Chapter 27
Finn
I haven’t had a pep in my step like this in I can’t even tell you how long. It’s a strange feeling to have after what happened to Riley yesterday, but I like to think that it was redeemed somewhat by what happened between us. I can confidently say that it was the best sex of my life, and it’s not just because of how amazingly hot Riley is, which she is. It had everything to do with the way I feel about her and the connection that we had. I’ve had a few girlfriends in my day, but I’ve never felt for them the way that I feel for her.
That woman is the strongest woman I have ever met. After witnessing that interaction with her father yesterday, and dealing with him myself, it’s a wonder she lets anyone in at all. She’s definitely selective and guarded, but it makes it that much sweeter when she chooses to let you in. She only lets the best of the best in, like Chloe, and I’m lucky that I’m starting to feel like I’m joining the ranks. Even if she wasn’t letting me in by now, I would stick around and pry myself into her life because she is beyond worth it.
I pull into the job site, and it’s crazy how what was a blank, or should I say debris-filled, canvas is now turning into a fully formed building. It’s one of the things I like most about my job. Turning something blank, or potentially even dirty, into something amazing. Something people will be living in for years to come. It’s probably another four weeks until it’s done enough for Riley to come in and wave her magic design wand around and really turn this into something amazing.
Mason comes walking over and tips his hard hat at me.
“Crazy how far it’s come,” he says.
“I was just sitting here thinking that exact same thing. Won’t be too long now til Riley can come in and start putting some of the design elements on it to really make it awesome.”
“Yeah, but you’ll be long gone by then, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if Riley is working on the design, your work building is done, so you’ll be in Seattle getting ready to start your new job, right?”
“Mason, I told you like two days after me and Riley got back from Seattle that I wasn’t going to take it. We had a whole conversation about it.”
“Huh, maybe that’s why her face looked like she got kicked in the stomach when I told her you’d be leaving soon,” he says while rubbing his hand over his mouth in thought.
Remember how I said I didn’t solve conflict with my fists? Well, I may be breaking that again only a day after the first time. I might actually deck my dear friend in the face for this. I know Riley, and I know that any progress we’ve made has now gone to hell. She thinks I’m leaving, and worse, she thinks I’m leaving without telling her after the moments we shared yesterday. I can’t stand for her to think that for even a moment, so I have to go find her.
“Thanks a whole lot, Mason. I need to go find her and make this right.”
“Hey, I really am sorry, man. I’ve been so stressed, I must not have been paying attention when you told me.”
“Ya think? We literally had an in-depth conversation about how I was staying for Riley.”
He winces. “Sorry again. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
I’m only half listening when I jog back to my truck with my phone to my ear, calling the girl I know won’t pick up.
***
As I suspected, she didn’t pick up. It rang through to voicemail a few times before eventually going straight to voicemail. Meaning she turned off her phone. I refuse to text her because that makes something like this seem small, and it is anything but small to Riley. She was just starting to warm up to the idea of us; I could feel it. Then this happens, and she thinks I’m leaving, which I know she will interpret as leaving her, not just leaving for a job. Which I’m actually doing neither of.
The first place I try is her work. I walk in and the bell chimes over the door and Craig looks up with a sad look in his eyes. I can’t tell if it’s because of what happened yesterday or if he knows that I’m supposedly leaving her. Again, not leaving her, not leaving, but this is what she’s thinking. I walk up to the counter and greet him.
“Hey, Craig. How’s it going?”
“Doing okay, but you don’t look so hot, and judging by how Riley looked when she hightailed it out of here, I’m guessing it has to do with whatever is bothering her.”
“You would be guessing correctly. Mason might have mentioned to her that I was going back to Seattle in a few weeks to start a new job.” His face falls at that. “I’m not! It was all a misunderstanding. I had an offer that I turned down. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t for her, which might sound completely delusional, but…” I end by shrugging my shoulders in defeat, which I suppose in a way, it is, because for me, Riley will always win out.
“Ah, well, that definitely sounds like something you need to talk to her about as soon as possible. I know how much she can get in her own head, and I also know that you have been good for her, Finn.”
“Thanks, Craig, but I really think it’s her that’s been good for me.”
