Page 58 of Something Unforgettable

Finn gave him a tentative smile. “Same.”

Micah put one arm around Finn and half-hauled Izzy over the counter with the other. “Well, I got the best dad ever, and I’m happy to share him with both of you.”

Finn laughed. Sheriff Avery was great. Finn wouldn’t mind that at all. He was pretty sure you couldn’t have too much family.

Now he just needed Pops home and back to his old self.

That and Xavier.

The good feelings from Micah and Izzy’s visit lasted Finn through the rest of the morning. Micah took the truck out to make deliveries, and when he got back he took over the register so that Finn could visit Pops.

The hospital was busy when Finn got there, but he knew where Pops’s room was. When he opened the door, the TV was on and someone was sitting in one of the visitor chairs, watching football. Pops was propped up in bed, looking thin and frail in his hospital gown. Then he gave a shout when one of the teams on the television scored. Finn smiled. That was his grandfather. He might be stuck in bed, but he wasn’t going to miss his beloved Mountaineers when they were up against Georgia Southern. Finn wasn’t a football fan, but he cheered for App State for Pops’s sake.

He focused on the other person in the room. It was Bri, the high school cheerleader that helped him the night of the accident.

“Hi, Pops. Hi, Bri,” he said, a little bewildered by her presence. He made his way to the bed to give Pops a hug, then dropped into the other visitor chair.

Pops smiled and reached out to grip Finn’s hand. He was still so strong. It made some of Finn’s anxiety unknot.

“Finn, hi,” Bri said with a big smile. “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

Finn smiled back, wondering if he might be in aTwilight Zoneepisode. Bri had been the most popular girl in school the year Micah was a senior. And now she was a paramedic.

“Thank you for your help the other night,” he said. “I didn’t get to say that before.”

Bri waved him off. “Just doing my job.”

Finn glanced at the game on the TV. The Mountaineers were up by three. “You like football?”

Bri laughed. “I wasn’t a cheerleader for four years of high school and four of college just because I loved the short skirts and pompoms—they were a bonus.”

Finn’s cheeks heated. “Sorry, I just assumed—”

“I’m messing with you, Finnegan.” She reached out and patted Pops on the hand. “I’m gonna head back out, Mac, but I’ll stop in tonight, okay?”

“I think they’re moving him to the rehab ward today,” Finn said. “He might not be here anymore.”

Bri gave him a questioning look. “The specialist didn’t call you?”

Finn stared back. “What specialist?”

Bri stood. “I’ll let his doctor know you’re here. He should be the one to fill you in.” She gave Pops a hug goodbye, and Finn a fist bump and a reassuring smile, then she was gone.

“Such a nice young lady,” Pops said, eyes back on the game. “You should ask her out, Corey.”

Finn swallowed and fought back a sudden rush of grief. “She’s very nice, Pops. But she doesn’t want to date me. I’m gay.”

Pops frowned. “Right, right. I know that.” He straightened a little in bed and looked like he was trying to focus. “How are you, my boy? How was your trip?”

Finn had told Pops all about LA the day before, but the doctor said it was better to go along with his questions. They thought a lot of the short-term memory issues were from the concussion, but they weren’t ruling out things that Finn didn’t want to think about too hard. Things like Alzheimer’s.

He distracted himself from thoughts of the future by telling Pops about his trip. About meeting Remy and Isabella. About Xavier’s home and how good he’d been to Finn.

“I like the sound of him. When do I get to meet him?”

Finn forced a smile. It was hard not to remind Pops that he had met Xavi twice already, if briefly. “Soon, I hope.”

The doctor came in then, holding a tablet and scrolling through something on its surface. “Hi, Finn. Bri told me the neurosurgeon didn’t update you?”

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