Page 14 of Closer than Ever

Hayley sorted the paperwork and finalised the purchase with the guy while Anna sat back and watched her friend in action. Hayley was both polite and astute. Professional, even. Anna had never seen her like this before. It was a far cry from their student days.

In under an hour they were driving back to Anna’s in separate vehicles, Hayley following behind as if she’d been driving on these roads forever. She always did adapt quickly.

Two days later Anna was knee deep in sawdust and wood cuttings. She had to go back to work tomorrow and she wanted to get most of it done. The campervan renovation was coming along nicely. The new car stereo with digital radio and Bluetooth connected to her phone had been keeping Anna company. The seller was right; the speakers were excellent. She’d been blasting music for hours.

“Your coffee.” Hayley passed Anna a cup. She sat on the edge of the mattressless bed and crossed her legs.

“Thanks.” Anna took the cup while kneeling on the campervan floor. She tapped pause on her phone so they could hear each other. The silence rang in Anna’s ears for a few seconds once the music stopped.

“I love that song.” Hayley smiled.

“It’s good, isn’t it?”

“It’s one of my favourites.”

Anna narrowed her eyes. “Is it?”

“Yeah. I love Christine and the Queens. You seem really surprised by that.”

“Sorry.” Anna shook her head. “You’ll need to play me your favourite songs soon. I don’t know what you like any more.”

“I will. I’m sure we’ll still have the same taste in music.”

Anna smiled. It was amazing to be getting to know Hayley all over again.

“I heard you playing The xx a few minutes ago. Wasn’t that song out around the time I was studying over here?”

“I think it was, yeah.” She’d listened to it a thousand times while pining for Hayley but she was never going to let on.

“Kind of reminds me of that time,” Hayley said.

“Yeah. I know what you mean.”

Hayley ran her hand over the new countertop Anna had installed. “I can’t believe how much you’ve done in here so quickly. It looks amazing.”

“I like a challenge.”

“You get one thousand lesbian points.”

Anna laughed.

“It’s a seriously attractive trait you’ve got going on here, being so good with your hands and practical stuff. I’m amazed the lesbians aren’t lining up outside.”

Anna inhaled. Hayley was eternally flirty. She shouldn’t read into it. “I’ll be done here in a few hours. Then she’s all yours.”

Hayley smiled, leaned forward, and uncrossed her legs. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such a good friend as you.”

“Neither do I.”

Hayley ran a hand through her long hair, scanning the inside of the small campervan. “It already feels so cosy in here. I love it.”

“It’s a good van. You’ll be safe in it.”

Hayley looked at her quizzically. “You value that a lot, don’t you? Safety.”

“I guess so. Why do you say that?”

“It’s the way you talk. You’re always thinking about potential risks and practical solutions.”

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