Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

by Chloe Walsh

“Looks like you have a fan,” Mrs. Kavanagh added, pointing to where Johnny was jogging up and down the footpath, scouring the ground and dikes for my missing shoe. Crap, I hoped it hadn’t floated away in the drain water. Dad would hit the roof if I came home with another expense. “He’s done a terrible job of keeping you quiet.” Mrs. Kavanagh added with a smile. “I saw you in the papers with him the other week. Beautiful picture, love. You two look absolutely stunning together.” Did she think…? “What? Oh no… No!” I blushed an ugly shade of beet red. “It’s not like that.” “Oh no?” She smirked. “I thought maybe Johnny had gotten himself a little girlfriend while I was away.” “Um, no.” I squirmed in discomfort. “We’re just—” “Friends?” Mrs. Kavanagh quipped, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “So I’ve heard.” Were we friends? I wasn’t sure. Maybe he was still trying to make amends. I nodded and said, “Yeah, we’re just friends.” “Ah, that’s a shame,” she replied after a long pause. “For a moment there, I thought you had managed to do the impossible.” “The impossible?” “Distract him from rugby.” “Oh.” I clasped my hands together, unsure of how to respond to that. “Well, I haven’t,” was all I came up with, followed with, “We’re just friends.” When Mrs. Kavanagh spoke again, her brow was knit in concern. “I love my son with all my heart, but sometimes, I wish he would remember to be seventeen and let go a little. Have fun. Fall in love. Break the rules. Be a teenager...