry.” She grimaced.

Tessa laughed. “It was a lovely meal. I introduced Oliver to a number of herbs and vegetables to put in with the noodles.”She placed her hand on Jayde’s thigh. “We threw away the little sachet of toxins, then tipped in a cup of frozen vegetables—the ones that have been cut into mini cubes—then microwaved the noodles and vegetables in chicken stock. It is so unbelievably delicious.” Tessa patted Jayde’s thigh, and Jayde’s entire body registered the warmth.

She looked down, then back up into Tessa’s eyes. Eyes that said, “Hi,” and, “Your Dad’s a sweetie,” and, “I’m a safe person so you can relax.” Jayde felt the tears pricking, so she looked away.

Her father pointed his drumstick. “It is delicious. There is no other way to cook those noodle bricks now.”

Tessa bumped Jayde’s shoulder and grinned. “I came for dinner and Oliver’s company, but seeing you is a lovely bonus,” she said.

Try as she might, Jayde couldn’t stop the smile on her lips, the warmth in her body, the gaze that they held. Jayde could have hugged Tessa. Hugged her, and kissed her, and walked in front of a bus for her because Oliver Ferguson was beaming and telling jokes, if the drumstick in his hand was any indication. Tessa’s eyes never left Jayde’s face, and Jayde felt her lips part, which must have registered with Tessa because she swallowed deliberately.

Her father coughed. “I would have invited you as well, Jayde love, but I thought you’d be busy. You’re working all the time lately, but I’m glad you’re here now. I like seeing the two of you together.” Oliver waved his drumstick again. “Tessa, sweetie?” His grey cotton slippers scuffed on the carpet as he leaned forward like he was divulging state secrets. His tartan dressing gown bunched at his shoulders.

Tessa leaned forward as well. “Yes?”

“Jayde smiles when she talks to you. When she talks about you. I heard her say your name when she was on the phone last week while she was doing some of my washing. She smiles a lot.”

“Oh my God, Dad,” Jayde spluttered. He’d drag out the baby photo albums next.

Tessa leaned closer to Oliver. “Guess what?” she whispered. “I smile a lot, too.”

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