I look up at him. ‘You, too.’
‘Are you very busy while your family are here?’
‘I can get away. Monday’s your day off, right?’
‘Yeah. You still want to catch up for lunch or something?’
‘That’d be good.’
The bill arrives and Ben reaches into his pocket for his wallet while I take my purse from my handbag.
‘I’ll get this,’ he tells me.
‘We’ll go halves.’
‘Lily, put it away,’ he says firmly.
I hesitate. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course.’ He looks offended so I comply.
‘Thanks.’
Marco sees us out. ‘Come again, please!’
‘We will,’ Ben tells him.
We? A bubble of happiness swells up inside me.
Richard!
‘Ferry back to Manly?’ Ben checks.
‘Yes. Do you go to Old Cremorne?’
‘Cremorne Point.’ That means we have to take separate ferries. ‘We can walk together to the terminal.’
He sets off at a brisk pace and once more I hurry to keep up.
‘Sorry, am I walking too fast?’ He glances at me.
‘No, it’s okay. I’ve got my trainers on for a change.’
‘You still call them trainers.’
‘Sneakers, then,’ I smirk. ‘I’m pretty nifty in my heels, too. I don’t usually look like this,’ I add.
He gives me a quick once-over. ‘What do you usually look like?’
‘Skirts, heels, make-up . . .’
‘Youarewearing make-up,’ he comments.
‘I usually wear more.’ It strikes me that maybe he wishes I looked the same as I did ten years ago. He told me I looked different when we saw each other at the zoo. Is that a good thing?
‘I cut off all my hair,’ I blurt out. Dur!No shit, Sherlock.
He smiles at me. ‘I noticed.’
