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He undid it for me, shaking it out, slipping the fabric over my arms, one at a time, pulling up the hood, and slowly doing up the zip. The entire time he didn’t once look me in the eye. He had droplets of water on his eyelashes and for some reason I thought about wiping them away with my thumb. The rain was pounding all around us, smashing noisily through the needles of the tree so that it was like standing under the crest of a waterfall. Over Léo’s shoulder I watched a family charging past, braving it, the woman’s umbrella blowing inside out.
‘You are cold,’ he said when the rain began to ease. I wiped my face with a sleeve.
‘A bit,’ I admitted, wondering about the tension that had suddenly sprung up between us.
‘You must get warm,’ he said firmly.
I nodded in agreement. ‘Is there anywhere to get food around here?’ I asked, shivering. ‘I feel like a hot drink might help.’
‘You would like to go to a café with me, is that what you are saying, Hannah?’
I felt myself turning red again, lowering my head so that he wouldn’t notice. ‘I thought you might be hungry again, that’s all. Since food is so important to you,’ I said, trying to find that easy balance again.
He crossed his arms, smirking at me. He knew he was making me uncomfortable and was relishing every second of it.
‘But you are out of money, non?’
‘I can try my card,’ I said, wishing I’d never suggested it.
He laughed, glancing at his watch. ‘I am teasing you. I will buy you an early lunch.’
‘You don’t have to.’
‘I want to.’
‘I’ll pay you back.’
‘Just say yes, Hannah!’ he said, exasperated.
He set off, out from under the tree without waiting for my reply. Then holding out his palms and looking up, he flicked his head for me to follow him. ‘It has stopped. Let us go. I know a good place.’
I lagged behind for a couple of seconds before running to catch him up.
