You, Me and Him Read Online Free PDF Page B

pout perfectly, even on a passport photograph. I wondered if she had lent Finn her peroxide. She was called Dominique.
    Momo beckoned me over. ‘A bottle of red,’ he said, ‘and four glasses.’ Finn looked at me, his eyes narrowing as if he had seen my face before and was trying to put a name to it. There was a small faded scar beside his left eye. I wanted to ask him how he’d got it. ‘Well, go on, Josie,’ Momo ordered impatiently, looking at me and then Finn.
    I returned with the glasses and opened the bottle of wine in front of them. Christo took a sip to taste. ‘Not bad,’ he grunted, without a thank you. ‘Now, names for the club?’
    ‘So pretentious,’ I muttered under my breath as I walked away, knocking a menu off the table.
    ‘Sorry, what was that?’ Finn called out.
    I picked up the menu and continued walking.
    ‘Waitress girl! What did you just say?’
    I stopped and turned, catching my breath. ‘Think we’re pretentious?’ he asked. His eyes flickered with delight that he had caught me out. I was drawn to those brown eyes. I felt there was a whole story behind them.
    As he rolled up his sleeves, waiting for a response, his eyes locked on to mine. He was wearing an old leather plaited bracelet around his wrist. The overall look was scruffy but thought out.
    ‘Come on, Finn,’ Dominique said, touching his arm. He shrugged her off.
    ‘What’s your name?’ he demanded
    ‘Josie.’ He was not going to intimidate me.
    ‘That’s a nice name.’
    ‘We’ve got business to do,’ Momo reminded him, telling me with the wave of his hand to scarper.
    ‘So what do you think our club should be called?’ Finn called loudly after me. ‘
Josie?
’
    There were groans around the table. ‘Come on, Finn,’ they all said.
    ‘It’s music to get down to. Break into a
sweat
.’ He was still teasing me with those dark eyes and I could feel the redness creeping up my neck.
    Everyone was staring at me now, even Momo.
    I cleared my throat. ‘Something like, Dare to Dance? You know, it’s “Care to Dance?” but …’
    ‘No, don’t like it,’ Finn pounced.
    ‘Lame,’ Christo agreed.
    ‘Born to Dance?’ I knew it was bad the moment it came out of my mouth. ‘Dance to Death?’ That was even worse.
    There was stifled laughter.
    Christo looked frustrated. ‘Leave her alone, she doesn’t have a clue.’
    ‘Well, I don’t hear you coming up with anything better.’
    Christo looked up at me in surprise, caught in the headlights unprotected.
    ‘It’s not exactly impressive to come to a business meeting without even knowing what you’re going to call your club, is it?’ I continued, enjoying myself now.
    ‘She has a point.’ Finn tilted his head to one side. He looked as if he was just about to smile but didn’t quite do it, as if someone had pressed Pause just in time.
    I walked back into the kitchen, proud of my own courage in standing up to second-year students, and briefly looked over my shoulder once more. Finn was still watching me. I pushed through the swing doors and leant against the sink, hands tightly gripping the enamel basin, head bowed. ‘Fuck, what was all that about?’ I muttered under my breath, turning on the cold tap and splashing my face with water.
    *
    I met Clarky in the evening at one of our favourite pubs on the bridge near the river. It was a relief to be back in familiar company where I understood each gesture and look and it did not matter what came out of my mouth. ‘I’m not a
bad
dancer,’ he answered my question. ‘Why?’ He was circling the rim of his glass with one finger.
    I told him about the students in the restaurant. ‘And this guy, Finn, asked me what I would call it and …’
    ‘You fancy him, don’t you?’
    ‘He’s in his second year,’ I said, ignoring the question.
    ‘So?’
    ‘He’s a medic.’
    ‘You know what he’s reading too?’ Clarky leaned closer towards me.
    ‘Well, only because I overheard him talking to Momo. Stop