“You’re a genius!” I jump up, ready to take action.
“I know,” she says with a grin, and I hug her.
Within minutes I’m in my car and driving across town. I get out and knock on the door, almost hopping from one foot to the other while I wait for it to be answered.
“Theresa, I need your help.”
I thought that once I’d made the decision, the anxiety would disappear, and one part of it has. Now the fears bubble to the surface—will Reece be happy to see me, or would he prefer I was out of sight ready to be forgotten—and I spend half the flight wondering if I should’ve stayed at home.
Theresa thought it was a great idea, so I have her support. She gave me Reece’s address, and promised not to say anything so it would be a surprise. My parents also backed my plan when I checked on them and said I’d be going away for a couple of weeks. It might not be that long. Depending on Reece’s reaction I may be on the next flight back, but I try not to think those thoughts as I’m halfway over the Atlantic ocean. I’ve never flown so far before. I’ve taken a few domestic flights, and I’ve been to Canada a few times to yarn and knitting conventions, but I’ve never been to another continent. I don’t know what it’ll be like. When I said it’d be weird, Clara laughed at me and said, well, at least we speak the same language, though sometimes I wonder if they do. Once I’ve cleared security, I take out my phone. I see there are a couple of messages from Reece. The first ones make me laugh and ease my worries a little. Then there’s another one because I haven’t answered his, and he doesn’t know I was flying. I debate whether or not to answer it, and decide on a fairly neutral message in return so I can keep the surprise. I send messages to Clara and Theresa, and I call my parents as they don’t have phones I can message them on. Then I work out which train I need to get to Oxford.
I alight from the train and I’m jostled along with the crowd out to the exit and through the barrier. I stop in my tracks and lookaround. It’s different to anything I’ve experienced before. I’ve seen old buildings before, but they’re just the civic buildings. But everywhere here looks so old, with enormous stone facades and ironwork. It’s beautiful.
“Can I help you, mate?”
I look down at the source of the voice, which is coming from a taxi right in front of me. I see a line of them and someone beside me pipes up.
“Make up your mind. Do you want this one or not?” I glance at the people arranged behind me. I didn’t realize I’d joined a queue.
“Err, y-yes,” I stammer and open the door, pushing my bags inside and climbing in after them. I give the driver Reece’s address and sit back as he navigates the narrow streets.
“Here you go,” he says, and stops the taxi in the middle of the road. Cars line the street so there is nowhere to pull in. I pay and hop out, just as a car which has stopped behind honks its horn at us, and I carry my bags to the sidewalk. I wish I’d checked with the driver that this was the correct address because it’s not what I was expecting. Not that I had an idea what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this. The stone houses are all three stories high, with probably what looks like a basement as well. There are railings at the front and steps up to the front doors, which are all set back with tiles lining the recess. The sidewalk is wide and paved, there are trees set every couple of houses, and the roots have pushed through making it uneven. I walk to the end of the road and check the street name, which is correct, and then I backtrack to where I started and find the number. There’s a brass knocker on the door, which seems to echo loudly through the whole street when I use it, but no one answers the door.Reece must be out. There’s nothing I can do but sit on the stone steps and wait.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Reece
I frown and pull my phone toward me for the hundredth time. Someone says something and I look up.
“Hmmm?”
“I said are you okay?” Hartley is standing before my desk with a file in his hands. I hadn’t heard him enter my office.
“Umm, yeah. Is that the Gibson file?”
Hartley puts it down on my desk. “Are you sure you’re alright, you seem distracted. Can I get you anything?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.” I wave him away and when he leaves I pick up the file and try to work, all the while glancing at my phone. I haven’t heard from Holden today, well, I did about an hour ago but it was strange. Due to the time difference I usually wake up to a couple of messages from him. I reply, most often something sweet and also rude, and he normally texts me back as soon as he wakes up, which is about lunchtime for me. Butthere was nothing today. Then about an hour ago I just got a short text. It didn’t really say anything. I try not to worry that something might be wrong with him or with his parents, and I ignore the niggle at the back of my mind that he’s cooling toward me. I don’t really believe that. And it’s only been a few hours. Anything could’ve happened, and I’m sure he’ll message again soon.
“Are you staying, or are you ready to go soon?” Nolan puts his head around my door.
“Um, I’m done, just give me a minute,” I reply. I can’t concentrate anyway, so I might as well go home. I pack up my laptop and the file along with a few other papers into my bag. It’s Friday, but I don’t have anything planned for the weekend so I might as well work. I join Nolan and Hartley since they’re ready to leave too.
“We’re going over to the Blacksmith’s Arms tonight, do you want to come?” Nolan asks. I haven’t visited the pub in Larchdown many times, but I have heard about Friday nights. It started off with a few of the local guys meeting for a drink, but it’s been steadily growing and is one of the busiest pubs in the area. It’s not exclusive, but most of the people who go are gay, and usually couples so it hasn’t turned into a place for hookups. More like friends meeting up in a friendly environment. Levi still works there some nights, so Mac might be in. Nolan goes often now he’s seeing Uli, who lives at Blackwood Heath, which is the next village to Larchdown.
“Griff and I are probably going to pop in,” Hartley says. I’ve heard about his burgeoning romance with Griffin, the stonemason from Hard as Rock. I haven’t met him yet but Nolan has given me a few details, so I’m intrigued about the guy.
“Yeah, sure, sounds good,” I say. “About eight?” They agree and lock up. I refuse Nolan’s offer of a lift home. I live close enough to walk, and I feel like I need to stretch my legs. I don’t drive to the office most days as it’s hard to get a parking spot on my road. The houses are old and were built well before people thought about cars. Nolan lives a bit further out, but he’ll probably be heading straight to Uli’s. I know he has plans to stay with him over the weekend and they’ll go hiking, Nolan indulging in his hobby of photography. As I walk, I think back to last weekend when I hiked with Holden, and another flutter of worry takes flight in my chest that I haven’t heard from him. I’ll message him as soon as I get home. I walk along making plans for the evening. I should have enough time to grab a shower and something to eat before driving out to Larchdown. I turn along my street; it looks lovely in the summer. My favorite season is spring when all the cherry trees that line the street are in bloom, but now the flowers in everyone’s front yards are in bloom, and I admire them as I walk along to my house. My heart flips when I notice the figure sitting on my steps. It can’t be, as he should be thousands of miles away. It must be my mind playing tricks. But it sure looks like him.
“Holden?”
He looks up from where he’s staring at his feet. His face is hopeful, his eyes holding an uncertainty.
“My god, you’re here.” I launch myself up the steps as he rises and catch him in my arms.
“How? When? Why?” I fire at him, and then cut off all chance of reply by fusing my mouth to his. I pull back and stare at him.
“Surprise.” He grins and I match it, realizing I must look like some sappy loon and not caring one bit. I unlock my door andusher him inside. I want to know everything but not out on the street.
