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She shoots it like it's water, then hisses out a breath.
"That really burns," she says, her voice hoarse.
I laugh. "It seems like you needed it."
"I'm kind of having a morning," she says, raking her hand back through her hair. It's messy and curly, like she didn't bother tidying it after taking it out of its braids from the wedding. She's fucking gorgeous.
"I uh...I assume it's about what happened last night?" I ask. "I'm really sorry about that--"
"Don't be," she interrupts. "I was the one who kissed you, not the other way around. And I...don't freak out, but this morning, I called Steven and I broke off our engagement."
My breath hitches in my chest as the weight of her words sink in. "What? Jenny, are you sure about this?"
She nods resolutely. "Yeah. I mean, I've had my doubts ever since he proposed. And last night, when we kissed, it just made everything so clear to me. I don't want to marry him and spend the rest of my life wondering what could have been if I had just been brave enough to follow my heart."
I can feel my heart racing now, pounding against my ribcage like it's trying to break free. "And what does your heart say?"
Her gaze flickers up to mine, and I can see the uncertainty etched in the lines of her face. "I don't know. That's why I'm here, I guess. I need to figure things out."
My mind is racing, trying to find the right words to say. But all I can think about is how much I want her--how much I now realize that I'vealwayswanted her. I take a sip of my whiskey, trying to steady myself.
"Finn...say something," she whispers. "If you don't feel the same way, I need to know."
"That's not it at all," I blurt out.
"Then what is it?"
I gulp down my anxiety, shaking my head. "Jenny, I'm not going to lie to you. I think I've always had feelings for you. And last night, when we kissed...it only made me realize how much I want to be with you."
She looks at me, her eyes wide with surprise. "You do? But Finn...you and I have always just been friends. You had so many opportunities to shoot your shot, and you never did."
I nod, feeling the weight of the moment bearing down on me. "I know. I've just been too afraid to say anything. Too afraid of losing you altogether, because you were mybest friendand I know relationships can ruin that."
"What about when we grew apart?" she asks. "You barely talked to me before I moved to Portland."
I shrug. "I don't know," I tell her. "I was an idiot, and I didn't see what was right in front of me. But Isee younow."
She leans forward, resting her hand on my arm. "So...what does this mean? For us?"
I take a deep breath, feeling the whiskey coursing through my veins. "It means...I want to be with you, Jenny. I want to explore what could be between us. But I don't want to pressure you. You just got out of a serious relationship, and I don't want to be a rebound or make things harder for you."
She nods slowly, chewing on her bottom lip. "I appreciate that, Finn. I really do. But...I don't think I need time to figure things out. I know what I want. And what I want is you."
My heart soars as she says the words, and before I can even respond, she's leaning across the counter and kissing me. This time, it's not tentative or uncertain; it's full of passion and longing, and I can feel all of my doubts melting away.
And even though I know we should take things slow--that she just got out of a relationship, that this is new and scary and potentially dangerous--I realize very quickly that this train has already left the station.
The truth is out there.
We're in this now.
And there's no going back.
Chapter eleven
Jenny
Ican'tbelievethatI found out Steven was cheating on methis morning...and that I'm about to hop into bed with a man I've been in love with for years.
