‘A little something.’
His attention shifts from the bike back to me, settling heavily as he purses his lips in a similar way to Anya when she disapproves of something I’ve done.
‘You bought a bike?’he clarifies.
‘Sort of, yeah.’
Mason warms up to it a bit once I’ve shown it to him.He just doesn’t like that I’ve blown a lot of my savings on it.He’s good with money – always has been – and the fact that I’m not has always been something he’s taken on for himself, almost acting like a mentor in a way.I do have bad spending habits, I must admit.
‘I mean, it’s beautiful.’He whistles, running a hand over it.‘I bet it runs fantastic.’
‘It does.’
‘It made you happy?’Mason asks, shifting those dark eyes in my direction.
‘Definitely.’
‘All right.Be careful on it.’
Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod.Mason and I have always been like that – brothers to each other.Mason takes on a more authoritative role than I do.It’s in his nature.He’s far more disciplined than me, and often provides me with a reality check when I need one.
I help them with their bags, carrying them inside.Anya places her handbag down on the table and her eyes home in on its centre, where a pale-pink water bottle sits with a gold ‘N’ on it.Anya’s brows furrow.
‘What’s Nora’s drink bottle doing here?’she asks curiously.
‘Uh,’ I say, rubbing the back of my neck.‘Maybe because she was here.’
Mason pauses his unpacking.I don’t miss the exchange of smirks between Anya and Mason before they both school their expressions.
‘Oh?’Anya says, grinning.‘So this is happening?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Do you mean she stayed here?’Mason probes, continuing his unpacking, but at a much slower pace, not being very subtle.
‘She had an incident with her roommates, so she crashed here for a bit.’
‘Those bitches better not have done anything,’ Anya snarls, planting her hands on her hips.
‘Oh they did.They locked her out of the apartment at night and she had no phone battery.’
Anya and Mason’s mouths both drop into an ‘O’ at my words.Anya’s cheeks redden in anger.
‘Wait until Cami finds out – she’s gonna go off.’
‘I handled it.I don’t think they’ll be bothering her anymore.It was a good thing, her coming here.She kept me company through the cyclone.I was going crazy here on my own.’
‘That’s nice that you let her stay here.She probably felt awkward having to ask,’ Anya says quietly.‘She isn’t one to ask for help much.’
‘Yeah, I’m glad she did.I would have been horrified if she had slept in her car or something.I don’t think she could, with the humidity, and the cyclone as well.’
‘Yeah, agreed.’Anya nods.
‘So,’ Mason drawls, leaning back against the dining table and crossing his arms over his chest.‘You and Nora.All alone.For a few days.’
I roll my eyes, turning my back to them and collecting the items I need to make a coffee.
‘Did anything happen?’he asks when I fail to reply.
