Page 22 of Lord of the Lock

“C-coffee would be nice,” I managed. I perched on the arm of the sofa, which was ridiculously comfy but had that old-people charity shop smell to it.

“Alexa, make me a Cappuccino please!” he shouted. In the kitchen I heard the sound of coffee being ground.

I laughed through the tears. “You say ‘please’ to your Alexa?”

“Always polite with women…unless they’d rather I not be,” he replied with a devilish grin and a wink that got me laughing even more.

“So what’s up? What’s got you feeling like this?” Finn asked. When I struggled to get the words out, he headed into the kitchen to grab my coffee and thrust it into my hands before sitting down on the opposite arm, leaving a convenient loveseat-sized gulf between us. He took a swig of his beer. His eyes examined me like they were searching for answers I hadn’t given him yet.

So I told him what had happened. I told him my father’s attitude and the frustration I’d taken out on him. “Thing is,” I said. “Dad was a wonderful, wonderful man before all this. It’s not totally his fault that he lost his leg. And I want so badly to believe that the way he’s feeling now isn’t his fault either. But I’m finding it harder and harder to believe with every passing day. I know how awful this must be for him, but he’s always pushed through adversity. But now? It’s like he’s given up. But he’s not just given up, he wants everyone else to give up on him too.”

“I feel like you started that whole thing with a psychological question and managed to answer it pretty quickly,” Finn chuckled.

“Sometimes, I just need to be allowed to talk,” I said. “At home I can’t get a word in edgewise.”

Finn took another gulp of his beer. “So why here? Just needed a friend to talk to?”

I hesitated. “Well…thing is…I don’t want to go home. I was wondering…if I could stay here. Just for one night, to let things cool down.”

“Ah. Right.” Finn looked around himself for a second. “That’s fine, it’s just…”

It seemed it was his turn to hesitate, and I wondered if he was looking for an out. “It’s fine if you can’t, honestly-” I started.

“It’s just I only have my bed,” Finn cut in. “This sofa’s tiny and I don’t think I have any spare blankets, and upstairs…well, I never really properly moved in. This was never meant to be somewhere I came back to live.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine,” I said. “Honestly. No worries at all. I’ll go.”

“Stay.” Finn said. He didn’t move from his spot on the arm of the sofa. “I have a king-size and we can put up a pillow wall between us if you want to to stop me cuddling. Don’t have to do any real boyfriend stuff, fake boyfriend.”

Those red flags were flapping gently in my head but I had to remind myself that Finn wasn’t anyone else. He was his own person.

“Did you want to go up now, or…” Finn gestured at the sofa. “I was thinking of maybe having aThrones of Bloodbinge over the next couple of hours.”

“So first you tell me you don’t want to do anything naughty and now you’re telling me you want to Netflix and Chill?” I asked. I hadn’t really turned his innuendos back on him before, and it was great to watch a bit of blush creep into his cheeks as he mentally reeled himself back.

“Well, actually chill in this case,” Finn said, holding up one hand. “Scout’s promise.”

“Then Thrones of Bloodsounds very good to me.”

“Shall we actually get comfortable?” Finn asked. “No pressure, I can grab a dining chair to sit down in or something like that, it’s just weird us both perching on the arms of the sofa like parrots.” He slid down from the arm onto the sofa and patted the space next to me. An invitation with no pressure.

The sofa was tiny, more of a loveseat, so when I slid down from the arm and onto the seat we were touching as closely as we had on the bus. Finn’s left arm was wedged against my side, and though he tried to move his legs away it was pointless.

“It’s fine, you know. I’m not made of glass.”

“I know, it’s just…I’ve noticed you don’t like to be touched,” said Finn.

“Not all the time. But sometimes. It’s…complicated. But you are…you’re a safe space, Finn. I’m starting to feel safer around you than by myself.”

Finn’s grin almost split his face in tow it was so wide. “Thanks, Nathan. I really appreciate that.”

He grabbed the remote and put the first episode ofThrones of Bloodon the TV. I’d watched it so many times now it was unreal.

The whole show opened with Daniel’s character kneeling shirtless on the beach, and his wrists chained behind him. “The things I’d do to that man…” Finn muttered.

I laughed. “His boyfriend would tear your head off. Somehow, he’s just as gorgeous too. In a pokey small town way.”

“Damn it. They looking for a third? Or even just an audience?”

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