Free Love Locked by Tess Highcroft Page B

kitchen table, reading different sections of the paper, holding hands.
    Oooof. The breath whistles out of her. But she’s happy for them. She really is.
    Jed takes Byron and Lainey to brush their teeth, and Jocelyn raises her eyebrows at Beth. “You’re going to end up with another one if you’re not careful.”
    Beth laughs, raises her fingers in a snipping motion. “No danger of that.” She taps Jocelyn’s hand. “Seriously, though, thanks.”
    “My pleasure. They make me happy.”
    “Are you OK?”
    Jocelyn hasn’t told anyone about her Lucas obsession. Even Sam has forgotten about it as a passing sexual crush. She’d love to tell Beth, but there’s the whole Campbell brother connection and, also, she’s not even sure what she’d say:
    ‘When I met him I knew he had a girlfriend, and then we exchanged a bunch of dirty texts and he backed away because of his girlfriend — who I knew about — and then I decided to go ahead and give him head — which freaked him out because of his girlfriend — and now I haven’t seen him or talked to him for ages, but I can’t stop thinking about him …’
    I mean, it’s crazy. It’s crazy even to her, living it.
    She shakes her head, smiles at Beth. “I’m OK. Not perfect. Working through some stuff. But fine.”
    “You can tell me.”
    “Thanks.”
    Beth snaps her fingers. Straightens in her seat. “Well, you can at least come to our dinner party.”
    “Since when do you have dinner parties?”
    “Since it’s our anniversary, and our love is all rekindled, and it’s thanks to you babysitting for us every Saturday, so of course you’re coming.”
    “When is it?”
    “Tonight.” Beth puts her hand up. “I know what you’re thinking. That obviously we weren’t going to invite you. But it was originally just a bunch of couples we know …”
    Jocelyn fake–pouts her lip out as far as she can push it.
    “I know, I know! So mean to leave out the singles — although you guys should have more interesting things to do with your time — but, anyway, one or two couples have kind of fallen apart, and we’ve got stray people coming here and there, and so … will you come?”
    “As a stray person, invited at the last minute?”
    Jed walks in. Beth tugs at his sleeve. “Hey, babe, I’ve just invited Jocelyn to dinner tonight. Tell her she should come.”
    He nods. “Definitely. My brother can thank you again for lending him your bike — in person this time.”
    Jocelyn’s throat tightens. “Oh? He’s coming?” She’s trying to be casual, but her voice, to her own ears, just sounds choked.
    Jed turns to Beth. “You invited them, right?”
    She nods. “Yeah, I definitely invited them.”
    Jocelyn forces a laugh into her voice. “It’s just I thought he was out of town. I must have gotten mixed up.”
    “Oh,” Beth says. “You’re right. He was, but he said he’d be back in time. So … anyway, are you coming?”
    Say yes, Jocelyn. Say yes to the world . She puts what she hopes is a carefree smile on her face, while crossing her fingers behind her back. “Yes. Of course. Why not. What can I bring?”
    ***
    Them. “You invited them , right?” Jed had asked Beth. The word sits in Jocelyn’s brain while she scrubs a loofah across her skin, already bright pink from the scalding temperature of her shower.
    “Yeah. I definitely invited them.” Them , again. Jocelyn mulls it over as she waits for the polish on her toes and fingernails to dry. She never wears nail polish, but tonight she’s facing them .
    “… a bunch of couples we know.” “Couples” is just another word for them . Lucas and Charlotte. Jocelyn pulls a dress out of her closet with the tags still hanging from it: Too fancy? No … Yes, too fancy … No .
    She puts it on. She’ll take any advantage she can get.
    As ready as she’ll ever be — physically, anyway. Hair shining, nails polished, legs smooth, bush trimmed, hem short enough to show some leg, neckline low enough