Page 106 of Outlier

“I didn’t like her touching you,” she whispered.

“I didn’t like it either,” I whispered back.

“I think what you said was lovely, sweetheart,” Mum put in softly to Vicky.

“So do I,” said Lucy.

Vicky blushed and ducked her head.

“I shouldn’t have done it,” she muttered.

The shutters were coming down again. I could feel her retreating behind her walls. The good-natured teasing directed at me had gotten to her.

I could punch those posh bastards right in their smiling faces.

“She’s probably a more appropriate partner for you anyway.”

That last sentence pushed me over the edge. All these weeks of patience, of longing for her, of worrying about her, caused me to snap.

I turned to Vicky and frowned down at her.

“No, she is not,” I said slowly, through gritted teeth.

“Mike, I’m not?—”

“I am fucking sick of hearing about what you’re not, Vicky,” I said, my voice rising, not caring who we were with, or who could overhear us. “All I’ve heard from you in the last two weeks is how you’renotnormal, how you’renotwhat I need, how you’renotgood enough. When are we going to start talking about what youare? Because youarebeautiful.”

Vicky flinched slightly at that statement. She knew she was beautiful, so to her, it probably didn’t feel like much of a compliment. After all, she hated the ice princess nickname, and the perception most men had that she was untouchable.

But I wasn’t finished, not by a long way.

“Youarekind, youarea straight-up genius, youarea great sister, a great step-daughter, a great friend. You are the mostselfless person I know. You are the reason my sister managed to feel settled when she moved to London.”

“I’m not,” she cried, tears filling her eyes. “I let Lucy down.”

“You madeonemistake.”

Bloody hell, I knew this shit was still eating away at her.

Felix was the main bastard of the situation, and my sister was marrying that particular bastard, but Vicky still couldn’t forgive herself.

“But before that, you looked after my sister, and you’ve been doing it ever since.”

“I don’t?—”

“If it wasn’t for you, Lottie and Ollie would never have found each other again. Lottie might not even have custody of her sister anymore if you hadn’t insisted she work for you. Why the hell you think that you’re a burden and that people have to look after you, I’ve no idea.”

Vicky’s eyes went wide at that. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but nothing came out.

That was good; I had more to say.

“So youarea good friend. You are the best time I’ve ever had—I’ve never laughed with a woman as much as I have with you. I’ve never found any woman as interesting.”

“Interesting?” Vicky said in shock. “What? Even when I’m banging on about my stupid obsessions?”

“Hey, hedgehogs are not stupid!” I protested. “I love knowing more about them. And we should all care more about the environment.”

“You’re making fun of me,” Vicky whispered, and my heart clenched in my chest. She looked so unsure and so sad, but just underneath, there was this little thread of hope in her voice.