Rules of the Road

by K. Aten

  “Um, hello? Are you still with me, James?”

  Jamie swore. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. Plans, right, I have them!”

  Kelsey glanced at her phone in shock and switched out of the center lane. Even though she was in a busy section of highway, she was approaching a long line of slow-moving semis in the middle lane. Sometimes you just had to break the rules. Like when she broke her “no sleeping with friends” rule with Jamie. It all worked out in the end. Thinking about Jamie only brought her back to the burning question in the forefront of her mind. “What plans do you have?”

  “I think I’m going on a date.”

  Kelsey’s stomach flipped at her girlfriend’s words. At least she hoped Jamie was still her girlfriend. “What do you mean date? Number one, how would you not know for sure? Second, who are you taking out, Jamie Alexa Schultz?”

  “I don’t know because I haven’t asked her yet. I mean, she’s kind of hot and I don’t want to get shot down.” There was a pause and Jamie’s voice came across the little speaker of Kelsey’s phone again. “She has the cutest dimple on her left cheek and she does this thing with her tongue that simply drives me wild.”

  The woman in the little silver car successfully navigated around the line of semis and switched back into the center lane. She smirked at Jamie’s words and felt her face go hot when the blonde started to talk about one of her favorite tricks during sex. Kelsey willed the heat to go away and responded. “If she’s that cute and amazing you better ask her before someone else does. What if she has plans?”

  “Oh, no. I have it on good authority that Fridays are reserved for knitting with her cats.”

  “And you think she’s going to give up on all that fun to go have dinner and play arcade games at Harvey’s with some scruffy engineer?”

  Thirty seconds went by then Jamie’s voice came back over the app with a screech. “Scruffy! Woman, I am fly! Wait, did you just ask me out to Highscore Harvey’s?”

  Kelsey snickered. “Wow, you’re awfully slow for a smart girl.” She signaled and exited the highway. “So, you’ll pick me up at seven tonight?”

  Another long pause filled the car with nothing but the sounds of road noise, then Jamie’s happy, if shocked, voice came back to her. “Uh, yeah. I mean, yes I will!”

  Kelsey went inside the dentist’s office just as Jamie was pulling into her parking spot at her own company. She sat in Olivia for a minute just trying to process everything that had just happened. The she grinned as she realized that her tentative half-assed plans were now fully-assed thanks to Kelsey. She snorted. “Oh, she’s good!”

  Later that afternoon Jamie’s boss called her into the office. She poked her head in and saw that he had another man in the guest chair. “Hey there, Jamie, I was getting ready to interview Sam Toomie here for one of the lines on south side. Are you interested in sitting in on the interview with me?”

  She looked from her boss to the earnest, if nervous, looking twenty-something man. Her boss routinely grabbed other engineers to sit in on interviews. He thought it brought new insight to the process and gave them a little glimpse at what the managers went through to fill empty rolls. Because of that she had a printout of standard interview questions handy at her desk. “Sure. Do you have a room booked already?”

  He nodded. “One-nineteen.”

  Once they were in the room they took turns asking him a series of questions about his past experience and skills. Sam did well on the questions but seemed very nervous and kept glancing at his watch. At the end, Bob told him that he’d have to report to the nurse for a drug screen. Sam seemed even more distressed at the news. He glanced at his watch again and asked if it would take long. Jamie looked at her boss, and he returned the look for a second, then turned his irritated gaze on the young man. “Is there a problem? Are we keeping you from something, Mr. Toomie?” Jamie’s jaw dropped at his response.

  “No, but my wife is in labor and I dropped her off at the hospital on my way to the interview.”

  Bob stared at Sam in shock. “Why didn’t you call and reschedule?”

  Sam shrugged. “Because I really need this job.”

  Jamie chimed in. “And how does your wife feel about this?”

  The man blushed and smiled. “Oh, Peggy’s the reason I’m here. She said that it was her second child so she’d be fine. She told me that it was more important for our family that I go to this interview.” After that Bob rushed him out of the office and directed the man to get to the hospital. He told Sam that they’d schedule the drug screen in a couple days but that he was hired. Jamie shook her head in amazement as she walked back to her cubicle. “Talk about dedication!”

