The Girl Next Door

25. Grandparent's Lunch Date

The party was a blast, as always. When it started winding down, I offered Astrid a ride home since we'd come together. She didn't hesitate, nodding as we headed to my car, the night feeling calmer now.

Even the car ride was calm. The music played softly in the background as we drove, neither of us feeling the need to fill the silence. It was comfortable, the kind of quiet that didn't feel awkward but peaceful.

We arrived, and I stopped in front of her house. The engine hummed softly as I shifted into park. Astrid unbuckled her seatbelt, turning to me with a small smile. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the quiet of the night wrapping around us.

"Thanks for tonight," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper as she lingered in her seat. The way her blue eyes met mine, something in the air shifted, electric and unspoken.

"You're always welcome," I replied, my voice quieter than usual, like speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile moment between us.

Astrid hesitated, her fingers fidgeting. The glow from the streetlight framed her face, making her look more breathtaking than ever.

"Alex," she said, her voice laced with something I couldn't quite place—nervousness, maybe. "You didn't have to do all this for me, you know."

I leaned slightly closer, resting my arm on the steering wheel. "I know. But I wanted to."

Her lips parted as if to respond, but no words came. Instead, she gave me a look—one that wasn't teasing or guarded but open, vulnerable in a way I wasn't used to seeing from her.

And before I could overthink it, I leaned in, my heart pounding in my chest.

Astrid didn't pull away. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her breath mingling with mine, and for a split second, the world outside the car didn't exist.

But then, just as our lips were about to meet, she smiled—soft, almost playful—and pulled back.

"Goodnight, Alex," she said, her tone light but her eyes saying so much more.

I watched as she slipped out of the car, walking toward her house without looking back. My head rested against the steering wheel for a moment, a mix of frustration and exhilaration coursing through me.

This was no longer just about being her "fake boyfriend." It had already started to feel a lot more real.

I brushed off the feeling, forcing myself to focus. With a deep breath, I put the car in reverse and backed out of her driveway, my hands steady on the wheel. A glance toward her front door confirmed she was already inside.

Pulling into my own driveway just a few steps away, I parked the car and killed the engine. For a moment, I sat there in the quiet, staring at the glow of her porch light through my windshield.

Whatever that moment between us had been, I couldn't let it get to me. Not tonight. Not when this was all supposed to be pretend.

I went straight inside my house, kicking off my shoes at the door before heading to my room. The quiet of the house felt heavier tonight, like it was pressing down on me.

I grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom, letting the warm water of the shower wash away the lingering thoughts of Astrid. The moment in the car replayed in my head—her smile, the way her eyes held mine, the almost-kiss.

I shook my head, trying to focus on anything else, but it was useless. She was everywhere in my thoughts, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push her away.

After the shower, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, drying my hair with a towel slung over my shoulders. The screen lit up, and my mom's number stared back at me.