Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Finn could see the shift take place in Maisie at once. Where before, she’d seemed thrilled and excited to cross the bridge, moving forward with steady footsteps, now her shoulders were high and tense, her hands gripped the rope tightly, and her feet were frozen in place.
A few people behind her called for her to continue, but she didn’t respond. She was stuck. Finn knew it. He’d seen it a handful of times before, people having too much confidence before crossing, then freezing midway. They always managed to inch forward after a minute or two, but Maisie wasn’t moving, and his heart twinged.
He’d felt worse than ever yesterday—rejecting her after the vulnerable way in which she’d asked him out. He’d always loved his job, but in that moment, he’d resented having to keep it.
Now, seeing her out there on the rope bridge, entirely alone without family or friends, Finn couldn’t take it any longer. He had to be near her. He had to help her.
Slipping past those in the line, he headed toward her, grateful he’d trusted his instincts today and followed her to the bridge. He’d seen her turn away from the café earlier, clearly trying to avoid him, so he’d determined right then to speak with her, to apologize for leading her on and express how badly he wished for things to be different so he could date her.
But now, that conversation would have to wait.
Before long, he managed to slip past the others waiting a few feet behind Maisie, slowly walking across the bridge himself, hands on the rope guides beside him. Maisie still stared down at the sea, her hair floating around her as if they were in water, taken by the invisible currents of wind. Her dress rippled at her legs, her shoes as clean as ever.
Should he call out to her? Or would the wind and sea prevent her from hearing? Not wanting to startle her by shouting, he kept moving forward until finally, he was close enough to speak softly.
“Alright, Maisie?” he said gently from behind.
Maisie’s shoulders stiffened. “Finn?” she breathed out.
Had she been crying, or was she simply in shock?
“Aye, it’s me,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said at once, barely shifting her head to the side. “I can move. I can. Just give me a second.”
His heart reached out to her. Though she didn’t appear to be crying, he could hear the panic laced thickly through her voice.
“There’s no need to apologize, love,” he said, taking a closer step toward her. Her hair slipped past him, filling his nose with the smell of strawberries. “You take all the time you need.”
She nodded. “I just…need one second,” she repeated between heavy breaths.
He stayed behind her, giving her the time she asked for, but still, she didn’t move.
“I can’t do it,” she finally said, her voice breaking. “It’s just too high. I’m gonna fall…”
His brow drew together. “Hey, it’s alright,” he said softly, drawing even closer. “You won’t fall. The bridge is safe, and I’m right here.” He reached forward, resting a hand on her white knuckles still gripping the bridge. “I promise you, I won’t let you fall. ”
Maisie didn’t respond for a minute, then finally, she gave a short nod.
“Are you breathin’, love?” he asked next.
“I’m trying to.”
Her words sounded strangled, and concern pricked his worries. He couldn’t have her pass out on the bridge. Then they really would be in trouble.
“That’s good,” he said. “Tryin’ is always good. Can you do me a favor and look up at the land instead of the sea?”
She didn’t respond, her eyes still down.
He chewed on his lower lip. Either she hadn’t heard him, or she couldn’t do what he suggested. She needed a distraction, something to pull her eyes in the direction she needed to go.
“I’m goin’ to move ahead of you, alright, Maisie?” he said. At least then, if she did pass out, he’d be able to catch her from the front. “Then I’ll get you off this bridge.”
“I can’t let go of the rope,” she said, sounding more frantic.
“You don’t have to. You keep hold of the bridge, and I’ll work ’round you.”
He didn’t wait for her to respond. Slowly, he moved his left hand from the bridge, resting it on Maisie’s side, instead. Feeling her thin frame beneath his fingertips—despite her thick jacket—was enough to send him reeling, and that same desire to protect her rushed inside him, spurring him to move swiftly.
He maneuvered under her arm, sliding his hand along her back until he twisted around to face her, then promptly, he placed his hands on the rope so his fingers pressed against hers on the bridge.
