Perfectly Hopeless Read Online Free

the sand. Liam shot her a concerned look, sorry he upset Henri, but he would never hear the end of it if he handed the reigns over to someone unqualified.
     
    “ My boss would kill me,” Liam explained.
     
    Maven nodded understanding. “I get it. I’m sure he does too. I’ll go talk to him.”
     
    “ Henri!” She shouted, her quick step turning into more of a sprint to catch him.
     
    He slowed down and finally turned around. “Sorry about that.”
     
    She shoved her hair behind her ear and pushed her sunglasses back to the top of her head. “It’s okay. Would you like some company?”
     
    Henri raised an eyebrow. “What for?”
     
    Her mouth dropped, she was astounded. She didn’t know what to say. She was a girl on the beach chasing after a boy. And suddenly she felt stupid when she realized how that must look.
     
    Henri’s smile returned as he watched her fail in producing any kind of answer. “I suppose you could tag along for a bit.” He waved her over. She quickly joined, walking alongside him.
     
    “ Should I get my dress?”
     
    Henri gave her a quick inspection. Not a slimy kind, just a casual one. “No, it’s a beach your fine.”
     
    She looked at him. Shorts and a black t-shirt. “What about you?”
     
    Henri examined his own outfit. “What about me?”
     
    “ Black attracts the sun.” She pointed at his shirt. “You must be sweating.”
     
    “ Is this your subtle attempt at getting me out of my shirt so you can see my bod?” He laughed. Maven blushed. “I’m only kidding. Besides, I’m pretty scrawny.”
     
    She studied his frame. He was, but not skeletal. “No you’re not. You look just fine.”
     
    Henri took a spot under the shade of a willow far away from the water. Maven did the same. She touched her neck making sure the pink top was still tied securely and dropped her legs, staring at her French manicured toes. So much for a tan she thought.
     
    “ Nice toes,” Henri commented, staring at her feet. “I didn’t know girls worried about manicuring their toes.”
     
    Maven looked at him. “Do you think it’s too much?” She never thought it weird before.
     
    “ No, I think it makes you look fancy. That’s not a bad thing though.”
     
    “ Fancy. I don’t know if that’s a good thing.” She looked away, overwhelmed.
     
    “ Okay, I take that back then. It makes you look…maintained. Groomed?”
     
    They both began laughing. “Now I feel like a horse.”
     
    Henri laughed some more at her joke.
     
     
     
    “ Why don’t you ever swim?” She concentrated on the water. “It’s the best part of coming here in the summer.”
     
    Henri would have agreed at one time. But now he knew underneath his shirt housed a secret, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to explain that to her. She seemed sad enough as it was already.
     
    “ Horrible tattoo, I’m too embarrassed to let the world see it.”
     
    Maven studied Henri closely. He didn’t look the type to ever brand his body. But she didn’t want to keep pushing either. “What horrible tattoo? Is it a girl’s name? Or what about Mom ? Those are always the worst.” She smiled at him.
     
    “ Yeah those are pretty horrible. I’d never put a person’s name on my body.”
     
    “ Me either. Talk about a big mistake.” She imagined how awful it would feel to be branded with Jake’s name. And suddenly this made her feel somewhat better.
     
    Henri could see it in her eyes. Something about their conversation made her features soften.
     
    “ What is it?” He searched her eyes.
     
    “ I just realized something.” She looked into his brown eyes. “Thanks for that.” She squeezed his arm. He stared down at her grip, not moving an inch. Just staring, it was the first time in a long time someone touched him with real emotions not for medical procedures, or to comfort him.
     
    Maven pulled away. “Sorry.”
     
    Henri shook his head. “Are you kidding? Glad I could make you feel