Nothing further from Finn.Another surprise.I figured he’d be all up in my business now that he had my number.He’s not used to hearing no,and I have given him nothing but.I stare at my phone for a minute.Look around my apartment and take stock of my life.I’m twenty-five, I live alone, I work from home, and my best friend lives a thousand miles away and is sending me pictures of her and a hot guy who is definitely not her fiancé.My only consistent interaction is with a foot-long wiener named Eric.And, now, I’m bothered that one of the man-whore bartenders has my number and isnotblowing up my phone.I don’t know what to do with this, but it doesn’t look good for my social life.
I drop my Kindle and send a quick text to Bri, asking who the guy is, but the bouncy dots never bounce.Nothing.I pull a strand of hair from my braid and wrap it around my finger while I wait.The colors blend and shift as the strands wind and layer from deep, dark green to a much paler hue.I glance at my phone and still no bounce.
I’m lonely.
Really freaking lonely.It’s never bothered me before.I like to be alone—like, really like it.No people.No germs.No feet.No attitude.
But it’s lonely.
I check again, and there are still no bouncy dots.It’s fine.My book will keep me company.I don’t need anything else.I mean, I moved here to get away, so I’m away.I turn off notifications and drop my phone in my lap, diving back into my steamy story.But the silence is interrupted by a voice.Eric cocks his head from side to side, staring at my lap.At where my phone rests.
“Bri, is that you?”I call, fumbling with the button, so I can just put it on speaker.“Hang on, you’re stuck between my thighs.”
The laughter is deep, deeper than Brielle’s voice.Maybe she’s with that guy in her pictures.Lord, that would be mortifying.But, when I check my phone display, it’s not my friend’s number I see.
“I can’t think of a better place to get stuck.”The accent is raspy and a touch nasally, but it’s his.
My fingers slide through my loose strands, and I groan.“Hey, Finn.I, uh…that wasn’t meant for you.”
“I’m not your Bri, but I wouldn’t mind getting messages like that.”He coughs out the last word and pulls the phone away from his mouth until he’s back under control.“Sorry, that got away from me.Probably the excitement.”
“You’re not better yet?Do you need anything?”I guess I just assumed he was over this cold.
“Mostly better, no more fever, but—” He grunts a little, and it sounds like he’s walking.“Sorry, I wanted some privacy.Since I’ve got you, erm…I, ehm…” He laughs quietly and blows out a barely audible, “Wow.”
“You don’t have me; let’s just get that straight.”Realizing how prickly that came out, I try to soften things.“But what do you need?”
“That didn’t make it any easier to ask.”Finn huffs out a laugh.“I would like to show you a good time.”
“Show me a good time?”I snark.“You really think you’re up for that?”Does he even hear himself?I gave him a chance.I tried to be nice.“Why don’t you just?—”
“That’s not what I meant.I want to take you out,” he rushes out.“Will you…” I hear a muted thud, like he banged his head against the wall or door or something.“Would you allow me to take you out on Friday evening?”
I’m stunned silent.
Whatever smart-ass direction I was about to tell him to go fuck off scatters from my brain when I hear a quiet, “Please.”
“Okay.”
“You will?”
I don’t know what possessed me to say yes.Well, I do.It has everything to do with that whole lonely thing going on with me.
“Yeah.But I should go.I, um…I have to…I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Addie.”
“Adelaide.It’s?—”
And he’s gone.
“Adelaide.”
16
“I would go to the end of the world for you.”
“Yes, but would you stay there?”
