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DARCY TOOK ONE last drag of her cigarette and threw it onto the pavement, grinding it out with the sole of her shoe before fleeing into the passenger door of a familiar Toyota. "Sam," Darcy lamented in way of greeting before fastening her seatbelt. "Where would I be without you? Thanks for coming to get me."
⠀⠀⠀ "In a Uber pool, snug between two old geezer's with B.O and wandering eyes, no doubt." Usama he said in jest, before he added, "I always will, carrot top. Want the aux?" Darcy knew Sam really meant it — he would come find her anytime, anywhere. A warm, snug feeling blanketed over her skin.
⠀⠀⠀ "Why, yes, I would fancy that Usama."
⠀⠀⠀ Sam chortled as Darcy moved to extract her mobile and connected it to the auxiliary port. As quick as light, an infamous humming filtered through the vehicle — crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit — Darcy rolled her window down, letting the crisp air rake through her hair. Feeling lit, feeling right, two AM, summer night, I don't care, hand on the wheel, driving drunk I'm doing my thang ...
⠀⠀⠀ "So, do you want to tell me how the hell you landed halfway across town, in bumfuck, nowhere?" Sam queried as his warm-sienna hand slid over the wheel.
⠀⠀⠀ "Jude's idea," Darcy answered, simply. "We had a few hours to kill — having to wait for Em — so he decided to take me to this spot he's been up and arms about. It was actually ... spectacular. Their whipped lemon creams is divine."
⠀⠀⠀ "Is that what he told you?"
⠀⠀⠀ "I know, I was a sceptic at first too. But after tasting it firsthand? It was actually quite brilliant and — "
⠀⠀⠀ "No, no." Sam stifled a laugh that won him a quizzical gaze from the redhead. "I mean that's what he told you? That he's brought you here to 'kill some time' ... yikes. You'd think the lad would be a little more subtle."
⠀⠀⠀ Darcy felt herself go rigid. "What're you going on about?"
⠀⠀⠀ "Do you want me to spell it out for you? Jude Asher fancies you. I don't know why, or how, considering you nearly killed the man but maybe near death experiences is what does it for him." Sam whistled, eyes trained forward onto a less busy street. "I've got to admit, this is a terrible cliché."
⠀⠀⠀ "You have no idea what you're going on about. He doesn't fancy me. He's too busy having a massive, heartstopping crush on my sister, or is it Joanna Lancaster now? I'm telling you, Sam, you should have seen those two in there. It was disgusting."
⠀⠀⠀ Sam blinked. "Jo was in there?"
⠀⠀⠀ "Mate, the last thing I want to do is talk about her."
