Free Love Locked by Tess Highcroft

That’s not it.” The long hesitation, her awkward answer, make it sound like a lie, even to her. Even though it’s not. She shakes her head. “Shouldn’t you get going?”
    “Yeah, of course.” He takes hold of her handlebars a millisecond before she lets go, and their hands brush. Whoosh . Butterflies explode in her gut.
    He swings onto the bike, “Thanks, again.”
    “Wait!” She reaches for his backpack. “These beautiful flowers, they’re going to fall out. Let me just tighten the zipper around them.” She pats the now–secured pack. “Now, move!”
    He pedals off, and she exhales for what feels like the first time since she saw him. “OK, so …” She steps to his bike, abandoned against the signpost. “I guess it’s just you and me.”
    She guides the bike onto the path and, wheeling it beside her, continues home much more slowly than before. Don’t think about Lucas. Don’t think about his surprise party. Think about the relay tomorrow — it’ll be fun …
    “Hey!”
    She looks up. “Whoa! Lucas, you scared me. What are you doing back here?”
    He’s standing on his pedals — her pedals. He’s slowed the bike and brought it to a near stand–still. “I just … I wanted you to know … the flowers — the party — they’re for my mom. She’s retiring.”
    “Oh. That’s nice.” That’s so, so nice. He’s such a nice person to take flowers to a surprise retirement party for his mom. Her heart flutters with the niceness of it. “Tell her …” She hesitates; of course he can’t tell his mom Happy Retirement from her — his mom wouldn’t have a clue who she is — “I mean, I’m happy for her.”
    “OK. I’m going to go. But I wanted to tell you.” He manoeuvres the bike in a slow–motion U–turn to head back the way he came.
    “Bye!” she calls after his retreating back. Bye .
    Well. That was … what? Nice? Weird? Hopeful? Not terrible, anyway. She can confidently say that was a good exchange. Now if only she could camp out by his bike all weekend and wait for him to come pick it up.

Chapter Ten
    (11:11)
    J OCELYN GETS HOME FROM her relay worn–out, pretty sure she’ll have some weird sore muscles tomorrow, and satisfied. She wasn’t the slowest rider. She didn’t crash with her feet still attached to the fancy pedals. Her teammates were happy.
    Hot bath. Definitely high on the priority list. And food. She’s babysitting Lainey and Byron tonight. Maybe they can all share a pizza. Her stomach growls at the thought. But as much as she wants comfort and nourishment, the first place she heads is the back yard.
    Jed’s back there, pushing Lainey on the swing hanging from the twisted apple tree in the corner of the yard.
    “Hey,” she says.
    “Hey, come to check out your bike? My brother brought it back in one piece, from what I can see. It was lucky he ran into you.”
    Of course. Jed would have been at the party, too. “Did he make it on time?” she asks.
    “Just. Thanks to you. He told me that about six times.”
    She doesn’t want to smile like a giddy school girl but her exhaustion lifts; her whole body feels lighter. “Oh, good. I’m glad.” She looks around. “So, where is it?”
    “Oh, he asked me to put it in the shed. He didn’t want to leave it out in case it rained. He said you were away for the weekend? Don’t know where he got that idea … anyway, it’s safe and sound.”
    “OK, well, thanks. I’ll just go get clean, and changed, and I’ll be down so you and Beth can head to dance class.”
    Jed grins. “No rush!”
    “Oh, Jed, you love dance class.”
    He shakes his head. “I love my wife, and she loves dance class.”
    “See you soon.”
    Jocelyn figured out how much pizza she and the kids would eat, and then doubled the order. As she pulls her fourth slice from the box, she’s glad she did.
    I wonder what Lucas is eating right now … Stop it!
    She’s learned to love watching movies with the kids — the stories are never