Page 82 of Finn Rhodes Forever

I stuck the thermometer back in Finn’s mouth. I’d taken ten temperature readings today. One hundred degrees. My eyebrows lifted. This was good. His fever was going down.

He’s been sleeping all day. Temperature down to 100F.

Good. I’ll check in tomorrow morning, he replied.

I rubbed my sternum, swelling with gratitude for him. Next time he came into the bar, his drink was on me.

Finn was leaving. I swallowed past a thick throat. I didn’t know what to think anymore. A pressure built in my chest but I shoved it away. I didn’t dare let myself be disappointed. Disappointed over what? This thing with Finn was temporary. I crawled under one of the blankets and settled into bed, letting the steady rhythm of his breathing lull me to sleep.

* * *

I wokein the middle of the night to Finn sitting up beside me.

“Liv?” He frowned in the dim light.

My hand came to his shoulder. “I’m here.”

He made a soft noise of acknowledgement before relaxing back into the pillows, and a muscle in my chest tugged. He needed me. He was comforted that I was here. We’d never done this before. When we were teenagers, our parents took care of us when we were sick.

I’d never taken care of anyone when they were sick before.

I blew a long breath out. Oh, shit. This was a relationship thing. This was what partners did.

“So glad you’re here.” His eyes were closed again.

I put my hand on his forehead. He felt cooler than before. I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t back to normal but better. So much better than before. Good.

“I love you so fucking much,” he mumbled, reaching for my hand and tucking it to his chest, and I froze.

My mind whirled, repeating what I had heard. Where he trapped my hand against him, I could feel his heartbeat.

Finn was leaving, he said it himself, but he also read all my research papers, something even my parents hadn’t done. He told me he wanted to have kids with me. He told me we were meant to be. He was trying to woo me.

My forehead creased and I winced. I was so, so confused.

“You said you weren’t staying earlier,” I said softly. “Where are you going?”

He clutched my hand, half asleep. “Going to buy us a house.”

I stared at him. “What?”

He cleared his throat, turning onto his back, eyes still closed. “That old house at the edge of town. Holden said he’d help me fix it up. Four bedrooms for Cora’s cousins.”

The one we passed every time we drove into the mountains. The one we used to ride our bikes to as kids. He knew I loved that house. My nose was practically against the windshield whenever we drove past it.

My pulse picked up and I stared at Finn’s face, pressing my mouth into a thin line so I wouldn’t smile. Bubbles fizzed in my chest.

He wasn’t leaving. He just meant he wasn’t stayingherein this apartment.

Don’t you dare get your hopes up.

I wanted to, though. I really fucking wanted to get my hopes up. Would I regret not giving us a shot? Fifty years from now, would I think about Finn Rhodes and wish I’d said yes?

I thought about Cole. He and my mom were high school sweethearts. They loved each other, and they had akidtogether and he still didn’t stay.

I bit my lip, watching Finn sleep. I had no freaking clue what to do.

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