“Right outside a hospital? Really?” I ask.
I watch him jump and struggle to put it out, then spin toward me, and if I had even a grain of energy left, I would laugh at the look of pure terror on his face.
“Fuck, you look like shit,” he exclaims.
“This really needs to stop being the first thing you say to me when you pick me up.”
He winces. “Sorry, Lee. You’re still beautiful if that helps.”
“You’re fine, I don’t even have the energy to properly be offended.”
“Let’s get you home so you can sleep, then.” He heads toward his truck.
“No.”
He stops. “No?”
“I need to make two stops instead.”
He scoffs in disbelief. “Oakleigh, look at you, you’re dead on your feet. Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
“I wanted to bring some coffee and some breakfast to Finn before he starts work.”
He squints at me, as if he can better see where the hell such a stupid idea came from. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“He always makes an effort for me.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t kill himself to do it.”
“But he does it,” I argue.
I can see that he wants to argue, but I’m determined. Not only would it be good for someone to see me make an effort for Finn like this and keep up the ruse, it would also just be good to do something nice for him. I haven’t done a single bit of washing all week because all he does when he is at mine is cook, clean and allow me to relax as much as possible. He even gave me a foot rub the other night. I need to do this.
And I think Bash can see that, because all he does is sigh and pinch his eyes with his fingers. “Fine,” he eventually says. “But if you die, I ain’t bringing you back here.”
“Oh, definitely not here,” I reply as I hop into the truck. “The staff are terrible.”
* * *
I manage to sneak in a nap before getting up and helping Bash make breakfast. By almost seven, we make it to the construction site where Finn is working (I know this because he insists on sharing his location with me all the time). There’s a bald guy leaning against the privacy fence—the tall, dark, and handsome type. The minute he sees me, his eyes widen and he stands straight.
“Well, hi, there,” he says looking down at the coffee and breakfast stuff in my hand. “That for me?”
Ew, okay maybe just tall, dark, and cringey.
“I’m looking for Finn?” I say, completely ignoring his wandering eyes. “My name’s Oakleigh, I’m his girlfriend.”
Bald dude’s eyes almost bulge out of his head. “Holy shit, you’re the boss’s girl? I’m so sorry, I didn’t know!”
“Where is he?” I can hear Bash snickering behind me.
“Go straight in. You’ll see him.”
“Thanks.”
I move around him and go through the gate, but not before Bash calls out and says, “I’ll wait here for you! Someone should probably give this guy some tips on how to talk to women.”
My laugh is loud and hoarse as I go through the gate and into the courtyard.
