Page 39 of Only Ever You

He was getting better. He was healthy and happy, and that was all Faye wanted for him. Bash would tell her if something was wrong – he’d proven so in the past. When his grandmother had passed away and he’d sunk into a bingeing cycle that tipped the scales of grief too far. When he’d been injured and unable to run or play tennis for two months and had gone stir crazy.

Faye quietened her voice from Michèle and Arthur lounging on the cream sofa far behind them, hoping that the quietly playing radio above the unlit fireplace might cover what she said next, too.

“Teenagers don’t make the best decisions.” She inched closer, linking her finger with one at Bash’s side, because if he wasn’t going to look at her then he could feel that she was there for him instead. “I’m sure if they could see you now, they’d know howwrong they were to be mean to you, because you’re an amazing, top tier bloke, Bash.”

He’d been gnawing on his lip but stopped and peered through his lashes. Faye put all of her earnestness into her encouraging smile, and the corner of his mouth curved. “Top tier?”

There was the Bash that she knew.HerBash.

“One hundred percent.”

The small smile crept more broadly onto his lips. “Thanks, Peanut.”

Their fingers unlinked and Bash rubbed her arm, lighting sparks between her jumper’s sleeve and her skin – a passing, shuddering glance at what that connection could be if his hands traced the rest of her body exactly the same.

She didn’t know if he felt it, but Faye definitely did, and it wasn’t justfriction.

The crunch of tyres on the driveway made her snap out of staring at his mouth right as a lengthy silver estate rolled through the open gates and pulled up alongside Bash’s car.

“That’s Matt.” His voice brightened like the conversation they’d just had never happened. Hand falling from her arm, Bash set his mug down on the first coaster he passed and darted off into the hall.

From the light of a lamp on the corner of the house, Faye vaguely made out four silhouettes moving in the car. She’d known Bash’s brother’s family would be coming to stay too, but a flush of unprepared jitters rose from the tips of her toes all of the way to her head, regardless.

She didn’t know much about Matt, and even less about his family. They were surely all lovely, but what if they hadn’t been wanting her here? Had Bash even considered them at all before asking her to come?

Michèle and Arthur muttered things back and forth all the way out of the room, and Faye followed behind them last, keeping a distance as two young girls sprung through the front door,trailing scarves and coats and half-open unicorn backpacks behind them.

“There are my granddaughters!” Arthur cheered, but Bash was there first.

“Uncle Bash!” The smaller girl waved up an arm that ended just above her wrist, beaming the biggest, brightest smile as she reached out an elephant teddy in her hand.

Bash lifted her in one clean sweep and twirled her around, making her two raven ponytails fly as he smothered the girl’s brown cherub cheeks with quick kisses. It was a moment that made Faye want to take a picture, not for herself but for him.

You’re an amazing, top tier bloke, Bash.Maybe he would believe it if he could see how he was in the way that she did.

The older of his nieces went for her grandparents and straight into Michèle’s open arms.

Faye lingered back in the living room doorway, observing the whole family happy to see one another. She recognised Matt following last as he towered over his wife. With the same height and build as Bash, the only difference were their faces. Bash had the naturally cheekier expression, even when focussed, whereas Matt more often looked as though he was one step away from cancelling Christmas until he smiled.

His wife, Saira, Faye had met less than a handful of times. She had the flustered yet pulled-together look about her of a mother on a mission. Golden brown skin that glowed as she blew out a breath in the warmth, and a mismatch of keys, a phone, one sock, and two travel mugs juggling in her hands effortlessly.

Conversation struck up about the young family’s journey (wet and boring) and excitement to be here (read: relieved to not be working). They all piled into the hall and Faye waited patiently for someone to look at her and give her a reason to step forwards, or else she would be standing where she was for a very long time.

“Ah!” It was Bash, of course, who raised his arm at her, hisother wrapped around his brother’s shoulders. “Come, come. Meet everyone.”

Taking a deep breath she did her best to conceal, Faye took that first step forwards.

Matt took one look at her and turned back to Bash. “You did it then?”

A frown passed on her brow as she reached them.

“I don’t know what you’re going on about,” Bash said point blankly, “butMamanhas fresh croissants in the kitchen.”

“But you said that?—”

“Maintenant.?*” Bash pressed his palm firmly into Matt’s back. Faye wasn’t sure what’d spurred on his sudden impatience to have his brother move along, but why did she get the feeling it was something to do with her?

“Wait, I haven’t said hello to Faye yet.” Matt wiggled out of Bash’s hold.

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