A Vision of Green (Florence Vaine #2) by L.H. Cosway Read Free Book Online

Ingrid to follow him. Neither of them bother being polite enough to say goodbye. I relax a little more once they're gone. I don't think I'll ever be entirely comfortable with either of them, even if I do want to get my hands on Josh's aura.
    “ By the way,” says Alex, slouched across one of the armchairs. “I wasn't lying about the rabbits, you can ask Benji if you don't believe me. He saw them too.”
    Nobody says anything for a minute, then I reply, “I believe you, Alex.”
    “ Thank you Flo,” he answers with a wink.
    “ I don't know,” says Caroline, folding her arms across her chest. “I'm still making my mind up. I wouldn't put it past you to try mess with all of our heads.”
    Alex leers at her. “Can I mess with your underpants instead?”
    “ Ugh, and you say my mind's in the gutter,” Caroline replies with disdain, before glancing down at her watch. “Well this meeting was a bit of a waste. Let's just hope we can get more work done at the next one. Everybody should try to put some ideas together for next week and then we can brainstorm.” At this she rises from the couch and packs up her bag.
    “ Flo do you need a lift home?” she asks.
    Before I can answer, Frank intervenes. “I'll take her,” then he looks at me. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
    Caroline gives him a knowing look and a grin. “Hmm, talk, sure you do.” I actually think Frank blushes ever so slightly.
    Alex gets up to walk Caroline to the front door. “Well at least we know someone's getting their underpants messed with tonight,” he sighs dramatically, smirking at Frank, leaving us both feeling a little bit awkward alone in the living room. At least I know I do.
    Frank comes over and sits down beside me. “Sorry about Alex,” he says, “you know he's always got something to say, and a problem with keeping it to himself.”
    “ Yeah, I think I g-got that,” I smile and Frank pulls my hand into his. He takes a deep breath, like he's smelling me, but I try to ignore that idea.
    His eyes are focused on my upturned palm when he begins, “So I was wondering if you'd like to stay the night? Here I mean. John and Hayley are out, they have this thing about going on dates every couple of weeks to get some time away from the house. That means they'll both be gone until late. John already said it's fine for you to stay in the guest room whenever you want.” He stops talking and looks up at me. “I told him about your dad being back, he wants you to know that you're welcome to come and live here, if that would make you feel safer.”
    “ John knows about my dad, about what he's like?” I ask nervously.
    “ I didn't tell him,” Frank assures me. “He just, well, John knows these things. Sort of the same way I knew it without you having to tell me. Over time you get used to recognising the signs.”
    I swallow hard. “If I stayed tonight, would I be staying in the guest room?”
    A ghost of a smile touches Frank's lips. “I'd prefer if you didn't, but if that's what you want then..” he trails off.
    “ N-no it's okay, I – I'd like to stay in your room. I don't have any clothes with me though.”
    I didn't think I would accept Frank's invitation at first, but the thought of going home to Gran's house and spending another evening with Dad and Sal and whatever new torture he might think up for me, I just don't think I could bear that right now.
    “ You left some of your things from the last time you stayed. I put them in my room, I had meant to bring them to you today at school, but I forgot.” He seems a little sheepish, like he had no intention of actually bringing my stuff to school. The idea that Frank finds some kind of comfort in having my things near to him warms me.
    “ I suppose that's convenient,” I grin and he tugs me up by the hand, leading the way upstairs to his room. I drop my bag at the end of his bed, shrug out of my cardigan and slip off my shoes. When I look up, Frank's eyes are