Okay, now I’m getting heartburn.
‘I’d better take this to Brendan,’ I say shakily, walking out of the cave with the cans of beer I scooped out of the cool box.
The sun creeps around the edge of the tall rock we’restanding beside and a shaft of light hits the pool of water at its base, making the ripples on the surface twinkle like a billion tiny diamonds. I look north and my attention alights on a tall, slim, achingly familiar figure making its way towards us across the damp sand.
And just like that, Brendan is blasted right out of the water.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
It was all going so well. I composed myself so my face didn’t give away how violently my heart was hammering and I managed to pretend for several seconds that I hadn’t seen him, directing all of my attention at Brendan. But then I overegged acting surprised when Finn was only a few feet away, and staggered straight into a rock pool on my way to hug him hello.
Now I’m standing here shivering, in soaking trainers, with Finn’s denim jacket wrapped around my shoulders.
‘How am I going to walk home in these?’ I moan as Rach and Amy recover from laughing their arses off at me.
‘I’ll drive you home now,’ Finn offers, materialising beside me. ‘Not to leave,’ he speaks over the sound of my friends’ protests. ‘You can get changed and I’ll bring you back.’
‘Are you sure?’ I ask, teeth chattering.
‘Of course I’m sure,’ he replies, briefly meeting my eyes.
Goddammit, he’s so good-looking. He’s had a haircut. He can no longer tuck it behind his ears, but it’s still shaggy and unkempt and falling haphazardly into his blue-green eyes. It’s the sort of hair you justhaveto run your hands through.
And I really shouldn’t be thinking things like this when my sort-of date is standing a few feet away, watching us.
‘That’d be great, thanks,’ I tell Finn. ‘Just give me a sec.’
I go to let Brendan know what I’m doing, promising that I’ll be back soon.
He doesn’t seem too fussed, but he’s over two beers in.
‘Who’s the dude?’ Finn asks as we walk away.
Well,I’mwalking,he’sstriding. His legs are so long that it’s an effort to keep up with him.
‘Brendan. He works at Beach Café.’
He doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t ask if I’m seeing him. I kind of wish that he would because the thought of him no longer caring suddenly feels too painful to handle.
‘Wait, do you have a car?’ I think to ask as we approach the car park.
He nods. ‘Rented it for the week.’
‘You’re only here a week?’
‘Most time I could get—’
‘—off between gigs,’ I flatly finish his sentence for him.
He glances at me, his eye contact sliding away again. ‘Actually, I have a couple of meetings I need to get back for.’
He pulls a car key out of his pocket and directs it at a dark grey SEAT Leon.
‘I had no idea you were coming over,’ I say when we’re safely buckled up.
‘I thought about texting you,’ he replies, looking over his shoulder as he reverses out of the space.
‘I wish you had.’
