He looks hurt, but I push on. ‘What I said last summer …’ I take a steadying breath. ‘What I said about us still stands.’
He frowns and reaches for his beer, taking a swig. ‘What about whatIsaid?’ He replaces his bottle on the table with a small clunk. ‘Are you seeing anyone?’
‘No!’ I exclaim. ‘As if I have time for that! Are you?’ My heart gives an unpleasant jolt at the thought.
‘Do you think I’d be sitting here with you if I was?’
‘I don’t know,’ I reply miserably.
‘I wouldn’t,’ he says firmly, leaning forward and reaching for my hand.
I pull away from him.
‘Can we not be friends?’ he asks quietly.
‘Friends don’t hold hands,’ I whisper pointedly.
He smiles and snatches my hand again, lacing my fingers with his. ‘These ones do.’
I shake my head at him, but I can’t help but revel in the warmth spreading through my stomach.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Finn comes over the next day to mow Michael’s lawn. He’s gone again by the time my brother arrives home from work, and it’s just as well.
‘What have youdone?’ Michael exclaims, looking appalled as he steps out onto the patio.
To be fair, the lawn did look a whole lot better this morning. Now it’s very short, yellow and gappy-looking. But it will grow back.
I hope.
‘It needed doing,’ I state reasonably, approaching the woman beside him with my hand outstretched. ‘Hi, I’m Liv, Michael’s sister. You must be Shirley?’
Shirley is the final person to interview for the position as my brother’s personal assistant and she’s early – she must have bumped into him on his way back down from the village. She’s not much taller than Michael at just over five foot and she has a beaky-looking nose, a pointed chin and thin black hair that doesn’t quite reach her shoulders.
‘Hello there,’ she says, tutting as she gives my hand a rough shake. ‘I’m guessing you didn’t abide by the one-third rule?’
‘What’s the one-third rule?’ I ask, mystified.
‘Only cut off a third of your grass at any one time.’
‘Iknew that,’ Michael interjects, rolling his eyes at me.
‘Why didn’t you tell me, then?’ I reply a little hotly.
‘I didn’t know Ihadto,’ he replies. ‘I told you I didn’t want it to be murdered.’
‘Murdered!’ Shirley barks out with a laugh. ‘You’re right! That lawn has been murderedepically. We’re talkingDexterlevels of serial killing, do you know what I mean?’
‘Do you watchDexter?’ Michael asks her, his face lighting up.
‘Fucking love it, mate.’
I shoot Shirley a look of alarm before daring to glance at Michael.
He’s beaming from ear to ear.
‘I liked Hettie,’ I say once Shirley has left, taking her accusatory attitude with her.
