Chapter 12 Jade
Jade
Jade took a moment to process Lucy’s voice.
It sounded smaller than she’d heard before.
When she saw Lucy’s name on the screen, Jade thought for a hot second that she had called Lucy by accident.
Ever since she’d stormed out last week, she’d been feeling terrible.
Every day Jade had wanted to pick up the phone and explain her feelings, but she felt like such a shit that she couldn’t bring herself to contact Lucy.
‘Are you okay?’ Jade asked as she propped her phone on the holder and pulled out of the salon parking lot.
‘I’m hard core on the struggle bus. One-way ticket to Failure Island.’
She moved into the left lane. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I know this is really weird, and well, things didn’t exactly end as peachy-keen as they could’ve last time we talked, and trust me when I say that you are my very, very last resort, although that sounds super mean, and I don’t mean it like that—’
‘Jesus, just spit it out.’
A large exhale filled Jade’s ear. ‘Can you please come over? I’m, um, having a bit of a … medical issue.’
The small crack in Lucy’s voice gripped Jade. She whipped a U-turn at the yellow light and accelerated. ‘I’m on my way.’
She was less than ten minutes from Lucy’s house – plenty of time to really feel like crap about how she left Lucy’s place.
Lucy deserved an explanation. It wasn’t like they were dating or anything.
But they had gotten close, and for Jade to stop all conversation in a snap after Lucy shared something vulnerable wasn’t fair.
Although Lucy hadn’t reached out either.
But … now she had. Grrr. Should Jade break down and tell this woman about her trust issues, and self-doubt, and imposter syndrome, and that she really liked Lucy, which scared her, and that was why Jade was so weird, and that her ex had broken her, but really, she was equally to blame for the brokenness, and she really wanted to keep kissing her last week, but now she was overthinking and …
Or maybe she should just keep her mouth shut. Solid plan.
She pushed the gear into park and made it up the porch in two steps – long legs for the win. She knocked and Lucy whipped open the door, a rose-gold robe snugged around her body, her hair wrapped high on top of her head, her face flushed.
She was seriously so damn pretty.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Lucy pulled Jade in and shut the door behind her, her voice rushed. ‘And I’ll explain in a bit, but I’m on a huge time crunch, and, um, are you scared of needles?’
Needles? Jade held out her arms, her full-sleeve tattoos on display. ‘What do you think?’ She grinned. ‘I live for needles.’
Lucy exhaled. ‘I have to give myself a shot, and I can’t. I’m freaking out, but I don’t want to freak out. The last thing I need right now is to increase my blood pressure and reject this shot, but I’m already over an hour past the time I’m supposed to take it, and I can’t.’
Jade nodded. She wasn’t totally ignorant about what it took for surrogacy. When Elizabeth had originally brought up having a baby, she rambled on about the IVF process. As much as Jade tried to ignore her wife at the time, some of the information had sunk in. ‘You need me to shoot you?’
Lucy’s mouth twisted, and she glanced at the floor. ‘I mean, if you don’t mind?’
This was going on the top five list of odd requests. Not as odd as when a man came in and asked her to dye his pubes magenta. But still, odd.
Lucy’s pleading face struck a chord deep within Jade and suddenly, she wanted to scoop Lucy into her arms. Jade’s superpower had always been staying calm in the face of a storm.
That was how she’d handled things when one stylist accidentally clipped a kid’s ear, or when she had a screaming toddler in the chair.
Her motto: Calm in the moment. Freak out after.
‘No problem at all. Where’s the medication?’
A sigh of relief released from Lucy. ‘Really?’
Sure, Jade had never stuck anyone with a needle and the thought was nerve-wracking as hell, but was that going to help the situation? No. Lucy already looked like she was about to fall on the floor. Jade nodded.
Lucy led the way to the bathroom.
Whoa … it must have been thirty degrees colder in the house than it was outside. Jade shivered.
‘Sorry,’ said Lucy. ‘I was sweating like a damn pig.’
‘Hi, Chucky,’ Jade said as she passed the dog, who peeked with one eye, and returned to snoring in the corner on the dog bed.
In the bathroom, Jade glanced around at the dozen alcohol wipes, packages, and syringe, and took a breath.
Wow. Okay. The moments prior to Lucy calling her must’ve been chaotic as hell.
Jade wished she had a few moments to gather her thoughts, but Lucy looked like she was on the verge of a meltdown.
Jade exhaled quietly and rubbed her palms together. ‘Tell me what I need to do.’
Lucy bit the side of her lip. ‘So, you have to shoot me in my upper ass area. Here.’ She pointed to her side. ‘Sorry. This is going to be awkward. The nurse drew a circle, and as long as you get it in there, it won’t hit a nerve. Or … shouldn’t.’
