AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh don’t be put off by his grumpy exterior. He’s very funny. You need to get a few drinks in him to loosen him up—he’s a lot different when he’s drunk. But you should know, Missie, he has an incredibly strong sense of what’s right and wrong. He likes you, but he would never make a move on you while you’re grieving. You’re going to have to let him know when you’re ready.”
I don’t reply to that. Firstly, I’m not sure he does like me—he’s not made it obvious. And secondly, I’m a mess, and I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to be un-messy. When is it acceptable to show interest in another man after your husband dies in a tragic accident?
“I’d better go down,” I tell Juliette, and I turn and descend the steps, then push open the door to the treatment room. Alex gets to his feet as I go in, and his brown eyes are fixed on me. They hold a hint of disapproval or regret, or am I imagining it?
“Hey, you two,” I say, going up to Finn. I know better than to ruffle his hair or kiss him in front of people, but I give him a smile. “How are you doing?” I say instead.
“Okay,” Finn says. “I’m a bit tired.”
“We were both knackered,” Alex says, “so we decided to stop early today.”
“Shall we get going then?” I ask Finn, and he nods.
“Is there something you want to say to Juliette?” Alex asks.
Finn looks up at her and reddens. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. I shouldn’t have shouted at you.”
She smiles. “That’s okay.”
“I was just tired,” he says, “but I promise I’ll try twice as hard next time. I’m not giving up.”
“Glad to hear it,” she says.
Alex holds out his hand and curls it into a fist, and Finn bumps it. “Have a great weekend,” Alex says.
“Thank you,” I say to Alex.
His eyes meet mine, and there’s definitely warmth in them. But he just gives a short nod and turns away to start tidying up the straps on THOR.
I say goodbye to Juliette, and then push Finn out of the room and through to the lobby. “What were you two talking about?” I ask as we go out of the front door into the afternoon sunshine.
“Stuff,” he says.
“Good stuff?”
“Yeah.” He hesitates. “He said that boys have thirty percent more testosterone when they go through puberty, and that’s why they feel angry all the time.”
“That’s true,” I say, surprised.
“He said he gets angry too, sometimes.”
“I’m sure he does.”
“He said it’s okay to be angry, but being grown up is about learning to control your temper.”
We reach our car, and I stop and open the passenger door, then lean in to put my bag in the back.
“I didn’t tell him anything, Mum,” he says as I straighten.
I inhale, then blow out a long breath. “It’s all right. I know you don’t have any other guys to talk to.”
“I like him, that’s all. He’s good with computers, and he’s smart, but he’s cool too, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“He said you were pretty.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
