Page 85 of Can't Help Falling

“But just remember what I said, Ky. One friend. All you need at a time like this is one friend. Trust me. Via was my only friend for like a decade.”

Kylie took a deep breath. “Okay. Right. Kindle, headphones, one friend. I can do that, I think.”

“I can bring your bag over if you want. You need it for the morning?”

“Are you sure? I know it’s a pain in the ass, and it really is just a bag. There’s just a few books in there I was hoping to bring and my favorite lip balm and—”

“Ky.” Fin laughed. “I’ll bring it over in an hour or two.”

“You’re the literal best.”

Fin said goodbye, laughing and shaking her head. She finished Matty’s tincture and set it aside to cool, spritzed her herbs with water she’d infused with moss agate and went into her bedroom to choose a few crystals for Kylie.

She chose an amethyst necklace because you can never go wrong with amethyst. She also chose a blue agate ring for attracting friendships and a small green malachite key chain for confidence.

Getting dressed herself, Fin gave herself a single, smiling shake of her head when she caught sight of her flowy royal blue pants she’d paired with her emerald green turtleneck, turquoise scarf and rough-hewn garnet earrings and necklace. Her hair was loose down her back, wild and, yes, she could admit, a bit pirate-princess-ish. Could she have looked any more different from her date with Donovan? She didn’t think so. She was practically a different person standing there.

The garnet, which she’d chosen without too much thought, was a stone that sought balance. It was an energy cleanser. And with any luck, it would keep her thoughts from getting too muddied if Tyler was home.

Which he might not be. Apparently, Kylie had told her, Ty was trusting her to get home from school on her own a few times a week. Which occasionally meant that she had the house to herself for a few glorious hours here and there.

Fin wondered if Ty had started doing that because she had mentioned it.

She grabbed her red coat with the hood, Kylie’s bag and an umbrella on her way out. Half an hour later, she was resurfacing in Tyler’s neighborhood, pleasantly surprised that there were still long, thin lines of pink in the sky leftover from the sunset.

She watched until she had to admit to herself that she was stalling and then crossed the street with a wave to the Camry that slowed down to let her pass.

The doorman was on his break, so Fin went straight up to Tyler’s floor, knocking when she got there.

Tyler flung the door open, a crisp T-shirt over perfectly fitting jeans and a dish towel tossed over one shoulder. He held a carrot stick in one hand and obviously hadn’t been clued in that she was coming over because the curiosity on his face immediately gave way to genuine delight at seeing her standing there. “Fin! Hi! What’s up?”

She held up Kylie’s bag. “I’ve been summoned to drop the forgotten bag.”

“Oh my gawd,” Tyler said, sounding just like Kylie, his delighted expression melting to one of complete horror. “My sister called you and asked you to trek across town to drop off a backpack? Of which she has three? I could have come and gotten it. Jeez.” He shook his head in disgust. “Please, for eff’s sake, come in. Do you want a beer? I made dinner. Let me feed you. At least, for the love of all that’s holy, tell me you’re hungry and that I can feed you.”

Fin laughed and stepped into his apartment, setting Kylie’s bag down and holding her breath while Tyler helped her strip her coat off. “It’s not that big of a deal, Ty. Besides, when I agreed to bring the bag, I may have assumed that there’d be a free dinner at the end of the line.”

He turned back from adjusting her coat on the hook, a smile on his face, which fell the second he looked at her. “Wow. You look...” He cleared his throat. “You have a date tonight or something?”

“Oh. No.” Just dressed up to see you. Fin’s mouth opened and closed, having no idea what to say.

“Fin! You’re a lifesaver!” Kylie came bounding into the room, red hair flying, and saved Fin from having to come up with something—anything—to say.

“No problem.” Fin handed over the bag. “And I added some crystal jewelry to the little pocket in front that’ll help with the friends thing if you want to wear it.”

“Score,” Kylie said solemnly, and it warmed Fin’s heart to know how seriously Kylie took her work.

“Hey. Kid,” Tyler cut in. “Please don’t ask our friends to trek across town to bring you stuff.”

“She volunteered!” Kylie insisted, looking up from the jewelry she’d already dug out of the bag.

“Based on how much like a kicked puppy you sounded, I’m assuming?”

Kylie looked like she was going to argue for a second and then bobbed her head to one side, apparently conceding the point. “All right, fair enough. Fin, I’m sorry. I should have just sent Ty for the bag.”

He burst out laughing. “Not exactly what I meant, but good enough, I guess.”

“What’s for dinner?” Fin asked, not even caring that she was a hopeless mooch.

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