The Girl Next Door

9

Bridget was walking out of her house at the same time I was walking to my car to go to work in the morning.

"Bridget." I yelled across the driveways, making her jump with her hand on her chest. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you." I chuckled, leaning against the hood of my car.

"That's okay. I just wasn't expecting to see you. We've been working together for two weeks and we never run into each other in the mornings." She was smiling as she walked over to me.

"I usually leave early to get coffee." I shrug as she wraps her arms around me in a hug.

"Travis' car is still here?" She laughed, eyeing the Audi next to my BMW.

"Yeah, he's still crashed in my room." I chuckled, keeping my arms wrapped around her as long as I could. "Want a ride to work?"

"Sure. I'd love that, thank you." She smiled up at me, pulling back and walking to the passenger side of the car.

I could hardly hide the excitement as I climbed in and started the car, she was acting like I felt that morning, like she had actual feelings for me other then just the casual hookups.

"You can pick music." I tossed her the aux cord. "And if it's okay with you, I'm still stopping to get coffee. I was up too late last night."

"Sounds good. But you have to get me one too." She smiled at me, plugging her phone into the aux. Just seconds later Huey Mack started blaring through my car speakers.

"Sure thing."

As I was driving us, after we got our coffee, I couldn't stop thinking. I wanted her to meet my mom, my mom would love her. I was trying to think of the best way to invite her to dinner at my house, one where she saw something other then my bathroom.

She apparently picked up on the fact that I was lost in my thoughts, and as soon as the car was parked and the music was turned off, she asked me what I was thinking about.

It was now or never. "What would you say to coming to dinner at my house tonight? Like with my parents."

"Seriously?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. "You want me to meet your parents."

"Yeah." I nodded, trying to sound confident, but hoping I wasn't coming off as over-eager.

"Hmm." She thought for a second, taking a drink of her iced coffee. "Sure." She sent me a small smile, then turned and got out of my car.

I don't think she'll ever realize just how happy that one word made me. I texted my mom before I even got out of the car, letting her know that Bridget was coming for dinner and asking her to find out if Travis was staying again.

She texted back right away, excited to meet Bridget.

"What should I wear to this dinner tonight. Jeans or dress?" Bridget asked me while we were chopping the cakes.

"Jeans are okay. But my mom would probably be impressed if you wore a dress."

"I can do that. I have so many summer dresses that I haven't worn yet." She smiled. "Tell me about your mom?"

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"I don't know. Anything that will help me hold conversations at dinner."

"Well, she's super young. Four months pregnant, which by the way she loves talking about. Seriously, if you run out of things to say bring up her pregnancy, it'll be a conversation for all night. She loves cooking and crafts. And young adult books, concerts, the beach and Big Brother."