“Hurry up, Brook. We’ve got to take Nanna to her X-ray soon.”
Warren turned around slowly, finding Eiley with another bonny wee lad at her side. With mussed, shoulder-length hair and a timid gaze that swept all over, determined to take in every detail, every corner, Warren deduced that it must have been Sky.
He froze. Had she just seen him ask Blair for her number?
Oblivious, Blair flounced towards the trio. “Hi, Eiley! Hi, Sky!” She knelt to reach the boy’s eye level, and Sky waved stiffly back without making eye contact. “We had a great time in the woods this morning, didn’t we?”
Warren was at a loss. Did he just … leave without acknowledging Eiley? Was she seriously not even going to look in his direction?
Apparently not, because she remained absorbed in her conversation with Blair. “I’m glad I caught you, actually. I have a couple of boxes of books in my car that I thought the school might find use for.”
“I can help you carry them in if you’d like,” Warren offered, and then immediately regretted it when Eiley cast him a frosty look.
“Not necessary, but thanks.”
Eiley started to usher the kids away.
Brook tugged her back, rushing to Warren’s feet. “Would you like me to read to you again soon? I have lots of new books that we get to keep from the shop.”
Warren hesitated, not sure how to explain to a seven-year-old that, actually, his mother wanted nothing to do with him so the answer would have to be no – even if he would have loved to hear Brook read again. Huddled in that shop, even in the damp, was the first time he’d felt truly home since he’d returned to Belbarrow.
“Warren is very busy, Brook,” Eiley said. “Just like we are. Come on, munchkin.”
Brook pouted. “But Warren needs my help to read!”
Jesus. Warren felt awful. He attempted to smooth things over, crouched down to Brook and ruffling his hair gently. “How about when the bookshop is up and running again, you can read to me all you like?”
The lad lit up. “When will that be?”
“Soon, if your mum has anything to do with it, I’m sure.”
“Do you pinkie promise?” He extended his little finger, and Warren hooked his own around it.
“Aye, pinkie promise.”
Satisfied, Brook wrestled Warren into an unexpected hug. Warren softened when Brook’s head fell on his shoulder asthough it was the most natural thing in the world. A moment later, he wished both Warren and Blair goodbye before dragging his brother out into the playground.
Eiley took a deep breath, opening her mouth as though about to say something – argue, likely, because he was sure that this was somehow his fault.
Warren rose back on his feet expectantly.Go on then, firecracker. Have at it.
Only, she didn’t, instead glancing at Blair and pursing her lips.
“Is … Is everything okay with your mum?” Warren couldn’t keep from asking. “You mentioned an X-ray.”
Eiley faltered as though taken aback. “She’s fine. It’s just routine. She has arthritis.”
“Ah. Well, good. Not about the arthritis. Just … glad everything’s okay.” So, he had officially got even worse at conversation. It was like his brain malfunctioned whenever Eiley was in the room.
A suspicious glance was cast from Blair, and Eiley straightened up. “I’ll go and get those books,” she said, and then was gone. Too quickly. Not quickly enough.
Warren released a breath, his hands clammy in his pockets. “I should get going, too. I’ll see you soon.”
Blair nodded. “I hope so.”
He grinned, but it felt forced, the date he’d been looking forward to a minute ago now tainted. Wrong. Which was ridiculous, because this thing with Eiley was over before it had ever really began.
Maybe that was what killed him. He’d gotten a taste, and it hadn’t been enough. Thewhat ifstill dangled in front of him, the lust in his core no closer to being satisfied.
