Page 100 of Even Ground

Reaching the right spot, I press the button and smile at Reece as the bus pulls to a stop. He gives me a quick nod, and moments later, we’re alone on the footpath.

“Now where?” he asks.

“It’s just around the corner.”

“You do this every day?”

I slip my arm into his. “Uh huh.”

“It must be tiring if you still have to drive home.”

I lean my head on his shoulder. “I’m not working today either. That’s tiring.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Let’s get to your car.”

It’s not a long walk. Reece rubs his hands together. “It’s much cooler here than it is back home.” Reaching my car, I open the boot and he places his bags inside.

“It’s the middle of winter. You’re lucky today is mild.”

He nods toward the car. “You weren’t kidding about how far to your car. Why don’t you park in town? I saw parking buildings.”

I laugh. “There are buildings, but I can’t afford to park my car in the city. The price is insane.”

He just stands there and blinks as if the thought never occurred to him.

“We live in very different worlds, Reece. It’s why I’m kinda surprised you’re here.”

Reece captures my wrist. “Maybe now we do, but I don’t come from a rich family. I get it more than you know.”

“Maybe now you’re here you can tell me all about it.”

He lets me go. “In time.”

There’s something so awkward about him. The way he drops his gaze and how his Adam’s apple bobs as if he’s swallowing hard. But I won’t press him. He’ll tell me whatever it is when he’s ready.

“We’ll take the motorway. Not really much in the way of sightseeing, but it’ll get us there faster.” I walk around the car and open the driver’s door. He climbs into the passenger side, and I take a deep breath as I drop into my seat.

“The sooner I get you alone, the better.”

“You’re being awfully presumptuous.” I slide the key into the ignition, start the car up and then put it in drive.

“I hope not.”

I roll my eyes, and pull out onto the road, driving back the way we came from to get onto the motorway south.

It’s a quiet ride home, and the traffic’s not too bad this time of day—another half hour and our trip time would easily be doubled, and I’m still relieved to turn down the driveway and park in my carport.

Climbing out of the car, I pop the boot for Reece to retrieve his bags, and then he follows me into my flat, dropping his bags inside the door.

“This is your apartment?”

I wave my arm around. “For comfort’s sake, the bathroom is just over there, and the exit is back the way we came. The living room doubles as my bedroom.”

He laughs. “The place Josh and I first had in LA wasn’t much bigger. We had bedrooms, but the rest of the place was tiny.”

“And now look at Josh’s house. I’m sure your apartment is bigger than this.”

His lips twitch. “Just a little.”