Read Online Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn by Tilly Tennant - Free Book Online

too.
    ‘You’d better go and sit down,’ Jeanie reminded her. ‘Paige will be getting hit on if you leave her alone any longer in that outfit.’
    Bonnie looked over to the table where Paige was sitting tucking into her dinner and staring at her phone intently, oblivious to anything going on around her. Bonnie frowned. Perhaps she should have said something about that top; now that she looked again, it was just a bit too revealing…
    ‘I’ll be back in a minute, just as soon as I have my own bodyweight in noodles on my plate,’ Jeanie added.
    Bonnie nodded and went to join her daughter.
    As she slid onto the seat beside her, Paige looked up from her phone. ‘Wasn’t that the delivery guy from your shop you were talking to?’
    ‘It’s not my shop,’ Bonnie replied in a more irritated tone than she had meant.
    ‘Whatever,’ Paige said, glancing across to the food carts. ‘Who is that with him, his wife?’
    ‘No, a new girlfriend.’
    Paige laughed. ‘He managed to get a girl to go out with him?’
    ‘What does that mean? Max is a nice bloke.’
    ‘Yeah, but…’ Paige raised her eyebrows meaningfully.
    ‘But what?’
    ‘Look at him.’
    Bonnie followed her gaze. ‘There’s nothing wrong with him.’
    ‘Those trousers? With that top? Jeez, Mum, you need a visit from the fashion police if you think he looks ok.’
    Max was making his way back across the restaurant with Sarah now. Bonnie looked at what he was wearing: brown chinos with a white granddad shirt. She shrugged.
    ‘He looks good.’ As soon as she said it, she felt that heat spread from her neck again without knowing why.
    As she watched, she saw Jeanie catch up with the couple, stopping them for a quick word. They pointed to a table by the window and Sarah did an elaborate mime to indicate that she was cold. The restaurant was busy, with every table taken, but Bonnie, Paige and Jeanie had a table that was plenty big enough for them and more besides. Bonnie watched the conversation with a sinking feeling as she realised what was about to happen. Jeanie, a naturally gregarious woman, was never one to stand on convention. Sure enough, she saw Max nod eagerly; then he and Sarah went over to their table and grabbed the few belongings they had left there before making their way over to follow Jeanie.
    ‘What’s going on?’ Bonnie hissed at her mum.
    ‘They’re coming to sit with us,’ Jeanie answered. ‘That poor girl is freezing with the draft from that window and we have plenty of room.’ She raised her eyebrows at Bonnie’s look of consternation. ‘You’re always saying what a laugh Max is.’
    Bonnie had no time to reply as Max and Sarah arrived at their table with slightly awkward smiles.
    ‘It is ok if we join you, isn’t it?’ Max asked uncertainly.
    Bonnie smoothed her expression into something as close to politeness as she could manage. ‘Of course it is. Paige…’ she nudged her daughter who had barely looked up from her texting, ‘budge up so that Max and Sarah can sit down.’
    Paige pouted and looked as though she was going to complain, but then caught Bonnie’s warning look and clearly thought better of it. Instead, she shuffled along the bench seat, Bonnie following. Max put down his plate and looked for a moment as though he would sit in the space next to Bonnie, but then quickly changed his mind, taking a seat next to Jeanie and leaving Sarah to squeeze in alongside Bonnie and Paige.
    ‘Well,’ Max said as he pulled his plate towards him and picked up his fork, ‘this is cosy, isn’t it?’
    ‘The more the merrier, as far as I’m concerned.’ Jeanie smiled as she picked up her own cutlery.
    Paige’s attention returned to her phone.
    ‘So, it’s your birthday?’ Sarah asked Jeanie, who nodded.
    ‘Don’t ask me how old I am, though,’ Jeanie quipped, ‘or I’ll be forced to kill you.’
    Max chuckled. ‘Whenever we meet, Jeanie, I see where Bonnie gets her sense of humour from.’ He looked