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“Miles, you tried to float your Land Rover through a et lost out there”

“That’s a slight exaggeration, don’t you think?”

“The floating or the ?”

“Both”

She shrugged “It looked fairly accurate fro your car out in torrential rain”

Right at thatus both jump

“It’s hail,” I said “I guess it’s getting worse”

“Met better,” she replied with a pessiot about the wind and rain because I’m now so used to it?”

“No If we had power, I’d have probably forgotten about the storether” Mostly There was no other reason I’d be sitting here, after all “I hope it doesn’t last er”

“Hm It will” She peered into her teacup “You really don’t want to be here, do you?”

I sighed and set my cup doith a clink “Gabriella…”

“No, it’s fine It’s none of et I mentioned it” She put down her tea and undid her plait, letting her damp, wavy hair fall about her shoulders Her dark hair was thick, and as it settled into place, it formed a protective curtain on the side of her face She reached for her book, flipping it over so she could continue reading, with her hair obstructing my view of her face

I watched her for a moment When she didn’t look back at me, it hit me

I’d hurt her feelings

Shit

I didn’t want to do that I wasn’t a monster

“My grandfather lives in the village,” I said quietly after a ling to save enough h to here it wouldn’t take et there”

Honestly, London prices were no joke It was a miracle I’d saved any money at all, and the only reason I had was because of a house share

“Property here was a lot cheaper Grandpa needs a hip replaces And the old sofa froe that’s seen far too many days”

She tilted her head towards me, and I swore I saw her lips twitch

“Everything here with the house and this job lined up But it’s just us and his cat, Mars I need to get back to hi, I don’t know if he can get out”

Gabriella closed the book and put it on the sofa next to her, then turned to face me “Where does he live?”