“Do your parents know about me?”
Finn blows out a difficult sigh. “I didn’t really tell anyone in my family about our relationship when we were together. Not for any other reason than you were the only good thing in my life, and I didn’t want people asking questions. I just wanted to keep it for myself. I’ve always been the sort of person who doesn’t share personal stuff, and when my drinking got worse, I kept everything bottled up. Even the good parts.”
“Oh—”
“I know that sounds bad.” He winces. “I wasn’t really thinking at the time. But they know about you now. They know we were together. They know exactly what you mean to me.”
My throat starts to burn. “D-do they think I’m a bad person?”
“Why on Earth would they think that?”
I shrug. “Because I knew about your drinking habits and I could have done more.”
“Only I could have helped myself,” he says as we stop at a traffic light. “No matter what you said to me, nothing would have made me better, and we both know it. My parents would never think you’re a bad person. If anything, they’re probably relieved that I had someone like you at my darkest times. For them to know I wasn’t completely alone.”
My eyes tilt down as I hum. “I don’t want them to think I sat there and did nothing.”
“Maya,” Finn says before pushing the stick into gear and driving forward. “Without you, things would have been ten times worse, and they know that. You didn’t encourage me; you were never an enabler. You were my safe space until my demons got the better of me and I ruined everything myself. They are going to love you. I promise.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
It doesn’t take us long to get to Willows Bay, not before stopping along the way to grab some food and feed a restless Skye. But as soon as we pull up to the small seaside town, my heart starts to pound in my chest.
“We’re here,” Finn says as he stops outside a gorgeous blue and white house.
I stare out of the window at the house with a large porch and a bench outside the front door. My mouth falls open at the beauty of it. I pop the car door open and step out.
“Oh my god,” I whisper. “I know you told me it was a nice house, but you didn’t say it was stunning.”
Finn chuckles as he meets me on the pavement. “When you’ve lived here your entire life, I suppose you don’t appreciate the small things.”
The front door opens, and my eyes immediately gravitate to the three people who emerge. Finn’s mum steps out with a bright grin and an enthusiastic wave.
“You’re all here,” she says cheerily before hopping down the steps to greet us. “Welcome home.”
She steps forward to give her son a quick hug, and the second her eyes land on me, she smiles even brighter. “Hi, Maya,” she says before pulling me into her. “I’m Andrea. It’s so good to finally meet you. How was the journey?”
The hug is warm and motherly and immediately calms my nerves.
“Hi, Andrea,” I say as she pulls back and holds me at arm’s length. “The journey was good.”
Andrea’s eyes roam my face before softening. “My goodness,” she whispers. “Aren’t you beautiful?”
My cheeks heat at her unexpected words as I laugh hesitantly and push my hair away from my face. “Thank you.”
Next, I greet Finn’s father, James, who gives me an even bigger hug than his wife.
“Pleased to have you here with us, Maya,” he says wholeheartedly.
“Thank you for having me.”
When he pulls away, and I immediately spot Finn’s twin sister, Ivy, I smile. Finn has shown me pictures of them when they were younger, and despite them being twins, they’re completely different heights. Ivy’s nearly a foot shorter than him, but they have the exact same colour eyes.
“Hey, Maya. I’m Ivy,” she says, stepping forward. “How are you?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
Ivy beams. “Glad to be home for a while. University is really exhausting.”
