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Wilby lets out a laugh. "Nah. They're harmless…for the most part."
We chat and laugh as Wilby walks me back to the hotel. I pack an overnight bag and leave the rest of my things there, mainly clothes and work stuff like my laptop, since I'll be back in a day or two.
We go back to the clinic where Wilby's parked his ute out the back. I heave out a relieved breath. For a minute there, I thought he would've been crazy enough to fly to and from work. Glad he's taking the option that keeps us on the ground, and, you know, more likely to remain alive.
"So, how long does this trip take?" I ask, buckling my seat belt.
"We should be home in about thirty minutes."
Huh. Wait. Something doesn't add up. Or maybe I heard wrong. Because when Wilby mentioned he lived two hundred kilometers outside of Scuttlebutt, I translated that to roughly one hundred and twenty-five miles.
There's no way we can get to his place that fast if that really is the distance.
Unless he drives like a lunatic? Which isn'tcompletelyout of the question.
I fasten my seat belt tighter around me as he turns onto the main freeway out of town, but, nope, he just glides up to the speed limit and stays there.
"Mind if I put the radio on?" he asks, arm reaching for the dial.
More singing? Oh, god, no.
I grab his wrist. "Er, how about we talk instead? Get to know each other some more."
"Fair enough." He casts a look my way and smiles. "I'm assuming you'll be the one asking the questions, and I'll be doing the answering."
"Correct… Is that okay?"
"Perfectly fine, mate. Even though my questions are way more epic than yours, fire away. What would you like to know?"
I ignore his jibe and stare out at the barren, dry landscape. I hadn't thought far enough ahead to have formulated a question, but I know I want to make it count. If I can ask Wilby Linfox anything in the world, what do I really want to know?
"Have you ever been in love?"
He turns slowly to look at me, half-smiling. "So we're not easing into things? Okay. Good to know."
I grimace. "Sorry. That was too much." What the fuck was I thinking? This is why I hate talking. It's so fucking messy. "I take it back. You don't have to answer."
"It's all good. I just thought you'd stick to your more usual, boring questions."
"Excuse me?"
He bites his lips to stop from smiling. "I'm not repeating myself, Iknowyou heard me."
"I don't ask boring questions… Do I?"
"I was teasing. Relax. No, you don't ask boring questions. You don't ask many questions at all, if I'm being honest."
I scratch at my chest and start wondering if I've spent the better part of my life putting up so many walls that not only has it caused everyone to be on guard around me, but it's prevented me from being open to getting close to other people.
Fuck. Am I an asshole?
"Sorry about that," I say, shelving my existential pondering for another time.
"No need to apologise. Now do you want to hear my answer or not?"
"I do."
I perk right up. Iverymuch do.
