‘No!’ Henry’s reply was emphatic, his shoulders rigid, but then they relaxed slightly. ‘I mean I like her and all that, but it’s not like it used to be in the olden days. You don’t just say someone is your girlfriend as soon as you start going out, like you did back then.’
‘Okay.’ Briony tried and failed to suppress a smile. ‘So why do you need Tristan’s advice about this not-a-girlfriend of yours?’
‘I asked her if she wanted to hang out with me outside of school and she said yes.’ Henry was clearly attempting to sound casual, but he didn’t quite pull it off. ‘But now I’m not sure where to take her and I didn’t want to ask Dad, because him and Mum are so old, they wouldn’t know what to suggest to someone my age.’
Briony suddenly felt as old as time. ‘Isn’t your Uncle Triss the same age as your dad?’
‘Yeah, but Dad’s married, so he doesn’t know anything about taking someone on a date.’
Briony was still laughing when Tristan walked into the farmhouse kitchen. ‘It’s just as well your Uncle Triss has turned up, because I don’t think I know anything either. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a date.’
‘Are you looking for dating advice, Hen?’ Tristan smiled and Henry attempted another casual shrug.
‘I asked this girl at school if she wants to hang out with me and she said yes.’
‘Okay.’ Tristan nodded like a wise sage. ‘Is she more of an outdoor girl or into film and music?’
‘Well, she’s pretty sporty. She plays netball and hockey, and runs in the athletics team.’
‘How about something like crazy golf or bowling then?’ Tristan looked towards Henry who nodded, and Briony couldn’t stop herself from interjecting.
‘Oh, that’s a great idea, it’ll mean there’s always something to talk about, so there won’t be any awkward silences.’
‘I hate those.’ Henry grimaced. ‘I think bowling might be good, but we’ll have to get the bus to Port Tremellien.’
‘I can drive you.’ Tristan’s offer was instant, but Henry’s response was more measured.
‘I don’t know if that’s a good idea.’
‘I promise not to say anything embarrassing. In fact, you don’t even have to talk to me. You can say I’m the Uber driver if you want.’
‘That might work.’ Henry nodded and once again Briony couldn’t suppress a smile.
‘Just let me know the time and place and I’ll be at your service.’ Tristan gave a mock bow.
‘I will, thanks.’ Henry turned and opened one of the cupboards, grabbing a family-sized bag of crisps. ‘But I’ve got to go and do my homework now.’
‘See you later, kiddo.’ Tristan ruffled Henry’s hair as he walked past, on his way out of the kitchen, leaving Briony alone with him.
‘I haven’t been bowling in years.’ The words came out of her mouth before she thought them through, but there was no denying they sounded like a very heavy hint. It shouldn’t have mattered, because Tristan had already said he’d take her wherever she wanted to go, but suddenly she was doubting whether he’d really meant it. There was just something about his demeanour that seemed different.
‘Maybe we could go.’ Tristan’s response made her heart soar for a moment, but then his face seemed to change as he continued: ‘Just as friends.’
‘Of course.’ She forced a smile, wanting him to believe she’d never thought it might be more than that, but how could he believe that after their walk on the beach, when Tristan had told her how much he liked her and that he wanted to spend time with her. The kiss they’d exchanged had said even more than his words and, no matter how good an actress she’d once thought she might be capable of becoming, she knew her disappointment must have been written all over her face. Either way Tristan could clearly see right through the pretence.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to take you out on a proper date. I really like you, you know that. It’s just…’ He stopped, seeming unable to finish the sentence. ‘Sorry, forget it, I’m talking rubbish.’
‘It’s pretty hard to forget it when someone says something like that.’ Briony knew she shouldn’t be pushing it. She was asking to be told something she didn’t want to hear, but she couldn’t just leave it. She needed to know what it was that was making Tristan back off.
‘It’s just Bex told me that us getting involved might?—’
‘Bex?’ She cut him off, not really needing to hear any more. It was pretty obvious how that conversation had gone. ‘Well, if you’ve spoken to my sister, you clearly know all there is to know about the downsides of getting involved with me. So maybe we should just give bowling a miss altogether.’
‘It wasn’t like that, she just?—’
‘Look, it doesn’t matter.’ Briony cut him off for a second time. ‘I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to go bowling or anything else. Like Bex said, I’m not the sort of person you want to get involved with.’
‘She didn’t say that, just let me explain.’ Tristan looked devastated, but she couldn’t trust what she thought she was seeing, not when she’d been so sure that he liked her as much as she liked him. She’d had enough of trying to make people believe she was genuine and suddenly she felt more exhausted than she could ever remember being.
