Faelan could feel a nervousness in Padma's demeanor that made him want to flinch away, and the wolf inside of him could smell it, making him even more wary, and as a result, more annoyed -- though whether at Padma or himself, he didn't know.
"I have time," he said shortly, keeping his eyes on the things she took out of the basket rather than on her. He didn't like this distance, and wasn't all together sure it wasn't entirely his fault, but then he would think about Barty, who'd attacked Padma's friend and then put Padma in St. Mungo's, who'd hung about at Haven Books being creepy and coercing Padma to be his friend, and then about how she was trying to help him, and he got angry all over again.
"I've not been that much busier," he told her. "We've been back to work full time for weeks." He picked up an apple and wiped it absently on his trousers, though he didn't bite it. "But I've missed you too," he admitted, his tone a bit more pointed than he really intended, but he found he didn't regret it either. "I came down to the shop a few nights this week, but you weren't around."