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He shrugs. “Yeah, well, you also thought taking this job was a good idea, didn’t you?”
Wow.
I thought maybe we could put the rivalry behind us after our therapy session in the library, but clearly, that was wishful thinking. My face must give away how weird I find his change of heart about the bracelet because he lets out a quiet laugh.
“What?” He sticks his hands up. “It brings out my eyes!”
I have to force myself not to laugh.
A text pops up on my phone on the kitchen counter, and I reach for it.
Aveena: What time are we meeting tonight? My sister has a music thing, so I can’t make it before six.
Vee and I have this habit of eating at my dad’s restaurant every year for her birthday. That’s right, today is her birthday, and she’s still stuck driving her superstar sister around like a modern-world Cinderella.
“By the way, I’m going out tonight.” I change the subject. “I already asked your dad, and he said it was fine, but I thought I’d let you know.”
Finn steers the water bottle to his mouth for a sip and pauses, looking at me in utter silence.
“Why?” He couldn’t be more blunt if he tried.
“Why what?”
“Why are you going out?” he interrogates me.
“Why not?” I give him the same answer he gave me a moment ago, and he flashes a heart-melting smirk at the irony.
“Can I trust you not to burn the house down while I’m gone?” I’m only half-joking.
“No promises.” He shrugs. “I kind of like the thought of my dad being forced back into town.”
“And why is that?”
His smirk expands in size. “Because then we wouldn’t need you anymore. Duh.”
“That shower was amazing. You’re all out of towels in the upstairs bathroom, by the way.” A female giggles down the hallway.
It only takes a second…
But it’s enough for every foolish hope of a “changed Finn” to be drained out of my system.
He brought the girl from the party home.
Typical.
“Shit, hide me,” Finn mouths.
Even if I wanted to—which I don’t—I couldn’t.
Mystery Girl is bursting through the door a heartbeat later, her manicured hand clutching a towel as she pats her bleach-blonde hair dry. I instantly place her as Louise “Lou” Bennett, base in the cheer squad and exactly the kind of girl I’d picture Finn Richards ending up with.
These two together would just make sense—basketball jock meets cheerleader princess, you know how it goes—but it doesn’t stop the turmoil in my stomach when I drink in every inch of her.
She’s gorgeous and slim, standing at around five-foot-seven. She’s wearing ripped denim shorts and a tie-dye crop top that accentuates her lean abdomen muscles and belly button piercing.
I must’ve said one word to this girl since moving to Silver Springs my freshman year, and I’m pretty sure it was “sorry”when we made eye contact on orientation day. Yes, as in I apologized for accidentally making eye contact with her.
It’s the look she gave me.
