Phoebe seemed to be lost in her thoughts, and I found myself walking over to her on instinct, coming to a stop only when my shadow blocked the sun from her body.
A normal person would have looked up, but not her.
“Go away, Henry,” she said, her attention still on her feet as they drifted slowly through the water, the soft pink of her nail varnish sparkling with the tiny dots of sunshine that caught the ripples she created.
“How did you know it was me?”
“I can smell your arrogance a mile away.”
That traitorous smirk of mine twitched again, but I dropped down beside her anyway, letting my feet sink into the water next to hers. I left a foot of space between us that somehow felt like a mile. The thin layer of coconut-scented sunscreen on her skin made me inhale deeply before exhaling slowly, hoping she didn’t notice the way I wanted to savour her.
I shouldn’t have wanted to savour shit.
“Careful,” she said quietly, still not looking my way. “You’re in danger of being civil.”
“Quite the smart arse, aren’t you?”
“Not usually.” She brought her right foot out of the water and held her heel against the surface for just a second before she let it drop back below. “The snark just comes easily around you for some reason. Probably an allergic response to your constant bullshit.”
“There’s medicine for those kinds of allergies.”
“None strong enough to stop you irritating me the way you do.”
“Not sure this is the best way to speak to the person who just stopped you from being mugged outright, but whatever.”
“Right. So… I’m indebted to you now?”
“Absolutely not. That’s not how I operate.”
She opened her mouth to say something, quickly thinking better of it and pressing her mouth into a flat line instead before she gave a small nod.
She still hadn’t looked at me, and I suddenly found myself desperate to stare into her eyes to try and figure out what was going on there.
“Phoebe?”
Her chin rose, and she carefully glanced my way, squinting against the sun, not saying anything as her gaze met mine.
“Are you okay?”
“You’re asking me if I’m okay?”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because you just got mugged, and even though I’m not your favourite person, I’m also not as heartless and cold as you think I am. I want to know you’re not about to go into shock or anything.”
“Don’t worry, Henry. I wouldn’t expect you to give me the kiss of life if I passed out.”
Jesus.“Stop being smart and just answer me.”
She tried to swallow discreetly, but I caught it. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Sure?”
She nodded once.
“Good.”
