The One We Fell in Love With Read Online Free Page B

mum had moved from Brighton because Mr Templeton had recently had a bad fall. Apparently he
hadn’t been managing at all well on his own since Judy’s mum passed away, but I sensed that there was more to the move than that. I also got the impression that Angus was less than
thrilled to be there.
    ‘It’s all a bit tough on you, isn’t it, love?’ Judy said, rubbing his back conciliatorily.
    Angus shrugged and looked uncomfortable, but he didn’t bat her hand away like other boys I knew would’ve.
    ‘He’s got his A Levels coming up, and starting a new school at this time of year is not ideal,’ she explained.
    That seemed to be understating it.
    ‘That sounds hard,’ I sympathised. ‘I’ve got mine coming up, too.’
    We discovered that we were going to the same school so I offered to show him around. He accepted, pleased, but then my thoughts darted to Eliza and it occurred to me that there was a whole
weekend between then and Monday. If I wanted to get in with Angus before my sisters, I had to be quick about it.
    ‘In fact,’ I said, thinking on the spot. ‘If you’re not too busy unpacking tomorrow, we could go and have lunch in town?’
    Angus looked slightly taken aback, but quickly agreed. ‘Sure,’ he said with a nod. ‘That would be great.’
    ‘Cool.’ We smiled at each other for a moment and I only broke eye contact when I noticed Judy beaming at us from out of the corner of my eye. ‘Guess I’d better let you
get on,’ I said before my face had a chance to betray me. It was a bit embarrassing to be organising a date in front of his mum. ‘But see you tomorrow. Around eleven?’
    ‘Sounds good,’ he confirmed.
    I lost it as soon as I went inside, tearing up the stairs.
    ‘I’ve just met Mr Templeton’s grandson!’ I yelled, shoving open first Eliza’s bedroom door and then Rose’s. ‘Oh my God, he’s gorgeous!’ I
cried from the landing, straddling the space between their two bedrooms. ‘But don’t even think about stepping on my toes because he’s having lunch with me tomorrow and
I saw
him first
!’
    Eliza was lying on her bed, half asleep, and barely looked up at me. Rose just tutted under her breath and continued with her homework at her desk.
    It was only later, when they met him, that they realised what they’d lost, but by then it was too late. I’d already staked my claim on him.
    Angus and I spent the whole day together that Saturday, wandering around Manchester after lunch and ending up at a pub until late into the evening. I was initially attracted to his looks and I
was pretty sure that he fancied me as much as I fancied him, but there was so much more to him than that. We clicked immediately and made each other laugh. As the day progressed, our jokey banter
transformed into more heartfelt conversation, and he confided in me about his family. I learned that he never knew his dad and his mum had raised him singlehandedly – he doted on her. She
lost her job recently and couldn’t afford the rent on their apartment in Brighton, so moving in with his ailing granddad seemed like a good solution. But Angus was gutted to be leaving his
home and his friends. He didn’t have a girlfriend. I asked. He had been seeing someone, but they’d broken up a few months ago.
    Towards the end of the evening, our looks became longer and the sense of intimacy between us increased. The kiss we shared on the footpath outside our homes was sweet, and from that moment on,
we were an item. Neither Eliza nor Rose ever stood a chance.
    ‘Don’t you think Angus and Eliza are better suited than he and I are?’ I ask Josie now.
    ‘
What?!
No!’ she spluttered. ‘Of course they’re not! Why on earth would you say that?’
    ‘They have so much in common. They’re both such homebodies – he’s thrilled to be moving back to Manchester, but he’s dragging me, kicking and screaming. I’d
give anything to come and do another stint here instead,’ I say wistfully,