“Is it life threatening?” is the first thing he asks.
“What? No.”
He breathes a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. Then I don’t feel bad for stopping to pick this up on the way.” He lifts a plain white plastic bag with a white takeout container inside.
“Wait a second. What if it was life threatening?”
“Then if you’d survived, this would have been my apology for taking a minute longer than necessary.”
I already feel better.
The minute Finn closes the door behind him, Ollie comes running out of the laundry room. He bypasses me completely and heads straight to Finn so he can rub his head against Finn’s leg.
“You come into my house for two seconds and all of a sudden I become fucking Billy-no-mates.”
Finn scoops Ollie up into his arms and my traitorous black cat makes biscuits on his chest while he snuggles against his cheek. Honestly, it’s moving from being endearing, to just plain insulting. I’ve been feeding this little bitch for years and not once have I had these kinds of snuggles. If he’s not careful, I’m gonna get another cat just to piss him off. A cat that I’ll love just as much, obviously.
“Hey, boy,” Finn greets, giving Ollie scratches behind the ear. The little shit moves his head until Finn’s hand is exactly where he wants it, his purring loud enough that I’d hear it if I was in my bedroom. Finn doesn’t stop giving Ollie scratches while he asks me, “So, what is it that I can help with?”
My attention is brought back to the matter at hand, and I find the anxiety coming back in waves. A few deep breaths do little to help, but it gives me enough room to get the words out.
“That agent I sent my book off to has just emailed me asking for the entire manuscript.”
Finn freezes, uncertainty painting itself across his face. “Okay, so I’m not entirely sure how to react, because on the one hand, you’ve wanted this for ages and so I’m here thinking it’s good news, but then you’re also making it sound like this is the worst thing to ever happen to you so…you’re going to have to help me out here.”
I shake my head. “I’m elated, really I am. I’m just also freaking out.”
“Okay, well in that case…” Finn grabs me and pulls me close, his lips colliding with mine briefly, but for long enough to still scramble my senses. “That was to say congratulations. I’m infinitely proud of you and you deserve this.” Next, he pulls me into a bear hug. “And this is to let you know that it’s going to be okay. Of course it will be, you’re an amazing writer who deserves to become a goddamn bestseller. And you will become one.”
I can feel my cheeks flush. “Thanks. I just…I don’t know. I think I just feel unworthy.”
“Look at me,” he orders, his voice low enough to send a thrill down my spine. “Oakleigh you have something so rare.”
“What’s that?” I ask quietly.
“Passion.” He leans forward until his nose almost touches mine. “You have a passion for something and even if that something only ever makes sense to you, you are still worthy of doing it and achieving because of it.”
Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as every one of Finn’s words resonates with me.
“I know you’re a good writer, Oakleigh, but even if you weren’t, I’d tell you to do it because it’s something you love to do, and I love nothing more than seeing your eyes light up every time you talk about it and explain the same thing to me five times. I want to hear it over and over again, because I see and hear the passion that burns within you. So, if you ever think you’re unworthy, you come straight to me and I’ll remind you as many times as necessary that you are worth this, Cherry. Every bit of it.”
My face becomes wet as tear after tear streaks down my cheeks. I wish I could get the words as perfect as he does. I wish I could tell him that he, too, deserves everything and more when it comes to pursuing architecture and building the house, but words that encouraging will never come to me, I fear. I’ll just have to find a way to show him instead.
“Thank you.” Barely any sound comes out, I mouthed it more than anything because emotion just clogs up every inch of my throat until I can barely swallow. I fall into one of his hugs yet again, and this time I stay there for as long as possible, even when Ollie tries to get in between us.
Finn looks down at my wayward feline. “Sorry, kid, mummy and daddy time, I’m afraid. Off you go.”
Like the obedient little cat that Ollie has never been, he trots off somewhere in the house to do what I am convinced is something drastic, like becoming a hitman or something.
“You seriously have to teach me that.”
“It’s all in the tone.”
I slump down onto my couch and bring my knees up to my chin. Finn takes a seat beside me, draping his arm over the back of the chair. Together, we bask in this rare moment of peace and tranquility that seems to pause time.
“I have a confession to make,” Finn says, breaking the silence.
“Oh?” I ask, turning myself until I’m snuggled into the crook of his arm.
