บท 88: Good news

Hugh appeared to be bothered by her approach, looking around self-consciously, his hands thrust into the back pockets of his denims. 'Hello,' he said finally, defiantly, almost aggressively.

'Would you like to join a friend and me for lunch?' she asked lightly, wishing she had just gone about her business and left him to his own devices; he clearly didn't welcome her attention. 'There is an open seat at our table.' In fact, the coffee shop had filled up in the previous half-hour, and the spare seat at the table she and Kat shared was one of the few left.

He shook his head as he looked over to where Kat was staring at them with interest. 'I wouldn't want to bother you.'

'You wouldn't be,' she assured him, still unsure whether he remembered her specifically; he was at an age when any woman approaching him made him feel aggressively embarrassed.

'But you're almost done,' he said dismissively.