Page 35 of Brighter Together

For a moment neither of us says anything.

Tommy leans back in his chair. “You wouldn’t be.”

My heartbeat picks up.

“You should come,” he adds. There’s no hesitation this time.

“I can give you a lift if you want,” he offers.

“Oh.” Apparently my vocabulary has abandoned me.

“That would be great. Thanks,” I finally manage.

“Good.”

“Good,” I nod.

Wonderful.

Two adults. Excellent conversation.

I turn towards the door.

“Ella?”

I look back again. “What?”

His mouth curves very slightly. “You can stop looking so terrified. It’s only the pub.”

“I do not look terrified.”

“You do a bit.”

“I’m not terrified. Takes more to scare me.”

“Good.”

There’s that almost-smile again.

I stare at him for half a second.

Maybe Charlotte is right.

Maybe I have been reading him wrong all this time.

Then I remember Lee.

The tender.

The plans.

And the lie I just told.

The butterflies in my stomach tangle themselves into something much less pleasant.

Chapter 5

Ella