Page 150 of Finn Rhodes Forever

Those were the moments that had made us. They were so sweet they made my heart ache.

“I lost you in the grocery store once.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. “Scariest moment of my life. You were in the candy aisle ten feet away but I’ll never forget that terror.” She opened her eyes and shook her head to herself. “Finn looked rattled yesterday and I didn’t help.” Her eyes flickered again with emotion as she met my gaze. “I’m sorry.”

In my chest, something eased and I nodded. “Okay.” I gestured at the car. “I have to go.”

She nodded. “Alright.” She swallowed. “Let’s have Finn over for dinner next week, okay?”

The corner of my mouth tipped up. “Sure.”

I got back in the car, turned the engine on, and backed out of the driveway. I called Miri and asked where Finn was, and she called me back within minutes with a report that Finn’s old Mustang was parked in front of a little bungalow a street away from the marina—Beck’s house.

Within minutes, I arrived in front of the small, quaint home. Perfectly manicured garden beds sat out front with bright, blooming flowers. There was a white picket fence, and the windows even had shutters. I tried to remember who lived here before Beck.

His black Mustang was parked in the driveway. I parked behind it and turned off the car before heading up to the front door.

I had to tell a guy that I loved him.

57

Finn

On Sunday afternoon,I sat on Beck’s back porch. I couldn’t stay in my apartment last night; everything reminded me of her, and I needed space to gather my thoughts. I hadn’t wanted to go to any of my brothers’ places, because either they or my sisters-in-law would want to talk.

I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to figure things out.

So I came to Beck’s place and slept on his couch. Beck was the guy who everyone went to when they needed help, and I’d make it up to him. Early this morning, he left for the hospital, so I had the place to myself all day.

I hated it. Hated being alone when I could sense her out there, hurting.

I thought about my realization back in the forest, before we found the flower. I needed to keep Liv’s heart safe. My eyes closed as my chest ached. I wasn’t ready to walk away from Liv. If I did, I was hurting her all over again.

A rock landed in my stomach. There was my answer.

I couldn’t make the same mistake I made twelve years ago, I knew that. I thought about Cole in the bar. I wouldn’t be that guy.

I had to make it right, something I didn’t do years ago. I wouldn’t let her down again. I had to be there for her like I’d promised her all summer, even when it was hard. That was what mattered.

Inside the house, I grabbed my phone, my wallet, and my keys before heading to the front door. I opened it—

Liv stood there, about to knock.

“Oh,” she said softly.

“Hi.” My pulse picked up, whistling in my ears at the sight of her.

In her plaid flannel, hanging open over a tank top, with her cutoff jean shorts and sneakers, Liv Morgan was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. My chest hurt, watching her with her wide eyes, plush mouth, and pretty, sloped nose covered in freckles. Her being in front of me made all our problems seem insignificant.

“Hi,” she said back, lowering her hand.

“Liv,” I started. “I screwed up—”

She held a hand up. “Shut up for a second.”

My eyebrows shot up. Behind her, my dad’s vintage Porsche sat parked behind my car.

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