Chapter Ten #4
“I assume you’ve invited them.”
“Of course I have.”
“Good. Well, where are you three off to then?”
“To the beach,” Flora said simply.
Finn flicked a glance at her again. Yes, she was dressed for the beach. She looked so—
“He won’t come,” Roman cut in, waving his hand. “It’s best to leave him here. Where he’s safe from sand. And riptides. And fun. He can’t swim, you know. He’s a flight risk…”
Roman kept talking, but Finn’s attention had shifted. He locked eyes with Flora, Roman’s voice fading to the background. She smiled ever so slightly at him, clearly amused at Roman’s accusations that he couldn’t swim.
He found himself smiling back at her, despite himself.
Thirty minutes later, Finn was on Canyon Cove beach.
When they bought the house, the beach had come with it.
Though, the last time he’d been was when the local marine protection agency showed up at his office, said a rare species of jellyfish had washed up, and that they needed to investigate.
He’d spent three weeks with the protection agency, getting stung by jellyfish, and terribly sunburnt. He’d needed a break after that.
Roman invited some of his friends to come over early. Music was playing through a speaker—Djo and The Shins—and the beach was filling with those lucky enough to arrive before the party officially began.
Jane was still missing, making Finn nervous, but he could hardly dwell on it. He was too busy watching Flora.
She was swimming in the freezing water, far away from shore, somehow looking entirely at home. Even Allison was sitting this one out, wrapped in a towel, chatting with one of Roman’s friends.
Flora finally emerged from the water, wringing out her hair, smiling at him, when—
“Partying at the beach without me?”
Finn turned, startled. “Holly?”
He hadn’t expected her. She was still burned about the Hamlet debacle last he checked.
He saw Flora eyeing the two of them as Holly sat down and leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“Sorry I’m late.”
Holly’s eyes flicked to Flora, still dripping wet, sunlight catching on her shoulders
“Ah, I should have known. She seems to be everywhere you are.”
“Like I said, friend of the family.”
“In a red swimsuit. Convenient.”
Finn rolled his eyes and glanced at Flora again. She wasn’t looking at him anymore.
And she didn’t look back again.
“Flora,” Allison whispered, as they walked back up the hill to get ready for the party, “you’re not upset, are you?”
“About what?”
“Holly and Finn.”
“Not really. No.”
“I would be.”
“Allison, we knew she was going to be around. I’ll admit I’m disappointed, but I’m not upset. Finn has to be with a girl like her. He will choose her in the end. In fact, this was never a competition.”
Allison sighed as they made it to the top of the trail.
“He looks at you all the time,” she said.
“Men often choose the one they don’t look at.”
“Idiots.”
The Holly-Finn development didn’t stop them from dressing up for the party, nor would it stop them from having fun.
Music was thumping across the lawn, cars were rounding through the valet in a steady stream, and the barbecue was firing.
Flora and Allison arrived a little later and Roman immediately took them under his wing, introducing them to people.
Jane was there too, looking stunning in a red halter top and jeans.
“She’s so pretty,” Allison muttered.
“Right?!” Flora exclaimed.
She scanned again for Jane but saw Finn looking at her instead.
He looked so good tonight. A linen button up and Levis, hair less tamed, eyes brighter, and he had some sun on his face. Probably smelled good too.
Flora looked away.
Not mine, she thought.
“Let’s dance,” Allison said, grabbing her hand. “We finally made it into a Woodhouse Fourth party. We can’t waste it!”
Waste it they did not. They took full advantage of everything there—light up dance floor, silent disco, photo booth, oyster bar, bonfire—though carefully avoided the jungle juice.
Fireworks were around the corner when they finally sat at a picnic table in the corner with the famous banana pudding, taking a break.
“Incoming,” Allison whispered, nudging her arm. “Oh man…”
Flora looked up.
Finn.
“He’s making a beeline straight to you. He couldn’t stay away all night, even with that evil Holly around. And you look good. That top looks great. Hair looks good. Confidence is key,” Allison said under her breath.
“Allison, enou—”
“Hi,” Finn said.
“Hi,” Flora replied.
Allison couldn’t help but notice it was the most tension filled “hi” exchange she’d ever heard. If she had a knife, she could have physically cut the air in two.
Allison saw Finn give Flora a once over—twice.
“Glad you came,” he said, nodding.
“Well, your brother was nice enough to invite us.”
Finn pursed his lips, a wry and knowing smile flickered across his face. “Have you had a good time?”
“Oh, terrible time. The DJ isn’t fun, we hate the light up dance floor, the barbecue is bad, and this banana pudding? Awful.”
“I hate it,” Allison said, her cup empty.
“Finn!” someone called from behind him.
Luckily not Holly for once.
A guy, about Finn’s age, emerged from the party.
“Finn! Come back!” he said, waving his hands.
Well, he waved for a moment. He saw Allison, stopped waving, and came over.
“Hi, I’m Jack. Who are you all?”
He was looking at Allison when he said this. No one else.
“I’m Clint Eastwood, and this is my friend Allison Scott,” Flora said, knowing her name was insignificant.
“Hi Allison, nice to meet you. Are you leaving?”
He had an English accent and was likely an imported friend of Finn’s. He was cute—he had that hipster English look going for him. Black glasses, long curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a refined air.
“We were just taking a break,” Allison replied, eyeing her empty cup. “I could use more of this banana pudding. I think they ran out already though.”
“I’ll trade you mine for a dance,” Jack offered.
“Deal.”
Allison shot Flora a thumbs-up over her shoulder as she was pulled away. Flora stuck her tongue out in response.
This left her and Finn together on the outskirts of the party.
“Well…” Flora sighed, watching Allison and Jack disappear. “That’s the end of my night.”
“You’re leaving?” Finn asked.
“I mean, what reason do I have to stay now? He’ll monopolize her for the rest of it, and who do I have left? And don’t say you, Finn. You’ve been busy all day.”
“Flora, I—”
“It’s fine, Finn,” she said gently. “No need to explain.”
She stretched and tossed her cup in the trash.
“I’ll see you later. Night.”
Finn stood there for a moment, dead to the world.
“Finn!”
Holly now.
“Come back! This is my favorite song!”
Flora was in her room, showered, changed, and curled in bed soon after. She opened her window to let the breeze blow through. Summer lilacs were the scent of the evening.
The din of the party was bothering her though. All she could picture was Finn and Holly kissing underneath the fireworks that would be going off soon.
It was silent inside the apartment.
Her father had gone to visit an old friend in Half Moon Bay and was staying the night. He rarely took one day off, but he could not say no to the possibility of reading Moby Dick by the sea.
Flora usually enjoyed being alone. She could listen to music loudly without being told to “turn that racket off!” and there was no one to give her a hard time about if she’d done her laundry. But the alone-ness was unsavory and unwelcome right now, filled with the reality of adulthood.
Just as she was about to try to go to sleep, there was a knock on the door.
Flora assumed Allison had lost interest in Jack and come back. Jack must have done something ridiculous for this to be the case.
She opened the door without thought—
And then her heart nearly fell out of her feet.
“Finn?”
He looked shocked himself to be standing there.
“Are you… alright?” she asked.