Page 63 of When We Were Us
Ho-ly shit.I just made out with my hot-as-fuck ex in a dark alley.
I press my fingers to my lips with a small smile.
He smiles back at me, makingtwogenuine smiles from Hank Hayes in a matter of minutes. He puts a hand on the small of my back and pulls open the door to the bar with his other hand. “I’ll walk you out.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
wrenley
The next morning,I’m surprised to find Finnley on my doorstep bright and early in sweats and an oversized T-shirt.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were sick!” I prop the screen door wide with my hip. Taking the drink carrier of iced coffees from her, I wrap my other arm around her neck for a squeeze.
“How did you get here?” Peeking around her, I catch a glimpse of Hudson. His arm is waving out the window as he drives away in a white Chevy with the Hayes Ranch logo on the side.
“I’m feeling better,” she says, breezily, as she toes off her flip-flops in the entryway. She returns my hug, and I notice a white paper bag in her other hand.
“Just high blood sugar, I think. Sometimes alcohol and diabetes don’t play.” Finn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was eight, but she reassures me she has always managed it well. “Oh, and I almost dropped those suckers in the driveway,” she adds, motioning to the drinks in my hand.
“Ha! You don’t say.” I cackle at the look she gives me. “What? Some things never change.”
“Har har.” Her tone is sarcastic, and there’s an amused glint in her eye. At least she’s always been a good sport about it.
I motion for her to follow me into the living room. She plops herself at one end of the couch, sitting cross-legged, and I do the same at the other end.
Once we’re settled with coffees opposite us on the coffee table, she reaches into the bag and produces an apple fritter for me and bear claw for her.
“Speaking of high blood sugar…” My eyes wide, I eye the gigantic donut in her hand.
With an exaggerated eye roll, she says, “I just dosed myself,Mom.”
“Oh. Well, in that case…” We tap our donuts together and grin at each other as we each take a huge bite.
I groan and roll my eyes as slivers of sugar glaze drop on my shirt.
“Right?” Finn says around a bite of her bear claw. “Nat is a literal baking goddess. I always bring home day-old stuff when I work the closing shift.”
I swallow the huge bite I just took and point at the bag on her knee.
“Please tell me you brought more than two.”
“You know I did.”
I reach across the space between us, and we high-five each other.
“So…since you’re here…” I smile mischievously, dragging out the last word. Licking my fingers, I reach for my coffee. “Want to help me today? I thought I’d start packing up all these plates, then tackle all the breakables in the hallway and my grandparent’s bedroom.” I’ve got to get them all down so I can paint as soon as possible.
Finn tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes at me. “Actually, why don’t you start with you and Hank sucking face on the dance floor last night.”
I huff out a laugh and look up at the ceiling, a flush creeping up my neck. I roll my head on the back of the couch to look at her. “You saw that, huh?”
“Uh, every freaking person in thebarsaw that, Wren.” She swats my arm. “And then, you guys disappeared for God knows how long to God only knows where! Now spill!”
I drop my head back to the couch with a long moan.
“Uh-oh.” A piece of donut drops on her lap, and she picks it up, cramming it into her already full mouth. “You guys have a fight or something?”
I squeeze my eyes shut and crook up the corner of my mouth before turning to her. I can’t believe I’m about to have this conversation without alcohol. I still can’t believe it happened. Butterflies erupt in my stomach just thinking about it.
