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This day just got a little bit better.

I slip out easily enough. My mother and stepfather are entertaining out the back. When I said I was heading to my room, they barely even acknowledged me. The music was loud, and six empty wine bottles were lined up on the kitchen counter – they won’t notice I’m gone. Throwing one leg over my bike, I push off the ground and silently cycle down the street, my hair flapping behind me in the cool wind. It only takes a few minutes to get to the docks.

Ash is leaning against the fence, dressed in all black, his hands dug deep into his pockets. A flutter of butterflies explodes in my stomach. His dark hair falls across his forehead as he glances up.

‘Hi,’ I say.

‘Hi.’

‘Thank you for the rose.’

His lips curve upward. ‘You’re welcome.’

‘How are you feeling?’

‘It hurts to breathe, but it’s whatever.’ He offers me a lopsided smile, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. He is so damn hot. ‘How was your day?’

‘It was fine, I guess. We had people around at the house all day. They’re still there.’

‘Sounds fun.’

‘It’s really not. My sister and I used to stick together to make it bearable, but …’ I trail off, expelling a heavy breath through my nose.

‘But what?’

‘She’s been off lately. I don’t know what’s going on.’

‘Have you tried talking to her about it?’

‘Yeah, but she won’t let me in. We were super close once, but everything is different now. It feels like she hates me sometimes.’ Raking my fingers through my hair, I force the smile back on to my face. ‘Sorry. Didn’t mean to dump that on you.’

‘Don’t do that.’

‘Do what?’

‘Suppress what’s on your mind because you don’t think someone else cares for it.’

‘That’s what I’ve been taught to do my whole life,’ I say, meeting his piercing blue eyes. The icy blue reminds me of glaciers, startling against his dark features, and a little magnetic, making it hard to look away.

‘That’s bullshit.’

I smile. ‘It is, isn’t it?’

‘Totally.’

‘How’s things at your house? With your brother?’

‘Just another day in paradise.’

‘It must be scary. Being in the same house as him after what he did to you.’

‘It’s nothing new.’

‘Do your parents know?’ I ask. ‘Aren’t they concerned?’

‘It’s just my dad. He’s very absent from our lives. He’s deaf and on disability pension due to a fall at work. He basically just lies on the lounge and drinks his days away. He has no idea what goes on in the house, let alone outside of it.’

I take a step closer. ‘Oh, Ash, I’m sorry. That’s awful.’