Page 55 of Henrikk’s Secret

“Oh?”

“Better than good. I feel as though I’ve been given a second chance, one that I…” He stopped himself short of saying ‘that I don’t deserve’. “One that I’m thankful for.”

Now I sound sentimental.

“Now you sound sentimental,” Asher said.

“Nonsense.”

“You do,” Asher smiled, and Henrikk bit back a retort.

“I like seeing you smile,” he said, mostly because the old him would never have admitted it, and he wanted to see what such admissions would yield.

Asher’s smile widened, and Henrikk silently pronounced the experiment a success. Asher stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You know, this sentimental side of you could grow on me.”

Henrikk sniffed indignantly, and this drew a laugh from Asher. Further success.

“Glad you haven’t changed too much though.”

“Well, let’s hope you don’t grow bored of me.”

“I doubt that. You were always full of surprises.”

Henrikk ought to have said something clever, but nothing came to him that old Henrikk wouldn’t have said, so he chose not to.

They lapsed into silence; the thread of conversation lost. Which was a shame, because Henrikk felt like it had been leading somewhere. They were on the verge of something he could not quite define, and he wanted to keep moving towards that alluring, enigmatic thing.

He had a theory, though. It was the one that pressed on his heart from all sides. It beat deep and steady when Asher was near, and it sped up madly when he looked his way and smiled.

He’d forgotten how captivating Asher’s smiles could be. They’d become a rarity in recent years. Now, he graced Henrikk with them often, little lifts of his lips that activated smile lines. Sometimes, it was roguishly attractive, or appealing in a clever, amused sort of way. But most of the time, they were earnest in a way that made him melt.

“What are you thinking?” Asher asked.

“Hmm?”

“You’ve got that look on your face.”

“Which one?”

“Like you’ve got something to say. Go on, what is it?”

“Don’t be presumptuous.”

“Come on,” Asher urged.

“No.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“No.”

“You look embarrassed.”

“No.”

“You can whisper it in my ear.”

Henrikk laughed. It was a ridiculous suggestion. There was no one else on the island to overhear. Still, the invitation to move closer to Asher was impossible to resist.