  Chapter Nineteen

  JAMIE CHECKED HER smart watch as she bent down to give her slim-legged pants a single cuff. She had on her favorite and most broken-in chocolate brown work boots. They were only tied part way, leaving the ankles themselves unlaced. She had a short sleeve button down shirt tucked in with a navy blue bow tie and navy blue suspenders. When she straightened again and looked at herself in the mirror she smirked and said aloud to an empty room. “She invited a nerd to dinner, she’s gonna get a nerd.” She gave one last straighten of her tie and grabbed her messenger bag off the coat hook by the door.

  Back in her apartment Kelsey was going through similar preparations. Only she had two intently curious felines to listen to her rambling. She was in her bathroom with one cat on the back of the toilet and the other sitting on the edge of the tub. Cats loved to have the highest vantage point available to best look down on humans. It was a proven fact. Newman, the significantly less troublesome one of the duo was watching her from the commode. Her hair was pretty easy, not a lot to do there. Kelsey also wasn’t big on a lot of makeup so after brushing her teeth she applied a little eyeliner and some gloss and called it good. She looked at her reflection then glanced over at Newman. “This is a big day, Nooms. Jamie and I are going on a real date! You like her, right?”

  “Mrow mrrrooooww.”

  She looked at the sweet black and white cat as he tilted his head at her. She had no idea what he was saying because she wasn’t a cat, but her imagination filled it in anyway. “Well yeah, we have slept together already, a few times. But this is different. She said she loves me!”

  Newman chirruped at her and put a paw up on the counter. “Mrow.”

  “Of course I said I loved her back! I’m not that foolish!” Pierre chittered from the tub, as if he were laughing at her. Then he knocked over the shampoo and conditioner bottles before bolting from the bathroom. “Pierre! You’re an asshole!” He sassed her from the other room and she went over to replace the bottles on the edge of the tub. Before she could get any more relationship advice from her cats, there was a knock at the door. She gave one last look in the mirror to check her appearance, wondering if Jamie would like the outfit. The blinding white V-neck t-shirt looked great against her tan skin. She wore jeans that hugged her ass perfectly, a black vest, and a pair of black and white casual tennis shoes. Just before walking out of the bathroom, she snatched her sterling silver Celtic knot necklace off the medicine cabinet handle and fastened it around her neck. When she opened the apartment door she expected to see Jamie waiting on the other side. She did not expect her date to be holding out a plastic canister of cat treats.

  Jamie smiled sheepishly. “I know it’s not very romantic, but I also know that a lot of flowers are poisonous to cats so I brought these instead.” When the cats heard the shake of the container they bum-rushed Jamie and she tossed the can to Kelsey to keep them from rubbing all over her dark pants and leaving another cat’s worth of hair.

  The owner of the cats just laughed. “You scored points with all three of us. But you forgot something.”

  Jamie became instantly alarmed. “What? What did I forget?” Kelsey reached up and tapped on her full bottom lip, then gave her girlfriend a smile. “Oh, heh.” Not needing further invitation, Jamie stepped closer and leaned in for a sweet kiss. When she pulled her
head back again they both opened their eyes and smiled. Jamie was first to say it, maybe because it had been so much time since she had truly felt the emotion. She was overfull. “I love you, Kelsey Ramirez.”

  Hearing Jamie say the words aloud caused a flutter of butterflies in Kelsey’s stomach. She knew that the blonde loved her but it always seemed surreal after so many months of longing. But when she said the words, when her lips formed them with such a tender look on her face, Kelsey felt like she was going to melt into a happy little puddle of mush. Her romantic musings were cut short by Jamie’s mellow voice. “Are you ready for our first date?”

  Kelsey grabbed her apartment key out of the dish by the door and her wallet off the end table. Her cell phone was already tucked into her back pocket. Before they could leave, Jamie insisted on giving the cats two treats before putting them away in the cupboard. Then she reached for the doorknob but before she could get far Kelsey pulled her to a stop. “Hey?” When she turned with a questioning look on her face Kelsey stepped close again and ran a finger along her jaw line. “I really love you too. Sometimes it seems too good to be true. I wake every day like I’m still dreaming and I don’t believe it’s real until I hear your voice. That’s how much I love you.”

