that to happen. We bet on how long it’d take you to admit that you’d keep him.”
“Wonderful,” I grumbled, shaking my head. I looked down at the sleeping cat and sighed. “My family are terrible people.”
My mum smiled shamelessly. “What are you going to call him?”
“Um . . .” I had no idea. Cats this old usually came with a name, didn’t they? I glanced down at him again, trying to see if any names jumped out at me. He reminded me a bit of an alley cat, maybe one who’d retired for an easier life. Tom seemed a bit obvious, but maybe something old . . . but different. “I’m going to call him Angus.”
“Really?” Cole looked from me to the cat, a slight frown in place. “Hmm . . . I guess it kind of suits him.”
“I think it’s perfect.” Mum stood and smoothed out her trousers. “I’ve got a few bits for him already, and you can borrow one of my cat carriers to take him home.”
“Oh . . . okay.” I hadn’t quite realised I’d be taking him right now.
“I know I’m rushing you with this, but the boys really aren’t very happy.” She smiled down at Angus. “And he’ll be so much happier over at your house without those two to bother him.” She left the room to go collect his things and I sat there a little stunned at how quickly I’d acquired a new housemate. If only finding a lodger was this easy.
My dad left to go help her, and as soon as he was out the door, Cole cleared his throat and shifted position so he was fully facing me. He drew his bottom lip between his teeth, a very uncharacteristic show of nerves.
“Out with it,” I prompted, more than a little curious about what was obviously bothering him.
He reached out to stroke down Angus’s back. “You know how you’ve taken in one stray already . . .”
I frowned, not quite understanding, until I remembered his whispered conversation with Jasper in the kitchen, and oh my god, no way was that happening. “Jasper isn’t a stray. He has two homes to choose from.”
His eyebrows rose to his hairline. “How did you know what I was going to say?”
“Oh please, you weren’t exactly subtle at the table.” I thought about Jasper’s furious headshake. “And from the looks of it, Jasper wasn’t keen on the idea either.”
“That was because he thought you’d say no.”
“I am saying no.” He went to protest further so I held up my hand to stop him. “His mum and dad both have perfectly nice houses. Why doesn’t he move in with either one of them? In fact, where is he living at the moment?” I knew for a fact my mum wouldn’t let him stay anywhere that wasn’t safe, so he must be living somewhere.
“At his mum’s,” Cole mumbled.
“Well, there you go. He doesn’t need to come live with me.” The mere idea of having him under my roof sent a thrill down my spine that was wholly unwelcome. “What would I do with a twenty-year-old anyway?”
“He’s twenty-one.”
“What?”
“He’s four months older than me, turned twenty-one a few weeks ago.”
I shrugged. “Still five years younger than me. I don’t want someone in my house who’s going to be out partying all the time and coming home drunk at all hours.”
Cole stared at me. “Oh god, Finn, you’re such an old man. No one would ever guess you’re only twenty-six.” I knew he was just teasing, but the words still stung. Evan used to bang on about how boring I was, and it’d left me paranoid that he was right. “I didn’t mean it like that. That arsehole was wrong about you. You’re not boring, Finn, you’re one of the most interesting people I know.”
I snorted, couldn’t help it. “I don’t know about that.” I thought about Jasper and all his stories. He’d accomplished so much more than me in his life and he was only twenty. Sorry, twenty-one.
“You are. I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true. I know Evan knocked your confidence, but you need to forget about him and start living your life again.”
“I’m not sure—”
“I don’t mean going out to clubs every weekend, I know that’s not your style, and it’s not Jasper’s either, just so you know. But you do need to start leaving your house a bit more, reconnect with your friends. I know Christian’s been worried about you.”
I narrowed my eyes and stared at