‘He’s the best guy I know,’ he says, his voice firm. ‘There’s no one who cares more about his friends than he does.’
Friends. That word again.
‘You must feel lucky to have him.’
‘I do,’ he murmurs. ‘Last year was a bit rough for both of us. I don’t know if he’s mentioned it to you?’
‘Yeah, he did.’
‘Oh.’ He looks surprised. ‘That’s good. It took him a little while to recover from it all. Honestly, he still doesn’t really talk about it much.’ His eyes search my face. Hesitant, knowing. ‘Did he tell you? About his ex?’
‘Yeah.’ I wince. ‘I don’t mean to be so blunt, but I think I hate her.’
‘As he’s not here…’ He glances around us. ‘I can agree with you. I have to say, it sounds like meeting you has done him a world of good too. I don’t think it’s easy for him to be vulnerable about that kind of stuff.’
‘I’m glad.’ I look down at my muddied shoes with a tiny smile. ‘How are you doing now? After your rough year, I mean?’
‘Ah, you know.’ He shrugs. ‘I’ve been worse. There was a bit of an… ordeal with a girl. She’s a model, I met her through work – taking her portrait, actually. Long story short, I had to end things with her because it was just so up and down, off and on, y’know? It was pretty shit. But Elliot helped me through all the stages of it. Not sure how I would have got through it without him.’
‘I’m sure he feels the same way you do. It’s a special thing to find your people.’
He grins, shaking his head with happy disbelief. ‘Oh yeah, the most special. Elliot’s so solid and like…immovable. He’s got this fierce protectiveness and fight in him. And Josh’s never-ending joy andJoshness fills in all of the gaps and keeps the group intact. Josh helps Elliot lighten up and Elliot kind of groundsJosh. And I’m just so alike both of them in different ways. I don’t really know why, but it just… it works. The way you and Hennie probably do.’
I nod. ‘Yeah, I don’t even know what my life would look like without her. Sometimes it feels like we’ve merged and become one person and share a brain. It sounds weird, but… she’s just my favourite person.’
‘She’s great.’ He grins. ‘I’m really glad we all met this weekend, you know.’
I pull my knees up and wrap my arms around them, trying to resist the sudden burning that tugs behind my eyes. ‘Me too.’
And I mean it. Who knew that meeting Elliot in the middle of a festival crowd, of all places, would lead to knowing such a thoughtful, ridiculous and generous trio? I can’t even imagine a Firecrest Festival without their presence.
I can’t help but take him in – the way he glows when he talks about his friends. In a small way, I think I’ve fallen a tiny bit in love with all of them.
‘Alright,’ he says, slapping his knees. ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’
I stiffen. It would be impolite to set a timer, so I don’t. But I quickly check my watch anyway.
‘Ah, wait. I’ve got an idea,’ he says, pulling out his phone. Within seconds, Queen Ego starts playing through the tinny speaker. ‘This okay? I thought it made sense.’
‘Definitely makes sense,’ I agree, letting the melody run over me. It has a cooling effect on my nerves, smoothing the rough edges of my discomfort.
He starts fiddling with his camera, probably sorting out settings and technical things I don’t understand. Pointing the lens at the fence and then down again.
‘So what do I… you know, do?’ I prod.
His gaze doesn’t stray from his camera. ‘Absolutely nothing. You don’t worry about that.’
I decide to take his advice and lie back on the grass while he does whatever it is he’s doing.
‘Do me a favour, don’t move,’ Owen says gently. I freeze, my breath stilling in my lungs.
‘Okay, I take that back. Try and hold that position but take a deep breath in for me.’
I follow his instructions, breathing in slowly.
‘Okay, now breathe out.’
As I do so, I hear a succession of loud camera clicks.
