Page 139 of Camera Shy

Lennox scoffs. “Uh, no. I’ll come get it,” she interrupts.

“I’ll stop by Avery’s to let her know,” I mutter.

“She’s not home,” Nora responds. My jaw twitches in agitation. I’m trying not to jump to conclusions, but all of this seems very calculated at the moment. “We stopped at Dex’s and then took her to the airport. She caught a flight last night.”

“A flight where?” I ask. “What did she say to you?”

“Finn, I’ll come by with the phone in just a bit. Okay? I’m on my way. We can talk…about everything.”

Nora ends the call and I look at Lennox in disbelief.

Lennox waits for me to say something, but I don’t. Mostly because I’m having a mild panic attack. What the hell could Nora have told Avery that made her book a last-minute flight?

I thought we were okay…

Fuck.

* * *

Lennox wanted to stay, but I told her it wasn’t necessary. I’m not sure what Nora thinks is going to transpire, but I can almost guarantee it’s incorrect. She’s sitting at my kitchen island with a hopeful smile on her face.

“Nothing happened, Finn. And I didn’t throw you under the bus.”

I give Nora a once-over. She looks a little thinner. She always loses weight when she’s around Morgan. It’s stress.

“Do you want water?” I ask, pulling two bottles from the fridge. I slide one her way. “Out of curiosity, what the hell would you have to throw me under the bus for?”

She drops her eyes to the counter. “That’s not what I meant. I just told her that Morgan has a long history of poking your buttons. And you’re not the violent type. Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?”

“Not putting him in the hospital,” she replies. “I know you wanted to. I like to think you refrained for me.”

“No, I refrained for me.” I have two choices right now. I can blow up at her and be an asshole for manipulating me and the circumstances like this, but all that would do is prove I’m not over us. And believe me, I’m over it.

“May I have Avery’s phone?” I ask.

“Oh, yeah,” she says, reaching into her purse and sliding it over. “It’s fully charged. Someone named Mason keeps blowing her up about some big meeting that got bumped up.”

I quirk one brow. “You went through her messages?” I feel a twang of guilt, wondering if Nora saw all the flirtatious, dirty messages Avery and I have been sending each other for months, but why do I need to hide it? Avery is my good thing. She’s not a secret. I’m not a two-timer. Despite how determined Nora was to make me one.

“No, I didn’t. Just the notifications have been popping up like crazy. I thought someone died.”

I flip the phone over, face down, so it’s not a distraction because I’m tempted myself. I want to know that Mason is only texting Avery about business, but I can’t violate her privacy like that. That’s the worst way to start a relationship; I know firsthand. And now that I have what she came for, I want her to leave.

“I know you’ve wanted to meet up and talk for a while. But I don’t have anything new to say, Nora.”

“Finn, look, I know it’ll take a long time to build up trust again. I get that. But I really am sorry about everything. I’m here—whenever you’re ready. I can be patient. Morgan and I are done for good this time. That’s why we fought at Cass’s birthday. I saw you, and I just knew…I’m never going to stop loving you.”

“I’m glad—”

“Me too—”

“No, I’m glad you’re done with Morgan, and I hope you mean it this time because he doesn’t deserve you. But neither do I—”

“Yes, you do, Finn. You’ve always been good to me, and I know I didn’t appreciate it at the time.” She reaches over the kitchen island separating us. The gold bangles on her hand jingle as she holds out her hand. But I don’t take it.

“What I mean is I deserve better.”

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