The payment is processed and the lady smiles at us, completely oblivious to my distracted state. “Thank you so much for visiting.”
As we’re walking away from the stall, I smirk at Finn and say, “You do realize I’ve been paying for everything so far, right?”
“Oh, I know, but what makes you think I haven’t been putting the money back into your account?”
I look up at him wide-eyed. “You didn’t.”
His smirk resembles the one that I showed him just moments ago. He shrugs and walks ahead.
The rest of our time at the festival goes like that—Finn buying me everything that I so much as look at, and me being too surprised the entire time to even fight it.
As we walk down the path, Wanda smiles at the two of us. She looks down at where my hand perfectly slots into Finn’s. The comfort I feel has me feeling completely put out.
“So, may I ask just one question about your relationship?” Wanda asks.
Finn groans, but I feel bad for Wanda. She’s excited about her son dating the one person she hoped he would, and she’s not even allowed to ask anything about it.
“Ask anything you’d like, Mama.”
Finn’s look is questioning my decision, but I send him one back letting him know that she needs this and so does he.
She claps her hands together and a little high-pitched squeal erupts from her. “Thank you! Okay, so I want to know if you’ll be moving in with Finn when he finds somewhere?”
“We’re not ready for that just yet, Mama,” Finn says. “I’m not putting any pressure on Oakleigh to do anything faster than she wants to.”
In my mind, I’m questioning why he has chosen to phrase it like that, with the subtle implication that I’m the one apprehensive about the idea.
“Until I can finally make a career change, I don’t think I’d be able to move out of Beckford just yet anyway.”
* * *
I groan and stop walking, my legs protesting every step. “I think my legs are broken.”
Wanda laughs at me. “I’m twice your age, how am I doing better than you?”
“You’re younger at heart. It helps you cheat.”
Wanda shakes her head, her smile beaming. Finn’s chuckle is low and vibrates across my skin like a tingly caress. My bag, which is almost overflowing with stuff, is on his shoulder, and some bags from various stalls are in his hand.
He holds his free hand out to me. “Up you get, Cherry. We’re almost at the car.”
I stare at his hand like it’s diseased. “Getting up is not something I think I’m capable of right now.”
“I could always put you over my shoulder again?” he says, and even though there’s mischief in his voice, his smile suddenly falls a little flat.
“Again?” Wanda asks, her voice high and excited.
“Again.” Finn and I say together.
I take my time grabbing Finn’s hand and letting him pull me up. When he pulls, he does so until my body is almost flush against his, our chests touching with each shallow breath in. I watch his chest rise and fall and of its own accord, my hand finds its way there, and the feel of his heartbeat under my hand seems to steady me somehow.
A frown takes over my face, a frown fueled by confusion and fear. No, I promised myself. No one else. No more heartbreak.
I pull away, probably a bit too abruptly, enough to make Wanda’s eyebrows flinch downward.
“Electric shock,” I mumble, sending both of them an apologetic glance.
Finn turns and stoops down. “Hop on.”
