Page 38 of Wildflower
I rub my neck.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“So, do you want to know her name, then? I’m surprised you haven’t asked,” Aiden says with a raised eyebrow.
Her name. He knows it? It makes me feel queasy. Of course I want to know it.
I open my mouth to say that, but something holds me back. I’d have to pretend I didn’t, or reveal that I stepped over her boundaries. She said she wanted to remain Alice for a while.
Aiden cocks his head at me.
“No,” I say, finally. “I don’t want to lie to her. She’ll tell me when she’s ready.”
“Okay, I respect that.”
After Emine and Aiden have gone, I go to shower before it’s time to cram in a few hours of work. I undress, mentally going through the to-do list for the day. But in the corner of my eye is the little black device. My phone.
Shit. I hate that Aiden is right.
I need to find out what Alice is doing tonight, and if she’ll forgive me for ghosting her all week.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
invited
REY
The toast pops up, sending Beanie into another frenzy. He runs out of the kitchen, through the living room, into the hallway and up the stairs. He’s small for a Frenchie, but he’s bloody loud.
As I clatter about in the fridge, looking for butter, I hear the sliding door between the kitchen and hallway open. The sound reverberates off the hard surfaces in my brother’s combined kitchen and dining room.
I peek out from the fridge.
“Hey, Mum.”
She and Dad live on the other side of Victoria Park, and they pop over as part of their morning stroll every Saturday and stay well past midday. But because Mum cooks for us all, Xander never complains.
“Morning,” she chirps. “Can I help with anything?”
I poke my head around the door of the fridge again. “Can you make a cup of coffee?”
“Sure.” Mum pats my head and brushes a hand through my long waves. “Why are you hiding in the fridge?”
“Looking for butter.”
She points past my face to the top shelf.
“I’ll help,” she says. “You make the coffee. What are you having on top of the butter?”
“More butter.”
She meets my eye, and I give a small shrug. “It’s what I feel like having.”
“My goodness,” she mutters under her breath. “You need some nutrition, you look pale.”
“Wow, thanks, Mum. I get quinoa salads and fruit at the office every day. They take care of me.” Free lunch is a perk I didn’t know about until this week.
“Fine, butter it is.” She takes the container from me and gestures for me to work the simple capsule coffee machine she never can be bothered to try out.
