The house had been on the market for almost a year, and it had stopped being his home the moment he put it up for sale. Now it was like a weight had been lifted and he could move on to new places.
And maybe new people.
“Back home now?” Oliver asked as he fastened his seatbelt. “Or have you got any more errands you need to run?”
Ed held up the house keys as he turned in his seat. “Just need to drop these off at the estate agents first. But I can do that later if you need to get back?”
“No, I’m good.” Oliver smiled and Ed was beginning to think this was his default setting. He was just so...happy. Ed had never met someone who was perpetually in a good mood. Even when he had every right to be royally pissed off, he never came off as anything more than mildly irritated, and even that didn’t seem to last long.
You’ve spent all of two hours with him. What the fuck do you know?
Ed wanted to roll his eyes at himself. One morning with Oliver, and he was acting like he’d known him for years. He could be an axe-wielding serial killer for all Ed knew. Shaking his head, Ed started the van and reversed out onto the road.
“So,” Oliver began once they were on the main road, “how long are you planning on staying at the bungalow?”
“Erm...”
“Sorry, if that’s none of my business, feel free not to answer.” His shrug and smile seemed to imply he wouldn’t be offended in the least.
Normally Ed would have been reticent about his future plans, especially with someone he’d just met—they weren’t all that concrete in his own mind—but he found himself wanting to answer. Maybe saying things out loud would help him solidify the plans in his head. “I don’t have a definite timescale. As soon as the bungalow is in a fit state to go on the market, I’ll start looking in earnest for places up north.”
“Hmm.”
Ed glanced over at him. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing, I was just thinking.”
“About?”
Oliver shrugged. “The bungalow’s not in that bad a state, is it? You could probably put it up for sale now. It’s a sought-after area.”
“That’s true.” Ed had had this very discussion with his sisters and his mum and Jack. “But I need somewhere to stay while I get things sorted, and we’ll get a better price for the bungalow if we smarten it up a bit. I don’t think the place has been decorated much in the last twenty-five years.”
Oliver grinned at that. “Yeah, that’s a bit like Betty’s. I’ve finally persuaded her to let me spruce the place up a little.”
“Good with DIY, are you?” Ed worked hard to keep the surprise out of his tone. Knowing his luck, Oliver probably renovated houses for a living.
“I know my way around a paintbrush and power tools.” Oliver’s smile grew wider as he studied Ed. “I know you’re doing your best not to look surprised by that.”
He was openly grinning now, and Ed found it impossible to keep a straight face. Or lie. “Is it working?”
Oliver laughed. “Yes. Consider me impressed.”
With the mood between them light and easy, Ed found himself relaxing into his seat, conversation coming far more readily than he’d expected.
“Feel free to tell me it’s none of my business,” he began, copying Oliver’s words from earlier. “But how come you’re living with Betty? You seem a bit young for that scene.”
Oliver barked out another laugh. “Betty can party with the best of them, believe me.” Then his expression sobered a little, and he sighed. “Two reasons, a bit like yours, actually.”
Ed glanced over at him, interest piqued. “Oh?”
“I had to move out of my old place, and rather than look for somewhere new to rent, with new housemates, I decided to buy a place of my own.” He turned to look out of the window. “But, as I’m sure you know, that’s not a cheap thing to do these days.”
“Christ no.” Ed still winced when he thought about some of the costs.
“Anyway, Betty—” He stopped suddenly enough that Ed glanced over at him.
“Betty, what?”
