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Alright for some. Enjoy your sleep while I try to stay awake so I don’t crash on the way home

Charlie:

Coffee. And red bull. Don’t crash

Me:

Thanks for the advice. See you later. I’ll text when I get back and we can sort out the details

Charlie:

I’m full of good advice. Sounds good, see you later

I exited my messages to find my dad watching me with interest. Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. He snorted, and I opened my eyes again. “What?”

“Nothing. Just wondering who’s put that smile on your face.”

“It’s—it’s nothing. No one. A friend.”

“Afriend,” he said, his words loaded with sarcasm. “Whoever she is, if she’s making you that happy at a time of day when you’d usually be a grumpy git, you should hang on to her.”

“Whatever,” I muttered. “I’m going to wake Sophie up. We need to get back early today. Uh, you know, final-year projects. It’s busy for me at the moment.”

“Okay. Here. I made Soph a coffee, too. You can take it up with you.” He stepped forwards, clasping my shoulder. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”

“I know. Thanks, Dad.” Taking the two mugs of coffee from the counter, I made my escape, heading upstairs. Sophie was already awake, sitting up in bed and scrolling through her phone.

“Coffee! How did you know that was what I needed?”She made grabby hands at the mugs, and I handed the one with milk to her.

“You’re awake early.” I sank onto the edge of her bed, blowing on my own coffee before taking a sip.

“I know. I didn’t drink much last night, and I dunno, I think I’m just not used to sleeping here, so I couldn’t sleep properly.”

“Do you want to go back this morning?”

She nodded. “Yeah, that would be good. Dad’s playing golf with Uncle Rob today, anyway, isn’t he?”

“I think so. Okay. Let’s leave in an hour or so, yeah?” Rising to my feet, I stepped over to the door and paused. I wanted to ask her if Charlie had messaged her back, but I knew I shouldn’t. It wasn’t any of my business, anyway.

“Nate? Did you want something else?”

“No.” I shook my head, forcing my feet to move.

10

Icouldn’t stop my grin when I saw Nate leaning up against a tree, a backwards cap jammed on his head, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shorts, and his bike dumped carelessly at his feet. His eyes were covered by sunglasses, but I saw his mouth curve into a smile when he caught sight of me pedalling towards him. My stomach felt…giddy. It was weird.

Hopping off my bike when I reached him, I held out my hand for a fist bump. Nate laughed, tapping his knuckles against mine.

“Is that how we greet each other now?”

I shrugged. “It’s hard to navigate the not-date etiquette.”

“Not-date etiquette.” He laughed again, and a warm, shivery feeling spread through me. It couldn’t be, could it? Fuck. No. There was no way.

“Uh.” Clearing my throat, I squeezed my bike’s brakes. Just to test them. Not because I was suddenly flustered. I’d never been more glad for my own sunglasses. “Yep, brakes all working.”

“Always useful when you want to stop,” Nate commented. The next second, a wide yawn overtook his face. “Fucking hell. I’m so tired. Did you get any sleep this morning?”

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