  Jamie was shocked by her normally more reserved girlfriend’s words. She knew Kelsey loved her but when she put it in such a way it filled her with a deep and abiding awe. The smile that spread across Jamie’s lips could have lit up an entire room. Instead it lit the heart of just one person.

  After they exited it took Kelsey three tries to get the door to shut tight and locked. Her door frame was warped or something but no matter how many times she complained to the apartment management company, it never seemed to get fixed. “I know I say this all the time, but I’m seriously looking for another place at the end of the year. That’s when my lease is up and I’ve had it with this shitty complex!” She sighed and looked into sympathetic brown eyes. “The dryer on my floor isn’t even working anymore. I have to trudge down a flight of stairs like a peasant!”

  Jamie snickered at Kelsey’s dramatics but she understood her frustration because she herself had lived in a place very similar when she first moved to St. Seren. “You’re more than welcome to do your laundry at my place.” She left the invite open and truthfully had been wanting to make it for a while. Even before they started dating simply because she craved spending time with Kelsey. “But for now, we have to get on with our first official date!” She was overjoyed to be going with the woman next to her and loved the fact that it was their very first date. She always believed that milestones should be acknowledged and celebrated.

  Kelsey looked over her shoulder at Jamie as they made their way down the stairs. “You could argue that this isn’t actually our first date. We’ve technically been going out and doing things together for months.”

  The other woman looked crestfallen as they made it to the bottom landing of the stairwell. “Oh, I guess you’re right.”

  “Ah, but—” Kelsey paused until Jamie looked up at her. “This is our first date as a couple. It’s just that much better that it’s also with my best friend.”

  “That was incredibly cheesy.” Both of them laughed and the blonde added to her statement. “But still true.”

  When they got outside, Kelsey abruptly pulled her date to a stop again. “I, uh, didn’t get a chance to say this at the door but this—” She inserted her finger underneath the nearest suspender strap and ran it underneath the navy band, down the front of Jamie’s chest. The blonde shuddered as Kelsey’s hand brushed over her small breast and sensitive nipple. “This is really fucking hot. Especially the bow tie!” She removed that finger and Jamie was able to take a breath again.

  “Oh yeah?” Jamie indicated that Kelsey should turn in a circle and the Irish-Latina obliged her. “Those jeans are a sin! But yeah, I’m totally digging this look on you. You’re like cafeteria plan girlfriend.”

  Kelsey thought about her time in college and the unappetizing array of food at the cafeteria. “What?”

  Seeing the dark look on her lover’s face, Jamie rushed to explain. “I mean, if I could pick and choose all my favorite things in a woman, all those things that attract me the most, you have them.”

  “Ooh, so that makes me your dream girl then!” Jamie gave her a goofy grin and nodded and Kelsey giggled at her. “With the exception of one or two things, I’m gonna say ditto babe!”

  Jamie walked around to the passenger side of Olivia and opened the door for her date, then went around and got in on her own side. She pushed the brake pedal and waited as Kelsey excitedly pressed the start button. “It never gets old for you, does it?”

  Kelsey grinned at her. “Nope.”

  As they pulled into traffic Jamie brought up Kelsey’s comment from minutes before. “So what were the one or two things?”

  “Huh?”

  She persisted. “You said that with the exception of one or two things, I’d be your dream girl.”

  “Oh!” Kelsey’s look switched to that of understanding. “Before you, I’d always had a thing for girls with blue eyes. And I’m a big fan of dark hair. But don’t worry, there are always exceptions to every rule and apparently you’re one of them. I like your eyes and as you’ve said before, your hair is ‘˜on fleek’.” When Jamie glanced her way again Kelsey gave her a dimpled grin. “Honestly, I think you’re perfect the way you are and I love your dark eyes.”

