Page 25 of Finn Rhodes Forever

I made a jerking off motion. “Hey look, it’s me, Emmett, thinking about minivans.”

Holden and Wyatt started laughing and Emmett looped his elbow around my neck, trying to put me in a headlock while I fought him off, laughing.

“He has a point,” Holden added when we sat back down. “About looking responsible.” He spared a glance at me, frowning. “But you have to do it the right way. A way that’ll matter to Olivia. She won’t give a shit about you combing your hair.”

I gestured at him. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”

“If she’s worried you’re going to leave, you need to put down roots here.” Emmett’s eyes were bright as he gesticulated. “Get involved in the community. Find a place to live long-term. Make it clear that you’re staying and committed. Stop doing dumb shit for the adrenaline rush because that’ll freak her out.”

My mind wandered to the old house at the edge of town Liv and I used to ride our bikes past as kids. We had driven past it the other day.

“Get a car that can fit a car seat,” Emmett added.

I picked up his beer and poured it into mine before turning back to Holden. “Go on.”

His gaze flicked up to the game and we watched our team lose before he turned back to me. “Find out what she needs and then give that to her, or help her get it for herself.”

I thought about the flower, how she’d been working on her thesis for almost two years.

She used to laugh so easily around me. She used to be right behind me, sprinting down a hill or climbing trees to race to the top.

I spotted her ringing an order through on the side of the bar, her eyebrows knitted together. She never used to be so serious and guarded like this. Now she seemed… stuck.

I chewed my lip, thinking.

“Yeah,” I said. “I can work with that.”

I’d be the guy Liv needed, because the alternative was too fucking sad to even consider.

* * *

“You’re still here,”she said later, appearing in front of me, drumming her fingers on the counter. Her expression was indiscernible as her warm brown eyes roamed my face.

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my palm, smiling. “Thought I’d keep you company for a while.”

I waited for her to tell me she didn’t need company.

She lifted an eyebrow. “We should go on a date,” she said instead, ignoring my brothers’ glances.

My mind stuttered.

“Since we’re, you know,” she shrugged, “togetherand all.”

I sat up straighter. “Yes. Fuck, yes.” My mind ran wild with a thousand images of the things we used to do—stargazing on the roof outside my bedroom window, riding bikes with the wind in our hair, exploring the coastline, collecting shells. “I’ll plan it.”

“No,” she blurted out before catching herself and smiling quickly at me. “I want to take you out. Let me plan it.” Something that looked like mischief flashed behind her eyes.

Okay, so she was up to something, but damn if I wasn’t curious as hell. If I wanted Liv back, I needed to show her that no matter how hard she pushed me away, no matter how fucked up her hair looked, I wasn’t going anywhere.

A beaming smile stretched across my face. “Alright. It’s a date.” I glanced at the time. “Are you okay down here if I leave? I have an overnight shift tomorrow and I want to get enough sleep. I never sleep well at the fire hall.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Finn, I will manage to run the bar if you’re not sitting here.”

Even in a flat tone like that, I loved the way she said my name. I stood, tucking my stool under the counter. “Alright, I’ll say goodnight then,baby.”

She stiffened. She didn’t like that nickname. “Bye.”

“How about a goodnight kiss?” I said, because playing with fire made my blood whistle.

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