Page 73 of Finn Rhodes Forever

Forty minutes later,we sat on the couch watchingBridesmaidsand eating pizza.

I shifted to face her. “Did you know dinner was going to bethatbad?”

She snorted and shook her head. “No. I’m so sorry.”

I shrugged. “Don’t be. I loved watching your face get more and more red.”

“I can’t believe she threwtwoglasses of wine.”

“You’ve been working in a bar for years, you’ve never seen someone throw a drink?”

She shifted, tucking her feet under her legs. “No. I’ve always wanted to see it, though.”

“So you’re saying you crossed something off your bucket list tonight.”

She grinned. “I guess so. I’ll bring Avery apology donuts tomorrow.”

“What else is on your list?” I asked her before taking a bite of pizza.

“Well, finding the flower.” Her mouth twisted and she wiggled her eyebrows at me. “You know that.”

“Mhm. What else?”

“Finishing my PhD, although I don’t care about having the letters after my name. I just want to work in forest research.” She glanced out the sliding glass door at the setting sun splashing orange and pink across the sky. “I think I want kids.” In her lap, her fingers hooked around each other as she fidgeted. She met my gaze and pressed her mouth into a thin line before shrugging.

This slice of Liv’s heart made my chest ache. It felt like she had peeled back one layer of the armor around herself to show me her skin, even if I hurt her before.

“Multiple kids?”

The corner of her mouth ticked up. “Yeah. Being an only child can be kind of lonely. I got lucky.”

“How?”

Her gaze warmed. “Well, there was a whole house of kids next door.”

“Mhm.” I kept my eyes on her, even if she could barely look at me. “Having me made you less lonely?”

She nodded. “There’s no guarantee of having a kid next door to be best friends with like I had. I know kids are expensive and have tantrums and ruin your sleep but I want two.”

I reached out and set my hand on the couch between us, palm up like I had a handful of birdseed, waiting for a wary bird to land and say hello.

“You want two because you want your kids to have what we had? Best friends like that?” I asked.

She stared at my hand, nodded, and dropped her palm into mine. My heart thumped a steady, excited rhythm in my chest at the contact of her warm, soft skin. I stroked my thumb back and forth, back and forth.

“Liv?” My voice was low.

Her gaze lifted to mine.

“Do you want to…” I trailed off, huffing a laugh.

“What?” Curiosity and heat rose in her eyes.

“Do you want to throw a glass of wine in my face?”

29

Finn

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