Jessica
"We're gonna head over to Ava's to pick her and her friend up first, if that's okay," Jessica announced by way of greeting.
"Hello to you too It's lovely to see you," Carter responded while he neatly rolled up the sleeves of his button-up. He nudged the door closed with his foot after he let her walk in.
Jessica smiled at him after he turned to face her. She gave him a once-over before her gaze settled on his face. "Looking good, Aquino. Now you just need to fix your hair, and you'll be ready to go."
Carter frowned at her. "I washed it—what more do you want?"
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you gay guys supposed to be fashionable and everything?"
"Says the lesbian who has not a single plaid shirt in her closet."
Jessica had to give him that one. "Fair enough. But let me at least mess it up a bit. You're killing me with that neatly-parted-thing."
Carter tugged at his rolled-up sleeves once more before he leaned down, so Jessica could reach his head without needing a stool. He grumbled something along the lines of "thought it wasn't a set-up" but Jessica didn't feel the need to honor that with a response.
When she leaned back, Carter immediately reached up to unsuccessfully try to flatten his hair back down.
"Ready to go?" she asked.
Carter mumbled a response and reached for the doorknob. Jessica would take that as a yes.
When Ava opened her door, Jessica felt her breath catch in her throat. Her gaze shifted from Ava's impressive golden eye-makeup to the colorful extensions weaved into her box braids and bright green nail polish. "You look gorgeous," Jessica breathed.
A smile lit up Ava's face as she stepped closer and pushed onto her tiptoes for a kiss.
"Okay, let's not drag it out this time," Carter commented from behind Jessica. There was a teasing note to his voice.
Jessica ignored him and let her lips linger on her girlfriend's. When Ava pulled back, Jessica darted forward for another peck, just to hear that small giggle leave Ava's lips and make her stomach flutter. Ava's soft and blissful expression was highlighted by the deep red that had seeped into her cheeks. Jessica felt the urge to kiss her again, but she held back.
"You guys all done?" Carter's voice was laced with amusement.
Ava's eyes darted down to Jessica's lips, which curled up in a smile. "Hmm…I don't know."
"Just tell me where your friend is, so I have some entertainment while I give you your privacy."
"Um, he's— He's still in his apartment."
"Okay, let's go, then." Carter turned to face the only other door in the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder at them with a raised eyebrow and a finger pointed at the door in question.
Ava nodded. "Yeah, that's him." She glanced over at Jessica, who gave her a reassuring smile.
It was a blatant lie. She wasn't sure about any of this. Neither of them knew the reasons behind Zyan and Carter's last divorce. Maybe it was something unfixable, and maybe it was the best for both to stay apart, but Jessica doubted they'd both be so hung up on each other if either of them had done something unforgivable.
She reached out, squeezed Ava's hand, and stepped up behind Carter as he knocked on his ex-husband's door.