He gives me a warm smile. “You know, it’s possible that you guys are just really good for each other, kind of like me and my Beth were. It’s a give and take, a push and pull. It’s one being strong when the other can’t. Or you both being half as strong to fill the others half. It’s not having to always be at one hundred because your other half will pick up the rest.”
“That sounds amazing, Craig, and it’s how I’m starting to feel about Riley. If only I can get her to talk to me.”
“Oh, I’m sure you kids will work it out and you’ll look back on this and laugh about it being something silly.”
“I hope you’re right. Did she say where she was going? I can’t imagine her going home this early in the day, and I peeked in the Pore Over on my way over and she wasn’t there.”
“Hmm, she said she was going where she used to go on the good days and the bad.”
I smile wide, because of course that’s where she went. “Thanks, Craig. Wish me luck.”
I speed walk down the street and breathe in the fresh air that comes with all the new greenery on the trees. The bell chimes on this door, as well. They all do in this small town that I’m starting to love so much, and I see the girl I’m starting to love sitting at a table by herself, with a far off look on her face.
“Mint chip and pralines and cream?” I ask, because of course that’s what she ordered, and of course she came where her mom used to bring her on the good days and the bad.
“Yup,” she says, with a pop on the letter “P.” “Are you stopping in to get something for the road back to Seattle?”
“Ouch, Riles, you wound me.” She isn’t taking the bait to play around with me and it kills me. I need to set this straight immediately because I can’t stand to see her like this. “Riles, look at me.” She reluctantly raises her eyes to me, then looks down at her ice cream again. “If you can’t look at me, please hear me. I’m not going to Seattle.” Now her eyes are on me, and I feel a bit of hope bloom in my chest. “When the two of us went to Seattle, yes, I met with a developer about a job. I had the meeting scheduled since before I came to Evergreen. I didn’t want to cancel it last minute, so I went, but I knew, even then, I wasn’t going to take it.”
“Why?”
“Why didn’t I tell you?”
“Why weren’t you going to take it?”
I smile at her and grab hold of her chin and lift her face so she will look at me. “Because, Riles, there was this extremely hot, smart-mouthed woman that I was starting to really like, and I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to give it the full shot it deserved, if she would let me.”
“Oh.”
I smirk at her, and her cheeks are the shade of pink I love so much. “Yeah, oh. Now do you think I can go order some plain old vanilla ice cream and we can eat it together and move past this?”
“You really want to?” She’s looking down at her ice cream again, and I’m a bit confused.
“Do I really want vanilla ice cream? Well, you know vanilla is kind of my thing. I hadn’t planned on eating ice cream today, but who am I to turn it down?”
She rolls her eyes and smiles slightly. “No, I mean me.” Now she looks sad again, and it’s killing me.
“You gotta tell me what’s on your mind. What do you mean you?”
I can tell she’s nervous, but I really need her to say this out loud so I can combat whatever is going on in that beautiful head of hers. “I mean, do you really still want to try this, whatever this is, with me? Even after I essentially freaked out about what someone else told me and ghosted you, instead of talking to you about it from the start. ‘Cause trust me, I see now, after the fact, how I should have just called you and asked what he was talking about. I had just finished talking to Chloe about how much I’m starting to like you, but I was scared because everyone in my life always leaves except her. Then I turn around to leave and Mason tells me you’re leaving. It was kind of a kick in the nuts.”
“I certainly hope you don’t have nuts.” She rolls her eyes again, and this time, I smile. “To answer your question, yes, Riley, I do want to try this, whatever it is, as you would say. Just because we have a misunderstanding doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. Even if we have a full-blown fight, I wouldn’t go anywhere, but I do need you to talk to me about things and how you’re feeling.”
“I think I can do that.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I really will try my best, but please be patient with me. I’m not used to this…” She motions with her hand back and forth between the two of us.
“Relationship?”
“Yeah, that.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “You can say it out loud, it’s not a dirty word.”
“Relationship.”
“There you go. Wasn’t so hard, was it?” I ask while pinching her cheek playfully, and she swats my hand away. “I’ll be right back with my ice cream. Don’t go bolting off anywhere before I get back.” She flips me the bird, and I laugh again.
I know this relationship with Riley may not be the easiest, but boy, it’s going to be worth it.