Page 30 of The Better Choice

“I figured,” she said, moving one cup-filled hand up and down slightly toward his attire.

“Right.” A soft laugh escaped his throat, and she’d be lying if she said it didn’t make her stomach twist into a knot. “Well, I’m glad it all worked out for you, then.” He lifted his hat from his side slightly in a small salute. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be seeing you.”

“Finn?” she asked before he could turn around.

“Yeah?” His eyes met hers, and they were softer somehow. Hopeful.

“Weren’t you coming to get coffee?” she asked, pointing to the cart with her thumb.

He stared at it for a minute and then looked back to her. “No. Er, well, maybe. But…I’m just going to head home.”

“Don’t let me run you off,” she said, her tone defensive. “I was just leaving.”

He frowned. “You aren’t running me off, Blythe. It was…it was really good to see you, actually.”

“It was?”

“Yeah.” The small smile on his face told her he meant it. But then why had he pushed her away? Why had he made her decision so easy? If he hadn’t forced her to leave, there was a very real chance she would’ve never gone back to Asher. Not that she wasn’t happy—she was. But could she be happier? She’d never know now.

“Well, it was good to see you, too.”

“I’m glad everything worked out for you.”

“Who says it did?” she asked.

“Didn’t it?”

“Asher’s a good guy,” she told him. “He’s made a really big effort to show me he’s serious about us.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” His mouth contorted in thought. “Are you happy?”

“Do you care?” she asked, her voice so soft that he had to lean in to hear her.

He was still for a moment. “I do. But I shouldn’t.”

“Because you’re dangerous?”

“Because I put you in danger.”

“I’m a big girl, Finn. I can take care of myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to. If this guy makes you happy, you should be with him.”

She nodded. “Well, he does.”

“Good.”

Her lips squeezed into a thin line as she tried to think of what to say next. He was being stubborn. Difficult. He obviously had secrets. Asher was easy. Simple. Fun. And he cared about her. So, why couldn’t she keep herself from hoping that Finn would keep talking? Why did she want more with a man who’d made it clear there was no future to be had with him?

“Okay, I’m going to go,” he said finally, letting out a loud sigh. “I’ll see you around.”

“See you,” she whispered, watching him walk out of sight. Her phone chimed in her pocket, breaking her trance, and she glanced down, knowing it would be Asher wondering where she was. With her hands full, she had no way of checking it, but she turned and walked back toward his apartment in a hurry. He was just leaving work and, with any luck, she was going to surprise him.

* * *

“Hey, stranger,”Asher said, pulling her in for a kiss as soon as he saw her. He took his iced coffee from her hand. “I was hoping I’d get to see you tonight.”

They walked up the stairs, hand in hand, as she took a sip of her drink. “Sorry,” she told him. “I wanted to respond to your message, but it came through as soon as both of my hands were occupied.”

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