Home in Nevada

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

Lucy hadn't noticed Jeff's little accident. Thank God.

Jeff had managed to gather his soiled sheets and toss them into the wash along with a few other items. His mom caught him halfway through the process and, despite his insistence on handling it himself, took over with a mix of concern and amusement. She grumbled about him doing chores on his vacation before expertly setting the laundry settings and hitting start.

He chuckled quietly to himself, realizing he still had her completely wrapped around his finger. He'd missed her-she was truly the best, even if she had her embarrassing moments. He knew he was fortunate; things could have been much worse.

Returning to the kitchen, Jeff joined Lucy for a late breakfast. As he settled into his seat, she kicked him lightly under the table, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Hey," she said, smirking over her plate of pancakes. "You never told me what happened at Jamie's."

Jeff's face turned a deep shade of red, clearly the reaction she had been hoping for. The night before had been late, and Lucy had gone to bed right after their board game.

"I'll tell you later," he mumbled between bites of his pancakes. He was starving, likely due to the lingering nerves from the previous night.

"No, tell me now!" she pressed, kicking him again, this time with a bit more force.

"Ow! Shit, dude, cut it out!" He pretended to threaten her with his orange juice, making her flinch with exaggerated fear. He grinned as he took a big sip, enjoying her eye-rolls and playful annoyance.

"Just tell me! Was it good or bad? At least give me that," she urged, her voice a mix of impatience and curiosity.

"It was..." He paused, struggling to articulate his thoughts. "Dammit, Lucy, I don't know how to answer that."

"Jeff!" She leaned in closer, gripping his forearm with surprising strength that made him wince. "Did something happen?"

Jeff hesitated, his eyes darting around the room, seeking some escape from the interrogation. "...Kinda."

Lucy fixed him with a penetrating, unamused stare, clearly unsatisfied with his vague response.

"Okay, yes... Yes, okay?! Dude, it's none of your business..."

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, but she managed to maintain a smile, her expression a mix of satisfaction and amusement.

"That's all I wanted to know for now. Thank you very much..."

Jeff glared at her and continued shoveling pancakes into his mouth. Lucy gave him one last teasing glance before heading to the sink to wash her plate.

Jeff discreetly checked his phone under the table. He had hoped to see a message from Jamie, but instead, there were several texts from Tiffany.

Wait.

Shit.

He had called her when they arrived but hadn't reached out since. She was going to be furious. He needed to call her back before she really lost her cool.

"Hey, I'm going to call Tiffany," he mumbled, quickly rising to his feet and making a beeline for the sliding door leading to the backyard.

"Okay. You in the doghouse or something? Does she know where you were last night?" Lucy joked, her voice light but with a hint of teasing. Jeff flipped her off as he closed the sliding door behind him.

In the backyard, he paced nervously, the anticipation making him fidget. Just as he feared the call would go to voicemail, Tiffany finally answered.

"Hey babe!"