Seb stood up, stretching silently. His T-shirt lifted, and Alex glimpsed another scar on his flat stomach – a raised, ugly one this time, like a twisted worm on his skin.

As Seb dropped his arms again, Willow gave him a teasing look. “Aren’t you glad you quit smoking?” she asked, her eyes innocent.

Seb shook his head slightly. “You can always tell,” he said.

Willow began putting the air cleaner cover back on, twirling the screwdriver deftly. “Well, it’s not difficult. You are practically oozing with nicotine cravings, dude.” There was a smudge of grime from the spark plugs on her cheek. With her short hair, it gave her an urchin-look that made Alex want to pull her into his arms.

He saw the same warm look in Seb’s eyes; then Seb gave a sigh, mock-resigned. “Thank you for the sympathy, it’s very comforting. I’m going to go take a shower before dinner. If we’re finished?” he added to Alex.

Alex nodded. And as Seb headed off, all he could think was: Willow could sense Seb’s nicotine cravings, but not the fact Seb was in love with her? When it was completely evident even to him, who wasn’t psychic at all? No way, he thought, gazing at her. She just doesn’t want to face it for some reason.

Why not? Was it to protect herself somehow? Maybe if she let herself see the depth of Seb’s feelings, she’d have to acknowledge her own. The thought came from nowhere, slithering coldly into his stomach. No way; he knew that wasn’t true.

But Willow’s pink cheeks on the balcony. Her hand on Seb’s arm. You’re blocking me out, I can feel it.

Willow peered up at him from the bike. “So, what were you and Seb talking about just now?”

The words came out with no thought. “Couldn’t you sense it from him?”

She briefly closed her eyes, and then gave him a level look. “I didn’t try. We don’t get everything from each other psychically, you know. It’s just flashes when we’re talking sometimes.”

“Okay,” he said. It felt like there was something hard and icy lodged inside him. He picked up one of the screws from the floor; rolled it between his fingers. “It sort of seemed like more than a flash, though. The way you were looking into each other’s eyes, before.”

She touched his hand. “Alex...he’s just my friend, that’s all. You know that.”

In what universe does that guy only want friendship from you? Alex didn’t say it. “Yeah, I know that,” he said. “It’s just that it’s a pretty intense friendship, isn’t it?”

She went still. “Is it?”

He shrugged, putting the screw down. “In each other’s heads. Talking together all the time.”