‘Got it.’
‘And you have to hold it like a dart at a ninety-degree angle. You’ve played darts before, right?
So, you have to pop it like that. Not too hard and not too soft.
You don’t want the needle to break off in my skin, but you need it to puncture.
And wash your hands, like really good. Wait, did you just come from the salon?
I wonder if you have any little hairs on you. ’
Jade looked down at herself. Considering how much clipped hair she pulled from her bra every night, the probability was high. ‘Probably.’
‘I’m being ridiculous. A shower is too much to ask, huh?’ Lucy forced a smile as if she was joking, but her eyes looked like she did, in fact, want Jade to take a shower.
‘I have a cami on. I’ll just take off this shirt.’ She lifted her top over her head and caught Lucy’s eyes. Did her eyes just flicker down? Maybe. Doesn’t matter. Natural reaction when someone partially disrobes in a tight quarter that was quickly heating.
Jade scrubbed her hands with the ferocity of a surgeon and watched Lucy in the mirror, sticking out her right leg while parting the robe.
‘Ugh, sorry, so weird.’ Lucy shoved the fabric between her legs. ‘Trying not to flash the full kitty, you know?’
Jade tried. She really tried not to look at Lucy’s beautiful, pale, round thigh highlighted by the curve of her ass. Now was not the time to admire anything, even though there was so, so much to admire. ‘You ready?’
‘Yes. Oh boy, I’m nervous. Okay, breathe, breathe.
You’d think with all the therapy, I’d be prepped.
I really thought I was. But here I am fumbling around like a drunk teenager.
Wait, that was a weird analogy. Scratch that.
Okay, I’m wasting time. I’m ready.’ Lucy stuck the syringe in the rubber top, flicked at the air bubbles, then handed it over.
After she wiped the skin with alcohol, she placed her palms flat against the counter and braced herself, her ass cheek lifted and facing Jade.
Jade popped the top off the syringe. ‘I’m going to put my hand on your hip to steady myself, okay?
’ She tried to control the shake in her voice.
She pushed out a soft grin, trying to portray more confidence than she felt.
With this monstrous needle now in her hand, she was not nearly as calm as she hoped.
The mirrors fogged a little, no doubt because of the humidity in the air mixed with their combined nerves.
She spread her fingers against Lucy’s soft hip.
Concentrate. The sensation of Lucy’s silky skin under her fingertips spider-webbed up her arm.
Was the rest of her body as soft as this?
Jade wanted to shake herself. This was so unprofessional.
Granted, she wasn’t a nurse, but it still seemed unethical to have Lucy in such a vulnerable position, while having unholy thoughts. ‘I’m going to count to three.’
Lucy nodded and held her breath.
‘One—’
‘Shit!’ Lucy yelped.
‘All done.’ Jade topped the orange cover back on the syringe.
Lucy yanked gauze from the pile and slammed her hand on the injection site. ‘You said count to three!’
‘The anticipation is the worst. When I got my nose pierced, the guy did that to me, and I was so grateful.’ She laid the covered needle on the counter. ‘You mad or relieved?’
‘Relieved.’ Lucy dabbed her skin and peeked at the gauze.
Seemingly satisfied, she tossed it into the garbage and the needle into the waiting sharps container, and dragged her fists up and down her hip.
‘The doc said my muscles would stiffen if I didn’t massage.
I’ve always wanted rock-hard thighs, but not like this.
’ All colour drained from Lucy’s pink cheeks and she gripped Jade’s forearm.
‘Sorry. I, uh, think I need to sit down. Whoa. I feel like a freshman who just tapped her first keg.’
Jade gripped her arm. ‘Puke or dizzy?’
‘Just dizzy.’ Lucy stumbled out of the bathroom and squeezed Jade’s hand until they reached the couch.
‘I think I’ll be fine. The doc mentioned this might happen, but it should pass pretty quick.
’ Lucy plopped on the shot-free side and continued massaging.
‘Anyway, thank you for coming over. I know it was super out of the blue; it’s just Drew’s gone for a few days … ’
Definitely Jade’s signal to leave, right?
But she couldn’t just walk out. What if Lucy fell on the floor and smacked her head?
Was Chucky doggy-trained to call 911? Jade somehow doubted it.
She needed to chill for a little and make sure Lucy didn’t pass out.
‘I’m starving. I would never normally ask someone if I could raid their fridge, but—’
‘You literally just shoved a needle the size of a light post in my ass. You can eat whatever you want.’
Jade lifted her brow. ‘No salty meats, though.’
‘That will never get old.’