"Finn...talk to me.Please."She took a careful step toward him."I just want to understand."
He spun around too fast."Understand what?"His voice came out rougher than she'd ever heard."You show up out of nowhere after years, and you expect me to just—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his hair."I don't know how to do this."
"I know it's strange."She held her arms out to her sides."I grew up, but I'm the same person."
"The hell you are."He pressed his lips together.
She took another step toward him, determined to close the distance he kept creating."I'm not asking for anything complicated.I...I have so much to tell you, and I want to know you better.I need to understand what is happening to me, to us."
He let out a harsh breath, shaking his head."I don't know what's going on."
"Finn," she whispered, "I've missed you so much."
He flinched.His gaze flicked to her, and for a split second, she saw the longing, fear, and confusion all tangled together.She held her breath.But then he shut down, shutting her out with it.
"Don't say that," he muttered.
"Why not?"Her voice cracked despite her best effort to keep it steady."It's the truth.I've thought about you every day since I was ten years old."
"Because I don't know what to do with that."He turned away from her.
The admission softened her, but she'd spent years holding herself together, walking roads alone, and imagining this moment.And now he was pushing her away and shutting himself down.She had no idea how to reach the part of him that was just as connected to her as she was to him.
He could deny his feelings all he wanted, but she wasn't blind.
"Finn," she whispered, "I'm not going anywhere.We'll figure this out together."
He stiffened again."You don't know what you're saying."
"Yes, I do."
"No," he snapped, turning back toward her."You don't."
She flinched at the sharpness of his voice.He stared at her reaction to his outburst.She hated that she couldn't hide how much it hurt.But she also refused to back down.
"You told me when I was ten years old that I could stay in a house in Everstill, and that's what I'm going to do.I can pay to stay," she said, steadier now."I didn't walk all those roads over the years just to turn around and leave."
His breath hitched, and for a moment, she thought he might talk with her.But instead, he looked away, jaw clenched so tightly she could see the muscle ticking.
"I need air," he muttered.
Before she could respond, he crossed the room in three long strides and yanked the door open.The slam of the door shutting behind him echoed through the small house, rattling the walls and her chest.
Kallie stared at the door, her heart sinking.She held herself together until she was sure he was gone.Only then did her shoulders sag.
She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to steady the growing ache.She'd found him.She'd made it back.She'd crossed hell to stand in front of him again, only for him to walk out on her.
She inhaled deeply and stepped over to the window, peering outside.Finn walked down the middle of the street, away from her.
Despite how confused and heartbroken she was by his reaction, she wasn't leaving.Too many people had abandoned her.She wasn't going to stand by and let someone else control her life.
Not this time.
Not ever again.
