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Finn’s eyes slide to me, and I notice the way he flexes his fingers at the wheel. “I can tell Ryland I can’t do the show.”
“What?” I ask, my voice loud as I sit up. “No! Griffin, you can’t do that.”
“I can,” he says. “It’s fine, Ellie. Other opportunities will come. I just don’t feel right about leaving you for two weeks after this.”
“No.” The word is a firm order. “I’m fully capable of handling this on my own.”
“You handle a lot on your own.”
My brow furrows. “No, I don’t. Lennon and Cass will be here, and you’ll still have a cell phone. It’s not like you’re going off to war.”
“I might not be able to respond during the shows.” When I look at his shoulders, I can see tension there. “Or if we don’t have service wherever we’re driving.” He slows the car as we pull in front of my house, putting it in park before turning toward me.
His smile is nowhere to be found, and the realization cuts sharp like a blade.
“No,” I say again, more confident. “You’re going to go on this tour, Finn. You’re going to go, and you’re going to enjoy yourself. I will be here when you get back.”
I don’t let him respond. I pull at the handle, and flee the vehicle. If he gets too soft, I may just melt into him–like a damn popsicle. I refuse to be the reason he stays in Ohio forever without ever exploring the opportunities out on the road. I refuse to make him sacrifice that for me.
I fumble with the keys, quickly inserting them into the lock when he comes up behind me.
When we’re both in the house, he takes my face firmly in his hands, crashing his lips into mine, and I stumble back. His mouth demands attention, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips until I let him in.
It doesn’t take much.
It never has.
Finn convinced me he was trustworthy in a coffee shop with roughly thirty minutes of questioning.
When he pulls away, his chest is rising and falling at a rapid pace, as if he placed all of his emotions into the kiss–as if he needed it, too.
“Okay,” he finally agrees, resting his forehead against mine. “But youwillcall me if you need me, Ellie.”
I nod. “I will.”
“And if I don’t have service on the road, I’ll pen you a letter or something.”
I laugh, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him in. Finn grips the back of my head, his thumb stroking over my hair.
“I’m in love with you, Ellie.”
I blink, not sure if I heard him right.
“I’m so fucking in love with you. I think I knew it the moment I met you.”
My fingers fist the back of his shirt, clinging on for dear life. “I’m in love with you, too.”
Thirty-One
Griffin
Night stretches on outside of the bedroom windows as I pull Ellie closer to my chest.
I considered staying at least three more times. Especially when she talked about meeting her dad for dinner in a few days. I want to be here so fucking bad, but she’s right.
It would be so easy to let fear guide me–to build that wall around my heart–the one that keeps me in place. I’ve spent a lot of time craving stability. So much time that I’ve forgotten how to go after the things I want.
Even so, leaving her eats away at something deep inside of me.
