Page 65 of A Hard Fit

Luka sucked in a breath. “That’s fair. Thomas is…good. And unfairly, devastatingly, gut-wrenchingly attractive.”

Finn snickered. “So, you had a good week?”

“I saw him practically naked, Finn.In a towel. Do you know what that did to me?”

“You’re yelling.”

“You’d yell too if you saw him.” Luka groaned. “Be honest, am I as pathetic as I sound?”

“Oh, Luka. So much worse.”

Luka sniffed. “You’re welcome for being an amazing best friend and even taking your call.”

Finn laughed. “All right, I gotta go. I have to make some room for Rory’s hard drives or whatever.”

“Yes, do that. And pretend I said something witty about hard drives. I don’t know, I just woke up.”

“Thanks, Luka.”

* * * *

Finn worked all day cleaning out his studio. Another stack of canvases had to go into the garage, encroaching on his workout space, and he reorganized his shelves and packed up the excess supplies strewn about the room. Those boxes teetered high on the existing piles near the freezer.

How’s it going?he texted Rory when he paused for some food around three.

Good! Griffin didn’t answer my messages but Jackson came over to help. We’re almost done. How’s it going for you?

For me? Good. For the garage? Not so much.

Lol. That poor garage. It’s stuffed full.

Maybe I’ll stuff you full later.

Promise?

Finn grinned. He had an idea.

* * * *

A couple of hours later, he was ready. He had dusted, vacuumed and mopped the empty half of his studio, then laid down a thick plaid blanket and a few cushions and set up a romantic candlelit picnic. He didn’t have a ton of time to cook, but he whipped up some mini-quiches, and there was chocolate caramel ice cream in the freezer, Rory’s favorite. When he heard Rory pull into the driveway, he lit the candles. Then he flung open the back door and ran to help unload the boxes.

“Hey,” Finn said, pouncing on Rory the minute they climbed out of his truck.

“Hey—” Rory tried to say, but it was cut off by Finn’s lips pressing to theirs.

When Finn pulled away, Rory laughed. “I missed you too.”

Finn peered through the window. The computer was in the cab, and Rory’s desk in the truck bed. “Alright. Let’s get this bad boy inside.”

Rory handed him the heaviest box. “Here you go, muscles.”

Finn was bursting to show Rory the picnic. “I have a surprise for you,” he said as soon as they got in the back door.

“Do you now?” Rory followed Finn inside and plopped their box onto the kitchen table, then reached for their phone. Their face clouded over as they stared at the screen. “Shit. I have to go.”

“What?” Finn hefted his box onto the floor.

“I’m sorry.” Rory typed madly as they spoke. “It’s Griffin. He’s… He’s having some trouble. I need to go talk to him.”

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