19
The drive home was mostly silent. At one point, Linc said, “I think I might have to go to Wilmington and see my sisters.”
“Oh, okay.” Avery struggled to find any kind of response while his mind reeled around the idea of also leaving Seacroft.
“I haven’t seen them in years.” Linc’s gaze was fixed out the windshield, and his jaw vibrated with tension. His steely glare made the anxiety flare even brighter in Avery’s brain.
“Then maybe it’s time.”
Linc swallowed heavily. “Yeah.”
They didn’t say anything after that, and Avery was ready to climb out of his skin as they pulled up in front of his apartment. He half expected Linc to kiss him goodnight and drive away, but he got out of the car and locked it.
Avery chewed on his lip. “I’m not moving to Atlanta.”
Linc tapped a nail on the roof of the car. “Okay.”
“I didn’t think that was going to be part of the job when I interviewed.”
“That’s fine.”
“I’ve never lived anywhere but North Carolina.” His heart was jumping around in his chest like a hamster in a ball.
“Uh-huh.” His face was shadowed. The sun had gone down hours ago, and Avery’s tiny residential street wasn’t well lit.
His nose itched and he wanted to scratch it, but everything still felt tight and achy. “You’re not mad about it, are you?”
“About what?”
He swallowed. “About Atlanta.”
“Let’s go inside.”
“Why?” Avery’s insides were about to scramble themselves into knots.
“I’m not mad, Red. Let’s go inside, because I don’t want to spend the rest of the night leaning on my car.”
But he kept an inch too much space between them as they crossed the street and left too many wordless seconds as Avery got the doors unlocked. Linc stayed nearby, but only when they were in the apartment did he pull Avery close.
“I’m not mad,” he said again, pressing his lips to Avery’s hair. The nearness, the smell of his skin—even through Avery’s injured nose—helped settle him.
He sank onto the couch. “But you’re something.”
“It’s not you. Sorry. My family—my sister, she—” Linc sighed and joined him. “Do you want the job?”
“I can’t let them down.”
“Wanda and Vasquez?”
“No.” He glared at him. “My aunt and uncle.”
“Right.” Linc smoothed his hands over his thighs. Avery would prefer Linc were touching him. Honestly, he would rather do anything than have this conversation, but Linc had been extra careful with him over the last few days because of his nose. Now the question of leaving the city and the state had more or less spoiled the mood.
“My aunt didn’t want me to move out. Did I ever tell you that?”
“No.”
“It took her six months to listen to the idea, and then another six months for her to stop crying any time I mentioned going to look for an apartment. I think she finally accepted it in part because this place is so close to their house.”
