Over breakfast the next morning,Trent’s dad announces he’s found a new bed for my mother. “They can accept her today if you think she’s up to the move.”
“Today?” The speed frightens me. “It’s Sunday.”
“Yes,” he responds with a quirk of his lips. “Does that matter? Are you involved in a religion that insists there’s no moving hospice beds on the sabbath?”
Finley cracks up beside me. “Good one.”
The man appears first astounded, then delighted by her laughter. She drains her glass of orange juice and Sashe is there with a replacement before she even needs to ask. When she receives a thank you for her trouble, she blushes a deep crimson, the burst of colour making her look even prettier than before.
I sit back, amused at the spectacle. My gorgeous, bubbly friend, inveigling herself into these complete strangers’ affection with her effortless charm.
“Tomorrow is fine,” I answer when I remember I’m mid-conversation. “I’m just…” I twirl my hands in the air, unable to find the words to express my amazement. “This is so… thank you. Thank you so much.”
Trent’s dad also glows with colour. “It’s my pleasure,” he says, before excusing himself to his study. Sashe follows him soon after and Finley watches them go, then turns her hopeful smile towards Trent.
“I feel rude to even mention it, but the two of us are lacking a few supplies. Do you think it’s okay to go back to the flat today and stock up or is that off-limits?”
“Definitely off limits,” Trent answers without hesitation. “But once you finish breakfast, we can go shopping for whatever you need. My treat.”
The grin she shoots me is so full of delight that it coaxes a matching one from me. Thus begins the quickest scoffing of breakfast foods I’ve ever witnessed before Finley scoots back to our room to get ready, giving Trent a kiss on the cheek while she scampers past.
“You don’t have to do that,” I begin, collecting our used dishes and taking them through to the kitchen. He stands and moves behind me, pulling me back against him.
“Yes, I do. If Finley walks around the house naked, she’ll cause no end of havoc, don’t you agree?”
Given the blushes she’s already inspired, I don’t doubt it for a second. “I just meant we can easily pick up our things from the flat.”
“And spend the whole time wondering who’s watching you through the cameras? Recording you on the mics? No thanks.”
The idea hadn’t occurred to me, but now he’s placed it in my mind, the twinges of fear resume.
“Sorry,” he mutters against the side of my neck as I stiffen. “I didn’t mean to freak you out. But wouldn’t you rather have a shopping trip? We can stop at the food court for lunch. See what’s playing in the movies after.”
The day stretches in front of me without the usual host of commitments stacking up until they squash my free time down to a few minutes. I’ll have to do something about my course work but most of it’s online; safely stored in the cloud.
“It does sound good,” I agree. “And even if I don’t like it, Finley will enjoy it enough for all of us and a few others tossed in for good luck.” I bite on my bottom lip. “But I want to pay you back. It’s not right to take your money.”
“My dad’s money, really, and don’t you think the person who has the money should decide whether it’s right for you to take it?” Before I can answer, he ploughs ahead, “And this person has decided you absolutely must spend it on as many ridiculous things as you want.”
“Didn’t realise clothing was ridiculous.”
“Perhaps I didn’t word that right,” he says with a smile as warm as butter. “What I meant was that with a body as fabulous as yours, it’s unnecessary.”
“So you don’t want Finley walking around naked but it’s okay for me?”
His laugh melts against my skin. “Good point. I retract that suggestion with immediate effect. Except for my room. The preference will always be for you to remain naked in my room.”
There’s a tightening in my belly at the words. I’m used to transactions with hard-set guidelines. A contract covering every item on offer, what is and isn’t allowed, what the cost is, how long, how much, how often.
Operating without that surety leaves me lost, floating. But I don’t know how to open that discussion. Not with this boy who awakens a thousand different emotions inside of me with every touch. Not this boy who killed a man to save me. Killed him, then took his reward.
I shiver and Trent brushes my hair from my shoulder to plant a kiss there. “Please stop worrying. I won’t let any harm come to you; I hope you know that.”
I do. And him saying it aloud sands away the sharpest edges of my concern.
He gives me a friendly pat on the bottom. “Now, go get ready or Finley and I are leaving without you and then you really will have to walk around naked.”
I’ve only just walked back into the kitchen before Trent bundles us into the car. At my suggestion, we drop by my mother’s new room to help get her settled but don’t stay long. The move exhausted her and although she seems happier, she falls down the long rabbit hole into sleep a few minutes after we show and doesn’t look to be emerging soon.
