Kelly cupped her ears, shocked that Lucy was taking responsibility for Kelly’s actions. “It wasn’t your fault, Lucy. I went down on you without your consent, and it fuckin’ kills me knowing that!”

Gravel kicked up and the car came to an abrupt stop when Lucy skidded to a halt on the side of the road. She pulled Kelly’s hands from the dashboard where she’d braced herself.

“Listen to me, what happened wasn’t premeditated. Yes, the outcome could’ve been ugly, but unless you call what we have together ugly, you need to build a bridge, cross it, and spank my arse.”

Getting off her pity-pot, Kelly cupped Lucy’s cheek and tried a different tact. “Did I ever tell you that night’s the best thing that ever happened to me?”

“Better.” Lucy shoved the car in gear, checked for traffic, and continued on her merry way, grinning from ear to ear.

Kelly marvelled at their contrasting personalities. When Kelly needed grounding, Lucy was her anchor. When Lucy needed guidance, Kelly took the lead.

A car whizzed by, overtaking them at some ungodly speed. Kelly’s heart jumped into her throat. “What a fucking idiot.”

Lucy slowed and moved to the side, letting the guy sneak back into their lane before he had a head-on collision with a truck heading in their direction. The truck driver blasted his horn and shook his fist.

“Someone’s in a hurry to arrive dead on time. You okay?” Lucy squeezed Kelly’s thigh.

“Yay, I trust your driving. It’s the other tossers that worry me.”

Ironically, for one of the straightest stretches of road in the lower North Island, the Himatangi-Foxton straight had seen more than its fair share of fatalities.

Shortly after eleven, Kelly texted Jo. “Hey, Sis. We’ve just driven passed the Ferry terminal. See you soon.”

Jo’s reply was instantaneous. “Cool, we’re already here, will meet you in the foyer.”

Warmth spread through Kelly’s chest. She couldn’t wait to see her sister, to meet her boyfriend, Tim, and to introduce them to Lucy.

“Look at you all smiley blue eyes over there,” Lucy said as she indicated left and exited the motorway.

Kelly rubbed her hands together. “I know, I feel like a teenager on her first trip to the big city. Have you been to Te Papa before?”

“Nope, I normally avoid Wellington like the plague. I hate the rat race, and I dodge politics at all costs.”

“Hey, just because Parliament’s here doesn’t mean everyone talks…”

Noticing the huge smirk on Lucy’s face, Kelly stopped midsentence. In the next heartbeat, the rest of what Lucy said registered. Lucy had offered to drive to Wellington, despite her dislike of navigating the city.

She reached across the car and trailed a finger down Lucy’s cheek. “Thank you.”