Page 59 of The Felicity Theory (The Laws of Love 4)

“It’s where the nerves in your body all get scrambled and keep sending weird messages to the brain and then the brain gets confused and won’t let go of the pain. After the surgery and bone grafts and chemo I guess my nervous system was saying ‘what the fuck? We don’t know what to do with this leg anymore. We’ll just make it hurt. Twenty-four seven.’ And when they worked that out, it was such a relief. To know I wasn’t imagining it. That the pain was real. And Evie and Felix supported me right through it, even though they were going through their own shit—they were totally there for me.”

“Phew. That’s some story. So, what about now? You’re obviously still in pain, but you seem to cope with it well.”

“After Hedgedown Lodge I went on a pain-management program and learned to walk normally and re-educate my brain so it didn’t keep thinking my leg was some kind of alien thing hanging off my body that shouldn’t be there. The pain’s nowhere near as bad now— my leg will never be great, but it’s no longer a burning throbbing mass of confused nerves.”

Oliver sat silent for a moment, struck with the thought she was probably the bravest woman he’d ever met. “You’re incredible.”

“I’m not.” Her laugh was a little shaky. “Don’t make my head swell. I’m no different from anyone else. I think we all just want to be our best selves, we’re all striving to be the healthiest, happiest version of ourselves. But sometimes life throws you a curve ball—and that’s when you need people who love you, who believe in you… so you can start to believe in yourself again. And then, you know, eventually you get your life back on track.”

Oliver leaned his elbows on his knees, squinting out to sea. “How do you know?” he asked. “When you’re back on track?”

“You don’t necessarily. Mostly you just wing it. But I figure if you keep moving, keep living to the max and don’t give in to fear—and you have people who’ve got your back—then you can’t go too wrong.” She shrugged. “At least, that’s my thoughts on it.”

Oliver reset his sunglasses on his nose, a strange lump in his throat. “More of your theory, right?”

“It’s a pretty big theory. I keep adding to it as I go along.”

He laughed. Wasn’t that just her? As big as the sky, as expansive as the universe. This petite little package, filled with an ebullient optimism that refused to be crushed. Just heading on down the track, trusting it would all turn out okay.

And what about him? Had his desire for everything to be ordered and neat, his future all planned out, been one huge wrong turn? Believing that was how you stayed safe, how you kept everyone you loved safe. Thinking that once he had a successful career, an opulent home, the perfect partner, there would be no more problems.

“Thank you for sharing,” he said quietly. “Shall we go and set up camp?”

“Yes, I’m starving.” She rolled her eyes. “All that surfing the waves was exhausting!”

“How about I make us jaffles for supper?”

“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, bodyguard.” She put out her hand and as he helped her to her feet it occurred to him that Felicity Green didn’t need a bodyguard to protect her.

She was sublimely capable of looking after herself.

* * *

There was stilla light on in Oliver’s tent when Felicity clambered onto her narrow mattress in the Shaggin’ Wagon.

The cabin smelt of jasmine from her candle. Her bedspread looked so inviting. She propped herself up on her lovely bright cushions and felt a little sad that Oliver’s beautiful body was squeezed into that tiny tent.

Not in bed next to her.

She wondered what he was doing—reading maybe. He’d told her he’d love to have more time to read fiction, as he threw together baked bean and bacon jaffles, and they’d spent the evening chatting about their favourite books. They had quite a few in common.

He’d also mentioned why he’d chosen a career in finance. He was good with numbers, and he liked the idea of following in his father’s footsteps, he’d explained. Merchant banking first for five years, to understand the industry, then going out on his own. Nevertheless, as life stories went it felt somewhat superficial. Like he was keeping certain things, the relationship stuff, very close to his chest. But then again, wasn’t she doing the same?

With a sigh Felicity scrolled through her phone, trying to decide which pictures to send to Evie and Felix. She paused on the selfie of her and Oliver together, heads close. Was it just the reflected glow from the brim of her hat or was there something else flushing her cheeks? She let her eyes feast on Oliver’s sculpted pecs, the swell of his bicep as he held up the phone. Zoomed in. Studied the brackets in his cheeks, the crinkles that fanned out from the corners of his eyes and the arc of his perfect teeth.

They looked like a young couple having the best holiday of their lives.

If you don’t watch it Felicity Green, she told herself firmly, putting down her phone and pulling the covers over her head,your minor crush is going to take on the proportions of a major crush and then you will be monumentally screwed.And not in the sense you would like, either.

Even so, their time under the stars tonight, chatting and eating jaffles, formed a lovely kaleidoscope in her head as she drifted off to sleep.

---