“Hi, there,” he said with a warm smile.
Maisie still stared down at the sea.
“I need you to look at me now, love,” he said.
She blinked, then finally tore her gaze away from the waves below.
As her blue eyes met his, his breathing stinted .
“There you are,” he said, praying his smile was a comfort to her.
She didn’t respond, and his heart nearly broke at the sight of her. She was as gorgeous as usual, but the fear across her features was enough to rattle the cages around his heart.
She tried to glance back down, but he reached out, keeping her gaze as he placed his curved finger beneath her chin.
“Hey, now,” he began, her skin soft to his touch. “I know that sea is allurin’, but I promise you, I’m more so.”
Again, she made no response, though her eyes remained on his, and suddenly, everything faded around him. The sea, the people behind them, those on the island and on the mainland. It was just him and the straggler who’d stolen his attention from day one.
He knew her stress was probably preventing her from feeling much of anything else, but as their connection continued, a light seemed to flourish between them, so palpable, he felt as if he could reach out and grasp it, and the light would shine through his hands in a beautiful way as bright as Maisie herself.
He’d felt this before when she’d first gotten onto his bus. But now? Now, it was stronger. The connection between them powerful. And he could no longer deny that whatever it was between them, it wasn’t just a little crush any longer. There was something growing within them— between them. And he couldn’t ignore it anymore.
“Finn,” she breathed, breaking through his thoughts, “I don’t want to cross it. I just want to go back.”
He nodded, understanding her perfectly as he drew all of his concentration to helping her. He pulled his finger away from her chin and rested his hand on hers on the rope. “Then we can go back.” He hesitated. “Or…”
She looked at him, her eyes wary.
“Or, if you felt like you could, you could finish the journey you’ve started and get to the other side…with me.”
She peered up at him as if what he’d suggested was impossible .
“There was a reason you came out here in the first place, wasn’t there?” he began. “Find that reasonin’ again and push forward. You can do this.”
“I can’t even move my feet, though,” she said.
“What? I thought those Kiziks were magical. What good are they if you can’t even move your feet in ’em?”
He wanted to cheer aloud when a smile cracked on her lips, but in a second, it was gone.
“Everyone is waiting for me,” she said, breathless once again.
“Trust me,” he said softly. “Everyone is cheerin’ you on.”
This seemed to do the trick. In the next instant, he saw the shift in her stance, the determination taking place of the fear in her eyes.
“Okay,” she breathed. “Let’s do this.”
He didn’t think he’d ever been prouder of anyone as she took a step forward, then another and another.
“That’s it,” he urged, walking backward to keep an eye on her. “Just keep movin’ one foot in front of the other. If it helps, feel free to look into me eyes. I’ve been told they look lovely in this lightin’.”
She glanced up at him, nerves still taut across her features, though her lips curved. “Who said that, Renee?”
“Me gran.” He flashed a smile. “You’ve got to admit, they’re appealin’. Like the color of chocolate.”
“Mud is also brown. And dirt. And?—”
“Hey, now. You best watch yourself, or I’ll call the color o’ your eyes…”
She stared up at him, those blue eyes watching him carefully. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t have a response.
“What, exactly?” she questioned, her breathing now steady.
What would he call that color? The sea beneath them? The sky above? Priceless sapphires? All of them seemed too weak, so instead, he simply said, “Beautiful.”
Her eyes softened, the stress and strain gone from her features, and suddenly, cheering sounded around them as their feet landed on solid ground.
They’d reached the other side of the bridge.
Maisie was the first to look away, snapping their connection in two like a brittle cracker, but that feeling from before remained inside Finn.
He was a flirt. He didn’t have time for a relationship. He was deathly afraid of disappointing his family, he didn’t need someone else to disappoint.
And yet, in those moments on that bridge, the connection he’d felt with her, the trust she’d shown in him, and the desire he’d had to protect her, he could no longer deny it.
He was falling for Maisie. And he was falling hard.