Here is a mostly happy chapter for you! I hope you like it. Love, IJKS xx

Chapter Nineteen

Joey was feeling a little shy when she knocked on the familiar door to Leah, Charlie, Ruby and VJ's house. She'd brought a sponge cake for dessert as some kind of gesture but her hands were feeling clammy.

"It's not a date," she told herself firmly.

It was hard not to get carried away though. She was driving herself crazy with keeping checking her phone and getting overly excited any time she and Charlie made plans. In the time that they had been apart, Joey had missed her terribly. And now seeing her again, Joey knew she was still very much in love with her. She felt like she always would be.

"Hey," Charlie said, beaming when she opened the door.

"Hi," Joey said, still shy. "I brought cake."

She offered the tin out to Charlie who continued to beam and accepted it before welcoming her inside.

"Joey!" Ruby bellowed, hurrying into the kitchen.

"Hey, Rubes," Joey greeted, accepting her hug.

"How have you been?" Joey asked.

They headed into the lounge and Charlie pulled out a dining chair for her guest.

"Dinner will just be a minute," she said.

"Don't I get special treatment?" Ruby remarked, nodding towards the chair.

"No," Charlie replied simply, heading into the kitchen.

Joey laughed and watched her go. Charlie was in figure hugging trousers that were extremely flattering. She looked stunning. Ruby cleared her throat. Joey coloured and turned back to her looking guilty.

"And you two really think you're just doing the friends thing?" Ruby asked. "Seriously?"

"We are friends," Joey said earnestly.

"I give you a week before you end up back together," Ruby said, sitting down. "Let's face it. Charlie hasn't been the same since you left and now she's all happy again because you're back. You light up her life."

Joey blushed. In the kitchen, Charlie cringed and wondered if murder was always a crime. Suddenly, she wasn't sure this dinner was such a good idea.

The three women finished their starters.

"You've really gone all out!" Joey commented to Charlie. "That was delicious."

Charlie smiled at her, getting herself lost in Joey's eyes for a moment. Joey gazed right back. Ruby chuckled and shook her head.

"What?" they asked in unison, turning to her.

"I think I get the 'let's just be friends thing'," Ruby said. "I mean, seriously, Joey, when Charlie got back here after she crashed at yours that night... well, I don't think I've ever seen her like that before."

"Ruby..." Charlie warned.

"She was all swoony and besotted because you respected her enough not to jump into bed with her when she was vulnerable..."

Joey sat back, folded her arms and smiled.

"Ruby!" Charlie squeaked.

"Honestly, she's crazy about you!"

"Ruby!" Charlie yelped louder.

Joey snorted with laughter.

"And you're all cute too," Ruby continued.

Now it was Joey's turn to frown.

"I'm surprised you didn't spill all your food because you never took your eyes off her but..."

Charlie giggled and felt rather pleased with herself.

"But you guys are eventually going to make a go of things, aren't you?" Ruby enquired. "Because you realise you're totally made for each other?"

"Well, um..." Joey managed.

Leah and VJ appeared.

"Joey!" VJ bellowed. "You're back! Are you back? Are you and Charlie together again? She's been miserable without you!"

Ruby high-fived him, Charlie escaped into the kitchen muttering something about the world swallowing her whole while Joey greeted Leah and VJ properly.

Leah and VJ had already eaten but they did join Charlie, Joey and Ruby for cake when dessert rolled around.

"This is good cake!" VJ announced.

Joey looked quite proud of herself. Charlie smiled at her across the table. Everybody noticed.

"Is this why you've been so smiley lately?" VJ wondered.

Charlie choked on her cake. Joey rubbed her back and poured her a glass of water from a jug. Ruby and Leah exchanged grins.

"Yes, this is exactly why I've been so smiley lately," Charlie said boldly.

"So, you're back together?" Leah asked.

"No," Charlie said. "But I'm hoping that eventually we will be."

"We will be," Joey said, quietly confident.

Charlie looked up sharply and blushed. They smiled at each other lovingly yet again.

"Okay, this could go on for a while!" said Ruby.

Dinner was over and Leah, Ruby and VJ had all gone to bed. Not wanting the night to end yet, Charlie and Joey were seated on the sofa together. Charlie was desperately fighting the urge to ask Joey to stay. She might have been drunk last time but holding Joey through the night again, listening to her making adorable little noises in her sleep, had been amazing. She was desperate to do it again. The idea of holding her close, snuggling and feeling Joey resting in her arms, was enough to drive her over the edge. She took a deep breath. Noticing, Joey gazed at her, wondering what was on her mind. She smiled at the way Charlie chewed her lip and ran her hands through her hair.

"I was wondering..." she began. "Would you...?"

They both jumped when they heard banging on the door. Joey's heart leapt into her throat for a moment. It always did in that kind of situation but she calmed down quickly. Charlie got up to answer the door.

"Angelo!" she gasped.

Her ex-boyfriend was swaying with drink and looking red in the face. He stormed past her.

"Angelo, you can't come in..." Charlie protested.

Joey sat up a little straighter and felt uncertain as she prepared to see Charlie's ex-boyfriend for the first time. He appeared in the doorway. Charlie appeared behind him.

"Oh, isn't this cosy!" Angelo said. "Joey, I presume?"

Joey nodded.

"Angelo, get out," Charlie begged.

He turned to face her.

"You're a bitch, Charlie," he told her.

She rolled her eyes, having heard it all before.

"You've destroyed my life, do you know that?"

"I broke up with you," Charlie said. "That's all. I didn't want to be with you. You can't blame me for anything else."

"I'm suspended!" Angelo bellowed.

"I didn't make the complaint!"

"You were involved! You could have denied anything happened!"

"Angelo, how the hell do you think I could have explained the damage to my laptop and everything?" Charlie asked. "You damaged property and you hurt me."

"You hurt me more," he accused.

She watched him wobble out of the house and slam the door. Charlie turned back to Joey a little helplessly.

"He's a charmer," Joey commented.

Charlie chuckled and came to sit beside Joey again. She took her hands and apologised. Joey smiled and assured her that everything was okay. They smiled at each other again and remained holding hands. Noticing the time, Joey announced that she needed to call a cab to get home.

"I'll drive you!" Charlie offered eagerly.

"Oh, you don't have to," Joey said. "It's out of your way. You don't..."

"I'd like to," Charlie said.

After Angelo's interruption, she'd changed her mind about asking her to stay. Driving her home was the next best thing.

"I like spending time with you," she added.

Joey smiled. She reached out and gently stroked Charlie's face.

"Thanks," Joey said. "Extra time with you sounds perfect."