Page 1 of Something Unforgettable

Justbreathe,Finn.Don’tfucking throw up.

If only his mental pep talks helped. Ordering himself to stop being nervous was—as Pops liked to say—about as useful as wishing away the weather. The scent of hot sauce and grease, heavy in the air inside his truck, was only making the rolling nausea worse. What had made him think bringing a cheesy buffalo dip to the party was a good idea? He had the windows open, but it wasn’t helping.

The truck’s tires crunched against the gravel as he drove up the driveway and parked. In front of him, the Averys’ farmhouse loomed—white paneling freshly painted, flowers blooming in the hanging baskets, and a wide porch. With the truck windows down, the scent of grilling meat floated in on the breeze along with faint voices and the occasional laugh.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been to Micah Avery’s house, but that didn’t stop his brain from spiraling. He and Micah hadn’t been friends in high school—Micah had been a senior when Finn was a freshman—but now that they were in their twenties things had changed, and Micah had started inviting Finn over to hang out.

They invited you this time, too, he reminded himself.They want you here.Unfortunately, his anxiety never wanted to listen to his logical brain. No, why would it do something reasonable like that? He forced his fingers to uncurl from where they were digging permanent imprints into the steering wheel. Okay. He could do this. Once he was at the party, he would feel better. It was the hesitating beforehand that made everything so much worse.

“Finn?”

He yelped and flinched so hard he hit the steering wheel and the horn sounded.

“Shit. Sorry.”

Finn cringed. If invisibility was possible, he’d take it any time now. He hadn’t even made it out of the truck. Fuck. Just act normal.

“No, it’s my fault. I was distracted,” he said, looking through the truck’s open window.

Dr. Reid, the local vet, stood a few feet away, dressed in jeans and a flannel like he’d come straight from work. He smiled and gestured toward the house. “It sounds like everyone’s on the deck. Are you on your way in?”

Finn bit the inside of his cheek but nodded. Staying out here now that he’d been spotted would only make him look weirder. He grabbed the Pyrex dish from the passenger seat and hopped down from the truck. Dr. Reid waited patiently, hands in his pockets.

“How have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Good,” Finn managed to say without stumbling over the word. “Busy.”

It was a lot easier to walk around to the back of the house with someone next to him. It also helped that it was Dr. Reid. Finn had always liked the vet, ever since he’d been a kid and gotten to watch him deliver a foal out at the King farm. The way Dr. Reid had spoken to the distressed mare had been so soothing. Finn had decided then and there that he would be a vet someday, too.

Of course, things didn’t always work out how you planned when you were a kid. But that was okay. He was still a fan of Dr. Reid and his firm but kind demeanor. Micah teased that Finn should ask him on a date, but as much as he liked the vet, Finn wasn’t attracted to him.

As they rounded the house and the back deck came into view, Finn’s footsteps faltered. There were more people than he’d expected, and for a moment no one was familiar. Then Ryan, the ranch manager, and Izzy, one of the ranch hands, stepped out onto the deck. Finn’s anxiety loosened its hold and he realized the twins who worked at the ranch, Archer and Alice, were there, too. He liked Archer, but Alice kind of scared him. She was very blunt.

There was no sign of Micah, who had invited him, but he had to be there somewhere, right? Nick, Micah and Ryan’s new boyfriend, was also missing, but Maggie, the owner of the ranch, was over by the grill with Micah’s dad, the sheriff.

Now that Finn’s brain was working again, he realized that the only person he didn’t recognize was the tall, dark-haired man with his back to the steps, talking to Sheriff Avery.

Finn’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. This was okay. He could do this.

“Keegan, Finn,” Ryan called as they stepped up onto the deck. “Glad you made it.”

Dr. Reid and Ryan exchanged a handshake that was half hug. Finn clutched the buffalo dip until Ryan greeted him as well, reaching out to give his shoulder a quick squeeze.

“Want me to take that?” Ryan offered.

Finn glanced down. Crap. Of course he couldn’t just carry it around all night, but if he gave it up, what would he do with his hands?

Before he could come up with a suitable answer, the dish was taken and replaced with a drink that looked fruity and smelled strong. Izzy gave him a wink and headed for the picnic table with the dip. Finn called a thank-you to his back, relieved at the easy solution, then took a sip of his drink. Sweetness hit his tongue and warmth burned its way to his belly. It was strong but good. He’d have to pace himself. His stomach still wasn’t a hundred percent.

With his drink as a convenient shield, Finn stayed on the edge of the crowd. Dr. Reid had moved to talk to the people standing around the grill. Finn glanced away so he wouldn’t look like he was hovering. He wasn’t a lost puppy and he wasn’t Dr. Reid’s responsibility. He took a gulp of his drink, praying the alcohol would make him feel less out of place. That was when he noticed Maggie waving him over. Thank goodness. He crossed the deck and was startled when she pulled him into a hug but returned it.

“Finn, it’s good to see you. Micah said you were coming. I’m so glad you made it.” Her voice was warm, without even a hint she was just being kind. She smiled at him when he stepped back, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Micah and my nephew are still inside, but make yourself at home. That dish you brought smells incredible. Is it your grandma’s old recipe?”

Finn nodded, surprised she remembered. His grandmother had passed away when Finn was young, but he and Pops still had a box of her old recipes, and Finn had dug one out when he hadn’t known what else to bring.

Maggie clapped her hands together once. “Then I better get some before these kids eat it all. I definitely don’t want to miss out.”

The sheriff chuckled and called after her, “Grab me some too, Mags.” He turned back to the grill. “What’s this I hear about you working with a new animal rescue?” he asked Dr. Reid.

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