Page 121 of Finn Rhodes Forever

My throat locked up and I swallowed.

“It’s okay.” Finn’s gaze was careful. His hand squeezed my thigh, draped across him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The knots in my chest and throat eased and I nodded, shooting him a small smile. He winked at me and I relaxed more.

“Liv, I can’t be without you. Can’t you see that?” His eyes were so clear under the stars, and his voice was so confident.

I blinked, searching for what to say, coming up with nothing except a bright warmth in my chest. I slipped my hand into his and the warm brush of his skin against mine, the light scrape of his callouses against my fingers made my blood hum. His thumb moved against the back of my hand, back and forth in comforting strokes.

I could lie here forever with him on the roof, staring at the stars.

“Look,” Finn whispered, pointing.

A shooting star spilled light across the inky sky, there for a moment and gone in a flash. My mind scrambled to make a wish. To pick something good.

Maybe I couldn’t be without Finn either, and I wished I’d never have to.

46

Finn

“Thankyousomuch for helping today,” Miri said as Liv and I loaded the boxes into the trunk and backseat of my Mustang.

Tomorrow, we were heading out on another hiking trip, but today, we were helping Miri with some errands around town. With her packed schedule of volunteering and social events, she was busy, so when I offered to help her out, she jumped at the chance. She had been thrilled when I dragged Liv with me.

“Don’t forget the box with the holes in it,” Miri added. “They need to go to the turtle sanctuary. They’ve got air and food so they should be fine for a couple hours. They’re still half-frozen so they’re a little loopy, anyway.” She whirled her finger around her temple in the sign forcrazy.

Liv and I exchanged an alarmed look.

Miri shoved the list into my hand with all the deliveries for today. “Thanks, you two, you’re lifesavers!”

“Bye, Miri,” Liv called as I studied the list. The boxes of books in my car were going to the school. After that, we’d pick up meals from local restaurants and drop them off with people who were homebound. It was a town program for people who were unable to leave the house. There was a box that needed to go to town hall, and then there was the box with air holes. A rustling sound came from inside and I winced.

“I’m going to put this one in the backseat,” I told Liv, and she wrinkled her nose and nodded.

We climbed into the car, I pulled out of Miri’s driveway, and Liv examined me from across the front seat.

“Are you Mr. Volunteer now?”

I shot her my most winning smile. “Sure. Something like that.”

Her eyes narrowed, but the corner of her mouth twitched up. “What do you have planned?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “We’re just running errands for Miri.”

This was one more way to show Liv and the town that I wasn’t the irresponsible, reckless brat from a decade ago. That guy never would have volunteered a whole day of his time to do deliveries.

“You’re trying to cause mayhem?” Liv prodded.

I choked with laughter. “No.”

She arched a brow in amused disbelief, and I shook my head.

“I promise,” I told her, grinning. “I’m an upstanding, responsible, community-oriented guy, like Emmett.”

She snorted. “Okay.”

“Miri trusts me.”

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