‘Not really, not much at all. I am sorry, though,’ I say awkwardly. ‘I’m sorry about what happened to her.’
‘Life sucks sometimes,’ he replies flatly, pulling out his phone. ‘I need to play you this song.’
I’m itching to know more about him, but the topic feels closed.
My attention is caught by a name at the top of his phone screen.
‘Michael?’ I say out loud.
He smiles and presses Play and a fast-paced song with a repeating riff begins to spill out of the tiny speakers. His energy levels immediately ramp up, hands tapping, head nodding, his whole body connected to the music. The sudden rush of attraction I feel towards him is intense, but soon the lyrics filter through to my brain and I clap my hand over my mouth.
‘I didn’t know my brother had had such an impact on you,’ I say through my fingers, laughing.
The song is about a beautiful boy called Michael who’s dancing on a beautiful dance floor.
‘He’s a character,’ he replies with a grin as the song continues to play. ‘Have you not heard this one before?’
I shake my head. ‘Who’s it by?’
‘Franz Ferdinand.’
‘You should play it at Seaglass.’
‘I will if you want me to.’
‘Really?’
‘Sure.’
‘What else would you play if I asked you to?’ I ask cheekily.
‘Try me.’
‘Taylor Swift’s “22”?’
He shrugs nonchalantly and nods. ‘All right.’
‘You wouldn’t!’ I gasp. I was totally joking. ‘You’d never convince Dan and the others.’
‘If I do, will you come to Boardies with me?’
My stomach cartwheels.
Boardies, short for Boardmasters, is a big music festival in nearby Newquay.
‘It’s two weeks this Saturday,’ he adds when I don’t immediately answer.
‘You might find someone else you’d rather go with before then.’
‘I won’t.’
The smile that’s been dancing about his lips fades as his eyes hold mine, making me feel edgy as hell.
A couple of days later, Finn saunters into Seaglass just before the band’s set, looking sexy and unkempt in his grey T-shirt and ripped jeans, his wild hair caressing his cheekbones and falling into his eyes. He flashes me a heart-stopping grin as he and his bandmates take to the stage and launch straight into their first song.
I can’t believe it. It’s a rocked-up version of Taylor Swift’s ‘22’.
Finn is all over my reaction, while Dan laughs at the sightof Amy jumping around behind the bar, singing along at the top of her voice, hands thrown high in the air.
