My face twists into both a grimace and a smile. “A feral what? You can't be serious, she's fucking gorgeous.”
He holds up his hands. “Hey, Rob is a total cutie. But either keep food from her, or confuse her shielded little heart and she attacks. Like a badger. A very intelligent, sunshine beams out of her ears–but she’ll cut you up if you mess up–badger.”
“I say this with all my love, you need help, mate.” He scowls, the expression so similar to how her nose wrinkles. “No seriously, one of you is bad enough but if she's a feral badger, you're a trash panda.”
He swipes for me and I manage to just piston myself back to escape his grip. Light laughter fills the kitchen and I'm so happy I can bring him this little distraction.
“You fucker, if I'm a trash panda you're one of those really ugly dogs with eyes bigger than it's head.”
I gasp, jumping again backwards out of his grip and pretending to sway on my feet. “Sir you wound me,” I grasp onto the island. “How can she ever love a big eyed hound like me?”
“She can't, sorry. Move on mate. She'll have me and Lily to look after her, don’t worry.” He reminds me of her relationship also with his sister, and a niggling thought worms its way in of how close I was this week to where she lives. Hell, we could have passed in the street whilst I tried to remain invisible. I think of Wednesday again and the niggling turns to a swarm of bees in my head, prodding me in no indicating pattern.
Lily and Rob…Rob and Lily. Rob. Rob-in.
“Ah fuck.” I exhale, resisting the urge to slam my already sore knuckles into the marble counter top. “I messed up. I swear your sister lives to make problems for me.”
He doesn't question what I mean, but Phin dives into one of the upper cupboards and launches packets of chocolate and dried snacks at me. “Here, take reinforcements.”
I raise my eyebrow. “It's nine in the morning?”
“Yeah, that doesn't matter. She's like a little snack goblin. She'll forgive anything you did if you bring her those.”
Now I'm gawking. “All this? I can't let her eat chocolate for breakfast, that's like rule one of being good boyfriend material.”
“Of course you can, give her a pastry too and call it European or something.” He scoffs, turning to the fridges to take a couple of breakfast croissants out and places them on a small plate. “Here, go make amends.”
Struggling to hold the plate and the snacks, I stare a little wild eyed as he herds me to the door and gives my bum a little pat. “Oh, let me be the intimidating male figure,” he puffs his chest mockingly. “Hurt her and I'll introduce you to a world of pain, buddy.”
I'm pretty sure her rejection would destroy me first, but I don't voice that as I leave the kitchen bewildered with enough snacks to feed a small army.
I find Robin in one of the rooms in the back of the house, which is a hybrid of both a music room and a bar. I had hesitated leaving the kitchen in case I needed to be there for Phin, but after seeing how he and Merle clung to each other this morning, I knew they’d be able to fix this. I stand in the doorway for longer than probably appropriate, staring at the girl leaning into a giant pillow on the floor, against the plush sofa. The entire room has a bohemian vibe, with huge skylight windows letting in so much light at the far end of the room. Streams of morning sunlight fall down, washing her entirely in golden light. Her skin glows and her deep brown hair spills down her back in so many different warm shades. She’s so lost in whatever world she’s found herself in reading, that Roo doesn’t see me watching her.
Roo.
I pass the lines of guitars on the walls and piano—all Phoenix’s, but I recognise one as mine that mysteriously disappeared on tour. I can’t help but smile that on a weekend away with her friends, this girl brings a book. I mean, I have almost finished Detective Featherton already, but I stayed up late into the earlier hours like I'd developed insomnia overnight. I probably have the dark circles around my eyes to prove it.
I’m hovering over her by the time she even notices someone else is with her, and shock filters through her body as she jolts. I really do try to play it cool, for all three seconds before I’m already blurting louder than necessary in the otherwise silent room.
“I didn’t know you were a girl! Shit, I mean, I brought snacks. Do you like snacks? Yeah, who doesn’t, right.” Dropping to myknees pretty hard, I protect the pastries on the plate from falling and shove the chocolates at her.
Maybe I should just find a cupboard to hide in for the rest of my stay…
Slowly taking them out of my grip, once she sees the treats, her smile is blinding. I guess she really does love chocolate no matter the time. I laugh anxiously and rub the back of my hair, only now realising I’ve left little space between us in such a spacious room. I can’t bring myself to relent, to do the gentlemanly thing and give her that space to breathe. If I do that, she might come to her senses before she can hear me out. Placing the snacks onto the long sofa behind her, she slowly touches my forehead with the back of her hand. “Are you short circuiting? You’re so pale.” She teases, which bats my nerves away at least a fraction.
“Hey I can take those sweet treats right back and let you eat breakfast like a normal human being.”
Her smile turns into a scowl, still playful and I’m captivated by how openly she wears each emotion. “You’re one ofthosepeople.”
“Someone who thrives on a good diet and coffee? Yes, yes I am. Especially when it comes to breakfast, so please eat a pastry and I’ll ignore how you’ve already opened the pretzels.”
Her lips twist as she tries to hide from me, biting her lip to swallow down the smile. She’s not subtle as the bag rustles in her hands, but she’s tried to quietly open a bag of salted caramel treats like I wouldn’t notice. Raising my hand to take them from her, Robin makes a protesting noise in the back of her throat, and placates me by at least taking the croissant from the plate too.
“Fine, be the breakfast police.” She pauses, fighting with something before she sighs. “Thank you for this. I didn’t want to bother anyone yet about food, but I’m starving.” Pink tints her cheeks and it’s so cute and distracting. I can’t get sidetracked by how attractive I find her though; we need to have this conversation if I think my suspicions are correct.
“You’re very welcome. I actually came in here to clear something up with you. I overheard what Lily said when we were in the library, and I think I pieced together what she meant. I’m sorry if you guys didn’t get into the gig Wednesday—I’d just gotten back from being with her brother and I was at my capacity for dealing with bullshit. Having her backstage whilst we got ready would have been such a headache, so I’m sorry.” I feel a little lighter as I let the words tumble out of me, my smile soft and content because I’m glad that’s over with. However, as I finish speaking I see the strangest expression flash onto her features, slightly vacant but then replaced with an emotion I can’t place. Her head tilts as her lips purse, brows nearly touching and my heart starts to pulse with a touch of anxiety. She’s annoyed. The snacks get placed down and I sit back on my heels.
“So you think it's perfectly ok to treat someone like that?”
