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I need to sack up.
I raise my head and look at Maddox. He looks back at me with concern and gives me a small smile. “So, your boss really didn’t give you an itinerary?”
“Not even a direction. I went to the library and checked out a travel guide, but everything I could use to move around the country costs so much. I can’t afford food and airfare for the amount I have to spend. Even bus tickets are higher than my daily allowance.”
He nods and looks behind me. Stares, really. Like he’s thinking.
“That sounds like an awful lot of freedom.”
“I beg your pardon?” I ask.
“You can literally do anything you want. Amazing.”
I sigh. “I don’t suppose you have any recommendations.”
“Are there any rules?”
“What do you mean rules?” I ask. I sit up straight at the idea. Mr. Gosnell never mentioned rules. Could I trade my body for airfare?
“Well, I mean, can you not hire a ride share or use something like Australian Groupon? Do they have Australian Groupon? What a fun concept.”
“Something in your voice tells me you don’t use a lot of Groupons.”
He clears his throat, but he also blushes. “I use tons of Groupons on things like…burritos and axe throwing.”
“I don’t think I have any rules. My boss didn’t specify.”
“Well, I guess you’ll have to think outside the box, Ava Calvert.” He’s quiet for a moment, but he removes his hand from my back. I immediately miss it. I want him touching me as much as I’d like to touch him. Could I just move my hand over to his leg and leave it there like he’s an anchor in my storm? I bet his legs are strong.
“I’m not good at that. I’m a research person,” I say, trying to keep up with the conversation while thinking about his thigh muscles.
“Well, if you want to go to Alice Springs, we’ve got a train compartment with an extra spot.”
I sit up a little straighter. I thought I’d just stick to the east coast with the limited budget I have. Alice Springs, in the middle of the country, wasn’t on my radar but would be perfect for an adventure. Hiking. Outback life. I may actually get out of this assignment and impress my boss in the process. “Who’s ‘we?’”
He nods at the ceiling like he’s looking at the floors above us. “Siblings from Vancouver are here and wanted to go to the center. They want to see Uluru, even though they won’t let you climb it any longer. I thought I’d tag along because I don’t really have much else to do. We bought a sleeper car. It’s two days out there with a stopover in Adelaide to switch trains if you want to tag along. The train goes to Alice Springs. They’re going on to Yulara.”
I sit up straighter. Is this hot guy really inviting me to share a sleeper car, albeit with Canadian siblings? Sure, I’ve never stayed in a sleeper car with a man I just met over breakfast, but this assignment doesn’t exactly leave room for picky or safe choices.
“How much?”
“Well, we already paid for the tickets.”
“I insist on giving you something.”
“Twenty bucks a day. Oh, and they provide a light breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and a tea. May want to bring an oatmeal packet just in case.” He nods at my cup.
“It has to be more than twenty bucks a day, Maddox, especially if it includes some food.”
“It is, but like I said, we already bought it. Pay the siblings the twenty quid each and maybe buy them some beer in the café car a couple nights. It’ll be fun.”
“Why wouldn’t I pay you?”
He waves a hand again like it’s nothing. “I don’t need it. I’m staying on my budget.” He gets up from the table, his meal half eaten, and puts his napkin and fork on the plate at a forty-five-degree angle like he’s in a fancy restaurant. “It was nice to meet you, Ava Calvert from Illinois. If you want in on the train car, be at the front desk tomorrow morning at eight. If not, good luck.”
Close Quarters
LikehellI’mnotgoing to catch the only train I can afford out of Sydney. When I checked my email this morning, I had an email from Mr. Gosnell asking if I’ve figured out an itinerary. Thankfully, I was able to type back that I need to expense twenty dollars per day to siblings to Vancouver for the train tickets. I haven’t heard back, but I like to think my boss is reading the email with a slight grin on his face at the idea of me finagling train tickets to the heart of Australia for only forty bucks total.
