“Tell me about the house,” she said, turning toward him with her sunglasses pushed up. “Is it one of those places with seventeen bedrooms and a staff of twelve?”
“This is actually the first time I’m seeing it. Ronan closed on it this month.”
“So we’re both going in blind.”
“Devney sent photos. She wanted something that felt like a home. Ronan wanted to buy her a mansion. They compromised.”
“Let me guess. She won.”
“She always wins. It’s her superpower.”
The highway curved toward the coast. Trees pressed close, then fell away to reveal glimpses of ocean. Money lived out here, quiet and substantial, buying privacy and salt air and the illusion of escape.
“Who’s going to be there?”
“Ronan and Devney. Knox. Maybe Lucy. Devney mentioned inviting her.”
“Lucy. She didn’t tell me.”
“Devney probably wanted it to be a surprise.”
“This should be entertaining.”
“That’s one word for it.”
They drove in comfortable silence. The radio played something quiet, a playlist Devney had texted him that morningwith the messageFor the drive, you’re welcome.Tessa’s hand found his on the center console, her fingers interlacing with his like they had been doing it for years instead of days.
“Are you nervous?” she asked.
“About what?”
“Introducing me to your friends.”
“They already know you. Why would I be nervous?”
“I mean officially. As your...” She trailed off.
“As my girlfriend?”
“Is that what we are?”
He glanced at her. “What would you call it?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t really discussed labels.”
“Do we need labels?”
“I guess not.” She was quiet for a moment. “But for the record, I wouldn’t hate the label.”
Girlfriend. He turned the word over in his mind. It wasn’t evasive. It wasn’t temporary. It was specific. He liked the clarity of it.
“Then girlfriend it is.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
She turned back to the window. The ocean appeared fully now, stretching blue to the horizon, waves catching the afternoon light.
