“Please?” he called out, hating the desperation in his voice. “If something happened to you, how could I explain that I’d let you walk all the way to Tottenbridge barefoot? Your brother would kill me, and from memory, he’s about four times my size.”
Thea stopped, and Felix pressed the unlock button on his keys, orange lights flashing twice. “Please,” he said again, gentler this time. “Just get in the car. We needn’t talk if you’d prefer.”
After a long beat, Thea turned to face him, her eyes gleaming in the dark. “Fine.”
The driveto Small Oaks Farm was torturous. After giving her strict instructions not to touch anything with her oily fingers, Thea sat with them clasped between her long, creamy thighs. Like he’d suggested, she’d hardly said a word since getting in his car. Instead, she stared out the window as the trees and hedges rushed by. Felix glanced over at her twice, only to be met by a tight jaw and an impenetrable wall of silence.
He didn’t know what he’d said to upset her outside of their usual sniping. He usually found chatty women annoying, but he’d give anything for her to chatter away with him now.
After a few minutes, Felix pulled up on the grass verge outside Small Oaks Farm. No lights shined from inside and the only sound was the cooling mechanism of his car engine. He undid his seat belt, got out, and walked around the front of the car to open Thea’s door.
She slid out, making a great show of holding her hands in the air so she didn’t touch his cream upholstery. “Thank you. Good night, Felix,” she said before setting off through the gate towards her front door.
Where was she going? It was dark, and there were no lights. Anything could happen to her. Anyone could be waiting in the shadows. With a frown, Felix followed, catching up with her on the path.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he drew closer.
“I’m seeing you home.”
Thea snorted. “My door is ten meters away. I’m pretty sure I can make it in one piece.” As she spoke, she wobbled on the cobblestones of the yard. “Oops! I don’t suppose you want to re-think the piggyback idea, though?”
A smile glanced at his lips. Felix could see it now. Thea slung over his back, long legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck, breath at his ear. He groaned inwardly.There was only one way a piggyback would end—in a repeat of his earlier dance floor humiliation. Except this time, there was no freezer to cool him off.
When they arrived at Thea’s door, she reached for the handle, pulling it open. “Thank you again. Good night.”
Felix’s mouth fell open. “You leave your house unlocked?”
Thea rounded on him, a stern look on her face. “I told you before. This is Tottenbridge. It’s very safe. The nearest thing we get to a home invasion here is a family of mice moving in for winter.”
“I think you’re too trusting. Anything could happen. Where’s Ammy tonight?”
Thea’s brow creased a little. “She’s staying over at Josh’s.”
“So, you’re alone?”
“Yes. I’m always alone. Why?”
Thea’s eyes tightened, and Felix’s gut lurched. Great, now she probably thought he was planning to murder her or was angling for an invitation inside. “I just think you need to be more careful. Please, promise me you’ll lock the door after I’ve gone.”
She shook her head slowly. “You worry too much. I’m a grown woman.”
“Please, Thea. I’m sure your brother would agree with me.”
She winced. Perhaps he’d won the argument. She clearly loved and respected her brother. She’d made a point of talking about him at the bakery.
Hadn’t he felt the same way about his own brother? Before he’d passed away. His heart twisted a little in his chest. Tonight, he’d discovered Thea had lost someone she loved too. Her husband. She’d told him before that Ammy didn’t see her father anymore. Now he understood what she’d meant.
She started to make her way inside, but Felix remained.
“Thea. Do you mind me asking what happened? To your husband, I mean.”
She stopped in the doorway, her shoulders slumping as she let out a long breath. “Brain cancer. Fast and brutal.”
“I’m so sorry.” What more could he say?
Thea turned back and met his eyes. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”
The waver in her voice, the proud tilt of her chin pulled at Felix’s gut. “Time doesn’t make loss any easier, though.”
