"You can drop me off early," Luc said, his voice hesitant. "I should be able to catch an earlier train."
"You could get a taxi?" Deborah suggested. "That way you don't have to rush off, just because Adam has double booked his time."
Luc waved his hand. "It's fine. I should probably have thought about leaving earlier anyway. I'm all packed." He eyed up Adam again. "Do I have time to have some toast, or are you eager to get off now?"
Adam wanted to go, but he nodded. "Yeah, whatever."
Thankfully, Luc was quick about eating something and then jogging upstairs to grab his suitcase and rucksack.
"It's been lovely having you here," Deborah said, giving Luc a big hug, whilst Adam stood awkwardly on the doorstep. "You'd better keep your promise about visiting more regularly." She buried her face against Luc's shoulder.
Adam could see tears brimming in his stepbrother’s eyes. Luc caught Adam’s stare and lifted a questioning eyebrow. In response, Adam tapped the car keys against his thigh.
"Thanks for all your help," their dad said, shaking Luc's hand once Deborah had released him.
"I'm not done yet," Luc assured him. "I got a couple of amazing shots of Adam the other day. Jane is looking at them to see what kind of promotional material she can make for you."
Their dad pursed his lips. "I haven't seen any kind of bill from this designer friend of yours."
Luc shrugged. "She owes me some favours, don't worry about it."
At the last second, their dad pulled Luc into a hug. His chin quivered and Adam was sure his brother was about to break down, but somehow he held it together.
“I love you,” Luc said, as their dad released him. “All of you.” His voice was rough and on the edge of cracking. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
“You’d better be,” Deborah said, wrapping her arms around him and her husband as she started to cry.
“Don’t,” Luc pleaded. “You’ll set me off too.” He stepped away from their parents and wiped the back of his hand roughly over his eyes. “Let’s go,” he said to Adam. “Before these two have me blubbing in the middle of the street.”
Adam pressed his lips together to smother the smile that wanted to be set free. Luc picked up his suitcase and walked alongside Adam to the car, which was parked a little further down the street.
They drove in silence to start with, Adam tapping the steering wheel with his fingertip as he navigated through the streets.
"This isn't the way to the train station," Luc said. He had been staring out the window, his chin balanced on his palm. But now he turned his head to face Adam and stare at him questioningly.
Adam remained silent. They'd broken free of the outskirts of the city and were driving through the first vestiges of the countryside.
"Where are we going?"
"Just enjoy the ride," Adam said. "You said it yourself, you've got plenty of time before your train arrives."
He eventually stopped the car at the end of a service road, that had at one time served a logging operation. Now the area was completely abandoned and, when Adam turned the engine off, there were no sounds except the rustle of the wind in the trees, the tweet of birds and their own breathing.
"I owe you an apology," Adam said, using the lever to push the driver's seat back as far as it would go. "And it was one I couldn't give you at home."
Curiosity made Luc's eyes sparkled. "Have you been here before?"
Adam shrugged. "Maybe. Do you really want to know? I get the feeling you're the jealous type."
Luc grabbed the collar of Adam's jacket and dragged him close, their mouths slamming together.
"When it comes to you, yes, I'm jealous as hell," Luc said, releasing Adam. "So, what kind of apology were you thinking of giving me?"
Adam grinned as he undid his seatbelt. He leaned across, for once glad of the weird position of the gearstick on the dashboard, as he began to unbuckle Luc's belt. "This kind." He glanced up as he popped Luc's button and unzipped his fly. "I couldn't let you go home all frustrated, could I?" He hooked his fingers under the waistband of Luc's boxers and tugged.
"What about you?" Luc asked. "Aren't you frustrated?"
"Very," Adam assured him. "And horny as hell. Now are you going to let me get my mouth on you, or not?"
