“Shit, I’m so gonna be late!”
By the time I’m in my first lecture, I’m no better. Dr. Moreno’s voice is drifting somewhere above me, breaking down the politics of art throughout history, and all I can think about is what might happen tonight.
Between classes, Daphne texts me about Friendsgiving, Hudson sends a meme of a turkey in a jersey in the new group chat, and I spend ten full minutes trying to decide if I should text Jay back about the note, but does that seem needy? God, how am I this unsure of myself? I’ve never been this way before. Confidence is my armor, it always has been, but now it’s gone and replaced by a flimsy mesh of crippling anxiety that doesn’t keep me safe at all.
By the time the last class of the day ends, I’ve got nothing useful written down in my notebook except one small doodle of a cat and 7 p.m. circled twice in the margin.
When I arrive at home, I nearly trip over a giant box dumped outside the front door. And when I say giant, I mean the-size-of-a-small-car giant. My bed and mattress, judging by the labels. Which weren’t supposed to arrive until next week.
“Perfect,” I mutter, crouching to try and tip it upright. It doesn’t budge. I wrap my arms around the side, bend my knees like every tutorial says, and attempt a heroic lift. The box practically laughs in my face, unmoving.
“Need a hand?”
The voice makes me jump, and I turn to see Finn jogging up the path, grinning at me. “I hear they’re letting any riffraff live here now,” he teases.
I practically fling myself at him. “Oh my god,” I rush, colliding into Finn. He steadies me with an arm around my waist and a familiar laugh, the same one I grew up hearing whenever hedecided to charm his way out of trouble or maybe laugh at me and Daphne getting in trouble. The latter, for sure.
“Miss me that much?”
“Yes!” I say, squeezing tighter before I step back. “Do you know how weird it’s been, living here and not seeing you? You’re supposed to be part of the package deal. Me, Daphne, and you—when you weren’t busy chasing waves, anyway.”
His grin widens, boyish and a little smug. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” He tips his chin at the giant box abandoned at my feet. “Looks like I showed up just in time.”
It’s then that I notice, behind him, a taller man joins us, dark hair a little windswept, his expression gentle but still amused. Finn gestures between us. “Liv, this is Foxx. Foxx, this is Liv. She’s the new roommate upstairs. He’s my boyfriend.”
Foxx offers a smile, but it’s in response to the boyfriend comment, I can tell by the way his eyes light up. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” I say, already embarrassed that our introduction involves me sweaty and hugging cardboard. “I don’t suppose either of you are feeling particularly charitable tonight?”
Finn claps his hands together. “We got you.”
Before I can offer to help, the two of them crouch, grip either end, and lift like it weighs nothing. I hurry ahead to hold the door open, feeling both grateful and useless.
“Which number again?” Foxx asks once we’re inside the main door.
“Apartment four,” I say.
“Good thing you’ve got top-tier moving services included in the neighborhood package,” Finn grins.
I snort. “Do I tip in cash or baked goods?”
“Baked goods,” he says instantly.
They wrestle the box around the landing, and by the time we get it inside Jay’s apartment, my cheeks hurt from smiling. Finndrops his end with a dramatic groan and flops onto the couch like he’s just carried the world on his back, while Foxx sets his side down neatly and straightens with an ease that makes Finn’s theatrics look even more ridiculous.
“You’re both life savers,” I say, joining Finn on the couch. “Seriously, thank you. I would’ve been out there all night trying to drag it inch by inch.”
Finn drops his head back, eyes closed, smug. “Don’t worry. That’s what family’s for.”
And just like that, the lump in my throat is back. Because he and Daphne have always felt like mine. “Please come over for dinner soon, both of you. Jay is a really amazing cook.”
Finn chuckles. “Does Jay know he’ll be cooking?”
“He always cooks.” I shrug, trying to sound casual, though the truth is I already rely on it more than I should. “I’m basically just the taste tester. He sets the rules here, and he wanted to cook.”
Foxx’s mouth tugs in the faintest smile, and he shares a look with Finn that I can’t quite pinpoint.
I laugh anyway because my Finn is here, and the sound feels lighter than it has in a while, filling the apartment until even Nick Fury pokes his head out of Jay’s bedroom to see what the fuss is about.
