Page 15 of Cabin Fever With My First Flame

Finn’s tone becomes as cold as the weather outside. “Is that your way of apologizing to me for breaking my heart, Bailey?”

“What? Finn, are you implying that I’m the one who cheated on you? Because if that’s true, then you are sorely mistaken. I waited for you, faithfully, I might add. Even after the letter you sent as a graduation gift, I still waited another six months, praying for your return. After a year of you being gone, I gave up any shred of hope I had that you still loved me.”

Finn’s face becomes ashen as my words sink in. “Daniel told me that the two of you had been secretly getting together the entirety of my senior year. He’s the one who told me to stay away because it would make things awkward.”

“And you believed him?” I screech. “I spent every waking moment with you, Finn! When would I have had time to spend with Daniel while I was dating you? The only time I ever saw him was when the three of us hung out together or when he tutored me in physics.”

Finn mumbles, “He was my best friend, and I didn’t think he would lie to me.” His argument is weak, and he knows it.

My tears try to make another appearance, but I force them back. “I was your best friend, too, Finn. I was supposed to be your life-long partner. You were supposed to trust me and talk to me.”

“I tried, Bailey, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask you the question. I kept waiting for you to admit the truth and break things off with me, but you didn’t. Then everyone I talked to saidthat you and Daniel were spending a lot of time together, and…well, in my mind, it only confirmed what Daniel had told me.”

I stand up and push my chair underneath the table. “It confirmed nothing other than that Daniel and I were friends and that you didn’t trust me, Finn. If you couldn’t communicate with me then and lacked faith in me, then what kind of marriage would we have had? Maybe it was best that you left when you did, and everything worked out as it should have.”

I turn to leave, not sure how to process the revelation that Finn thought I had cheated on him. I’ve always tried my best to be honest, loyal, and trustworthy so that my word actually means something. I don’t get far before Finn catches up and blocks my path.

Finn rubs the side of my arm and lifts my chin so that my gaze meets his. “Bailey, I’m truly sorry. If I could go back and change the past, I would do things differently. I was young, dumb, and foolish, and I let go of the best thing to ever happen to me. I know this isn’t going to mean much to you now, but all I ever wanted was for you to be happy, and I never wanted to stand in the way of that. Please forgive me.”

The earnest expression on Finn’s face tugs at my heart. He made a mistake that cost us both dearly, but I firmly believe that God lets everything happen for a reason—including my heartache. If things hadn’t turned out the way they did, I wouldn’t have my three amazing daughters, whom I love with every ounce of my being. Finn wouldn’t have fallen in love with someone else and had three boys who are a ton of fun.

I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around Finn’s neck to pull his ear close to my lips. “I forgave you a long time ago.”

Chapter ten

Finn

I stand in thedining room and watch Bailey depart, wondering how I could have been so ignorant all of these years. I should have known that she wouldn’t have betrayed me, but then again, I didn’t think that Daniel would have either. For years, I’ve been harboring a grudge because our “friend” had manipulated Bailey and me, but I still have no idea as to why he would have done such a thing.

I don’t know how long I spend trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe and coming up short, but eventually, Micah joins me in the dining room. He waves his hand in front of my face, pulling me from wayward thoughts. “What happened between you and Bailey? Please tell me you begged her for a second chance and then kissed her!”

I put up my hands to stop him. “I did neither of those things, Micah. Bailey and I needed to work some things out first.”

Micah smirks. “Lemme guess, you confronted Bailey and found out that she never cheated on you and that your once best friend Derrick lied to you so that he could get the girl.”

“His name is Daniel.”

“Who cares what his name is? He lost the girl, and now you can swoop in and save the day! You are an elite firefighter who parachutes out of airplanes and helicopters. You run into burning buildings to pull people from the fire. Rescuing a damsel in distress is part of your job description.” Micah continues to wax poetic about princes saving the princesses from evil beasts and of star-crossed lovers finding each other because it’s their destiny.

“Seriously, Dude, what are they making you read at school?” I ask. Until now, I didn’t know that Micah had a romantic bone in his body. Then it hits me, and I turn the tables on him. “Do you have a thing for Ella?”

Micah turns several shades of pink in under a second. “No! Ella is pretty, and she’s a blast to hang out with, but she’s more ‘friend’ material at this stage in my life. I need someone older, wiser, and more mature.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously, Finn. I like Avory Mills from my science class. We have chemistry together, if you get my drift.” He winks, and it looks like he has something in his eye. I’m going to have to work with him on that, especially if he wants this Avory girl to laughwith him and not at him. “Where were we? Oh, that’s right, Finn. We were discussing your lack of a love life, not mine.”

I sigh. “Micah, Bailey is here for a fresh start, not a repeat performance of the past. Now that I know the truth and that one simple question would have changed everything, I’d love a second chance with Bailey. I just don’t think she’s ready to give me one since she’s dealing with a lot at the moment. I’d settle for being friends now that we’ve cleared the air.”

“You just leave the romance to us,” Micah says. “Go with the flow, and we’ll ensure you get your do-over.”

“Um. No. Absolutely not!”

Micah rests his elbow on my shoulder, which isn’t difficult to do since he’s almost as tall as me. “Look, Finn. I know you think we’re just a bunch of kids who don’t have a clue about romance, but let’s face it, neither do you. You’re going to need our help whether you want it or not.”

I scowl at the over-confident teenager with a penchant for being happy. “I’m perfectly capable of romancing Bailey on my own.”

Micah laughs. “You’re a stud, no doubt about it. But she doesn’t want to be swept off her feet. She wants her feetrubbed. She wants to be trusted, supported, and appreciated. That’s the type of rescue Bailey needs.”

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