Page 21 of Nothing to Tell

As his mom got in, Harper drew her eyes from Bastian’s.Her place?By not correcting Carolyn’s assumption, their dishonesty sucked them farther into the fraud.This was wrong, it was just wrong.

She got in and said nothing as they drove out of the garage.

The trip itself was benign, or it would’ve been if she wasn’t hyperaware of Bastian’s hand so near to her knee when it rested on the manual gearstick.The space in the front was too small for both of them, too small for two people, she was sure of it.

Grown men were supposed to fit in this car.It didn’t matter that she was dwarfed in the seat.No, something about the sight of his hand curled around the gear knob, so firm and strong… Space wasn’t it, oxygen, that was what it lacked.Why was the air so thin?Was it getting hot?

Eventually, he pulled up to a grand black gate that was already opening.When they drove on, the crunch of gravel beneath the tires surprised her.Something wrong with asphalt?

This wasn’t her neighborhood.No, that was far, far away.And felt so much further when they passed some trees and a broad red brick building came into view.The entrance portico, flanked by bold Roman columns, also sported Victorian-esque lamps.Chic.

Nice.

In its day, it would’ve been just as majestic and stylish.These days, buildings like this were converted into apartments or retirement homes.

Bastian stopped parallel to the front door and got out to round the car.

“It was good to meet you, Harper,” Carolyn said as Bastian opened the back door.“I hope we’ll see you again soon.”

Smiling was the polite thing to do.Still, the lie clawed at her throat.“I apologize for the inconvenience tonight.”

“Nonsense.I’m glad Bastian was able to come to your aid.”

Bastian took his mom’s hand to help her out and up the stairs.The pair exchanged words for around a minute before Bastian opened the front door and ushered his mom inside.

What was in his head?He was in no hurry to return, he paced back and forth a few times before running back down to the car.They got to the end of the driveway and back onto the street without exchanging a single word.

“I’m sorry,” she said when she couldn’t take the silence anymore.

His scowl stayed pasted to the windshield.“Forget it.”

If he was pissed off, he should’ve spoken up to correct his mother’s assumption, or told Adara he didn’t care about the mugging when she called.

“You didn’t have to come to the hospital,” Harper said.A big believer in taking responsibility for one’s own actions, she wouldn’t have expected Bastian to be the sort to whine or play the victim.“I’m sorry that Adara—”

“It’s not you.My mom’s on my case about… I’m sorry.You have nothing to apologize for.This wasn’t your fault.I wanted to be there for you tonight.I was there for you once.Why wouldn’t I be there again?”

So he wasn’t pissed off about what happened?Yeah, Harper, stupid.Kind of presumptuous to assume it was all about her when his own life was on his mind.

“I didn’t expect it to become a habit,” she said.“I didn’t have your phone number.Why would I think that my sister—”

“Are you implying I gave my phone number to your engaged sister?”

“No!”she said, having not accused him of anything.“I didn’t say that.”

But he was smiling, not angry.“It doesn’t matter,” he said.“You’re safe, that’s what’s important.”

Everyone had their health?Was that the sentiment?Low bar, but they scraped by.Sighing, she put the night’s events out of her mind.

“Do you know the Hounslow Building?It’s on the east—”

“I know Hounslow.”

“Can you drop me there beside—”

“Drop you?”he asked, focus leaving the road for the first time.“Am I your car service?”

“No,” she said, admiring the interior of the vehicle.“I would never be able to afford you.You must have a hell of a boss if this is your company car.”