Noush and the absolute whirlwind my lovelife has become.
I feel a little quiver in my belly, but push it away. Tonight’s not a night for worries or big thoughts. It’s all about a bit of rum, a sunset, and my favourite ogress.
She opens her mouth to say something else, but snaps it shut again. Peering out at the ocean, she lets out a soft, "Oh, my,” right as there’s the sound of someone wading through the water.
I have to lean forward slightly to see past her, and my mouth goes dry as I spot the figure striding out from the water, dripping wet, with his shirt sticking to his chest like a second skin.
“And we were doing so well,” Frannie murmurs. “Can’t say I’m complaining, though.”
I let out another chuckle as Finch emerges fully from the water, pausing for just a second in front of us before he plops onto the ground between us. Reaching forward, he snags my drink from my fingers and takes a swig before handing it back.
“Thanks, love.”
“Bad evening?” Frannie asks, eyeing him speculatively.
“Busy,” he replies, leaning back on his hands and revealing a mostly bare chest glistening in the light of the fading sun. “I ditched another half dozen of Kit’s gifts to the king. Then had a chat with some beast-borne folk that could have done with a lift out of their town.” He huffs a long sigh. “It’s left me feeling remarkably useless this evening. Not something I’m a fan of, love.”
I squeeze his hand, earning myself a look of surprise that has me retreating. Before I can pull away entirely, his hand rests on top of mine, and then his tentacle layers itself on top of that until we’re a pile of appendages.
“What do you want to do about it?” Frannie asks. “Grab your ship and take them somewhere? Risk them getting arrested too?”
Finch huffs. “Point well made. Hence the impotent feeling. Perhaps we ought to have spent the past decade moving people around if they needed it. We could have been a ship of people smugglers instead of—”
“Merchants of chaos,” I supply, earning me a low chuckle.
“Nicely put.”
“I don’t know what you want us to say,” I tell Finch honestly. “It’s not like either of us has been out there healing the world’s wounds or anything.”
“We’ve both lived remarkably selfish lives,’ Frannie replies. “Just like a lot of people.” She takes another drink before waving her mug around in a lofty manner. “I’d guess even most people.”
“Is this what happens when the two of you drink?” Finch asks. “You turn into wise sages?”
“Or perhaps we’re always wise sages and the drinking is just for fun?” Frannie suggests.
Finch lets out a low chuckle that does dangerous things to my insides. “I’m crashing your lady time, aren’t I?”
“You are, but we don’t mind the eye candy,” Frannie replies. “I was about to do Ree’s hair for her to tame the frizz.”
Finch blinks, eyeing my hair with interest. “Do you mind if I stay?”
Frannie barely glances at me before nodding, and I’m glad that it’s not just me that couldn’t say no to Finch right now. Not while he’s looking all sad and bedraggled and like he can’t quite face going back to the house.
Frannie then pulls a bowl from somewhere, one that’s filled with a green concoction while she shifts to sit behind me. I shiver slightly as she smoothes the cool mixture through the length of my curls, smoothing it slowly so that it gets into each strand.
“Did Kit tell you what happened last night?” I ask Finch, earning myself a filthy snort from Frannie. Unluckily, she’s too far behind me to elbow in the ribs.
“He had an odd turn,” I continue, ignoring Frannie’s tipsy snicker. “Came out here, looking for someone and then he didn’t seem to know where he was or what he was doing.”
“Another reason I’m out of sorts tonight, love,” Finch replies. “I was really hoping his plan for the king would work, but we haven’t had any luck so far.” He shifts until he’s sitting slightlycloser, and one tentacle tentatively reaches out to poke the bowl of Frannie’s concoction. “There were another three names added to the list today. Three more of my crew I’ve failed to protect.”
I pat the tentacle that’s now smoothing through my hair along with Frannie’s deft fingers. “You’re doing your best, Finch, and that’s all you can do.” I hesitate and glance over my shoulder at Frannie, judging her reaction as I add, “Maybe you need a hair mask too. It might make you feel better. Captains need pampering too... probably.”
Finch hesitates for a long moment before giving a single head nod that’s more reserved than I’d expect from him. “I might take you up on that, love.”
Frannie and I work our way through her hair first, with Frannie insisting that my fingers are too small to do her hair efficiently without assistance. She then scrapes her hair away from her face before suddenly remembering that she promised to do something back at the house, efficiently bringing our girls’ night to an end.
When she reaches down to kiss me on the cheek, she murmurs, “Get it, girl. I’ll be asking for notes later.”
