make the situation worse. I thought she’d carry on running if she saw me again and you were obviously angry.’
I opened my mouth to respond.
‘And with good reason,’ he quickly added. ‘But I did find Graham a few minutes later and he said that you and Nell had gone home. I did think of checking on you both, but then I realised I didn’t know where home was.’
At least he’d gone some way to finding out if we were all right. That was something I supposed.
‘I’m living in the square,’ I said, clearing my throat. ‘In Harold’s old house.’
He nodded. ‘I’m really sorry we’ve got off on the wrong foot,’ he then said, holding out a bear-sized hand for me to shake, ‘especially as we’re going to be working together. Can we start again, Freya?’
I looked at Kate, who was nodding encouragingly and Luke, who seemed to be holding his breath. It was just as Peter had pointed out; given the circumstances, Finn and I were going to have to get along.
‘All right,’ I told him, ‘as long as you promise not to shout at my dog again, and sweep the studio floor every now and again just in case she ventures in. Not that I think she will.’
‘Deal,’ he grinned, his face transformed, as he grasped my hand in his.
There was no mistaking the lightning shock of feeling which transferred from his fingers to mine. Under any other circumstances, I would have considered it a cliché, but as I was in the presence of a Norse god, the sensation felt thoroughly fitting. I didn’t know if he felt it too, or if it was completely usual for him. His beguiling grey eyes might have been smiling, but they gave little away.
‘Why don’t you tell Freya what it is that you do, Finn?’ suggested Luke when he finally began to breathe again, ‘and I’ll pour us all a drink.’
‘Just a small glass for me, please,’ said Finn.
Kate offered us the sofa and we sat at opposite ends, Jasmine jumping up on Finn’s knee, the second he sat down. I got the impression that he was someone she knew well and certainly felt comfortable with.
‘Where’s Abigail?’ I asked Luke as he handed round glasses.
‘In bed already,’ Jasmine answered for him. ‘She was really tired and grumpy at teatime so she’s had an early night.’
‘Which means she’ll be up at dawn,’ said Luke, rolling his eyes.
‘Fortunately, we’re used to early starts,’ said Kate with a smile, before ducking out to check on the food.
There was a beat of silence and I quickly filled it for fear that it would grow into something insurmountable.
‘So, Finn,’ I said, after taking my first sip of the crisp and chilled white wine, ‘what is it that you do?’
‘I’m a builder by trade,’ he told me. ‘I work with my dad and brother, half-brother, that is, in the family firm.’
That didn’t exactly strike me as a job that would warrant a studio.
‘So, where does the studio come in?’ I asked.
I couldn’t help but notice the colour rising in his cheeks.
‘Finn’s an artist,’ said Luke. ‘With an amazing talent.’
Finn shook his head.
‘You are, mate,’ said Luke, slapping him on the shoulder. ‘If only you’d believe it. I’m just going to see if Kate needs a hand.’
Finn looked at me and puffed out his cheeks. Without Luke to speak for him, he had no choice but to carry on.
‘I make things,’ he said quietly, ‘out of things that no one else wants.’
That went some way to explaining the scrap metal.
‘Luke mentioned sculptures,’ I said, trying to help him along.
Clearly, he wasn’t used to talking like this. His self-effacing nature made me warm to him a bit.
‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘He’s asked me to make a few pieces for the garden. I think he wants the two of us to work together on that. I’ll create them and between us we’ll find the best place for them.’
I didn’t mention my former vision of gnomes. Finn was definitely not a gnome type of guy.
‘Did you go to art college?’ I asked.
I could just imagine him surrounded by adoring students, seductively splattered with clay and paint.
‘God no,’ he laughed. ‘Sorry,’ he quickly carried on, ‘if you knew my father, then you’d know why I’m laughing.’
‘You said you worked for him.’
‘That’s right. The day after I left school at sixteen, he had me working full-time on a building site and I’ve been laying bloody bricks ever since. Sorry, Jas,’ he added as his profanity