  Kelsey’s words were not something that Jamie was used to hearing. Though it had been five years since her last relationship, she well remembered how terrible it was. Her previous girlfriend only ever told her what was wrong, or needed to be changed. But with Kelsey it was different. She legitimately seemed to like Jamie’s quirky, oft-times, nerdy appearance. And she apparently really liked dark hair. The blonde gave a little secret smile and thought that maybe Richard may get his wish after all. She didn’t tell Kelsey any of that. Instead she just nodded and smiled. “I’m glad you like me for me. I think that is one of the most important things for any relationship.”

  Since it was past happy hour but before a lot of downtown clubs really got going, Jamie found a lucky parking spot just down from Harvey’s front entrance. Within a few minutes of exiting the car they were seated in a booth with high back faux leather red seats. Kelsey was practically giddy in her seat, staring around the walls at the graffiti style murals. Then her head whipped back and forth as she took in the arcade machines at opposite ends of the place. Some alternative band that neither of the women had heard of piped through the sound system in the restaurant/arcade. “This place is awesome! You have no idea how excited I am to finally come here!”

  Jamie looked at her in shock. “You’ve never been here before?” Kelsey shook her head. “But this is like, one of the best places in town!”

  Kelsey lightly drummed the table with both hands. “I know! That’s why I wanted to come here.” The waitress interrupted their laughter a few seconds later.

  “Hey James! I haven’t see you in a while.” She glanced at Kelsey, then moved her gaze back to Jamie and subtly flirted. “What can I get you to drink, hot stuff?”

  Jamie’s face darkened and she reached across the table to interlace her fingers with Kelsey’s. “Hi Christy. I don’t think you’ve met my girlfriend Kelsey yet, have you?”

  “Girlfriend?” Christy looked from Jamie, to Kelsey, then back down at their joined hands, and back to Kelsey.

  Kelsey just peered up at her and winked. “Nice to meet you, Christy. Say, do you have Oberon on draft?”

  The poor waitress was still in shock to hear that the perpetually single blonde woman was finally taken. She had spent one night with Jamie about a year previous and never forgot it. But no matter how much she flirted and texted, Jamie insisted they were better as just friends. Her gut burned with jealousy as she looked down at the curvy woman who had finally landed one of the hottest girls she’d ever been with. Before she could answer Kelsey’s question, J
amie spoke up. “Yes they do, and I’ll have the same, Christy.”

  The waitress turned and walked away, calling over her shoulder as she left. “Sure thing, James.”

  “Wow, awkward much?”

  Jamie had the decency to blush and shrug her shoulders. “Sorry about that.” When Kelsey gave her a curious look, she elaborated. “It was about a year ago, and only once. She got really clingy after that so I had to tell her that we could only be friends. She was not happy that I didn’t want to date.”

  Kelsey snorted. “She’s clearly still not happy about that. What do you want to bet she doesn’t remember my drink?”

  “What? No way. She’s a good waitress, Kels. That other stuff is old news.”

  Sure enough Christy returned a few minutes later and set a tall glass of beer with an orange slice on the rim in front of Jamie. “Here you go. Are you ready to order yet?”

  Jamie looked over at her girlfriend to see if she was mad but Kelsey merely smirked back at her. She sighed. “Actually, Kelsey ordered an Oberon as well, before I did. So I’ll just give her mine and if you can bring me one too that would be great. Thanks.” Her words were clearly a dismissal and Christy turned away with an angry expression on her face.

  “Told you so!” Kelsey pointed her finger toward Jamie’s face and the blonde nipped at it with her teeth.

  “Hush you! And if you’re not propositioning me, put that thing away!”

  Christy returned after that with another beer for Jamie and glared at them both with a sour look on her face. “What would you like to order?”

  Kelsey cleared her throat and when Christy turned her way she met the disgruntled woman’s gaze dead on. “Listen, are we going to have a problem here? Because no matter what sort of past you had with Jamie, right now we are two paying customers who tip well. Jamie and I are dating and we are very committed to each other. Now if that causes you distress, you are welcome to find another waitress to cover your table and receive your tip. Okay?”