“I will,” Teddy said. “I meanwon’t. Hesitate.”
Finn really had melodic laughter. As he stood in the doorway, the setting sun cast him in an especially warm glow. “Also, in case you were curious, I am very patient with cats. Goodnight, Teddy.” He bid farewell with a lingering stare.
“Goodnight, Finn,” Teddy said, almost afraid his pounding heart would tear from his chest and follow Finn down the walk.
It didn’t. He remained unbloodied and unembarrassed. More or less.
At his feet, Smudge rubbed against his legs and looked up at him with a near-silent squeak.
“That all you got?”
Smudge tried again, but it still came out more squeak than meow.
Crouching carefully, Teddy reached to pet him. “Time for more food, I take it? Or missing Finn already? Because I… I need to eat too. Come on.”
Heading for the pantry where he’d stored Smudge’s food, Teddy tried to think of anything other than Finn’s less than subtle offer.
The rest of the week went by uneventfully. Teddy didn’t see Finn, but the occasional text would ping on his phone, checking to make sure he was okay, that Smudge was okay, without ever explicitly asking if Teddy wanted company again.
If he was waiting for Teddy to make the next move, he’d be waiting a long while. Teddy just couldn’t. Not right now. Not until he sorted himself out.
Smudge was good company, a very good sleeping buddy, like Finn had said, curling right against Teddy’s side at night or when he napped, somehow knowing to steer clear of his bad hip and generally being well-behaved.
Teddy still had no idea what to do with all his free time. He had some family money. He’d saved well. He could coast and exist without needing to work again, given how minimally he lived, but that was just existing, just survival. Somewhere along the line, he needed to live again.
At least today was his first day of physical therapy. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but it would give him something to distract himself with. This being a vacation town, the health center was connected to a day spa rather than directly to the hospital, though still close to the hospital with doctors on call. It had that sense of “island time,” the same as being on the beach, like everything moved a little slower here.
It was almost nice. Maybe Teddy would splurge on a massage.
He sat in the waiting room in simple sweats and sneakers. He hadn’t met his assigned physical therapist yet, but the name onthe sheet had been uniquely old-fashioned. Teddy felt the man’s pain.
“Edmund?” the nurse called. “Phineas is ready for you.”
Teddy stood—then stiffened when a voice answered from around the corner.
“Betsy, how many times do I have to remind you. It’s Finn.”
You have got to be kidding.
“Hi, Teddy.” Finn materialized as if out of Teddy’s daydreams.
Teddy had thought sunlight was required to bring out the auburn in Finn’s hair, long enough that it might have fallen into his eyes if it wasn’t styled to spike upward. Apparently florescent lights worked too, his eyes positively sparkling so that Teddy noticed a few golden freckles swimming in the sea of turquoise and his dimples prominent beneath the scruff on his face.
“I realized I never got to finish telling you about my day job. Crazy coincidence, huh? When I hinted you’d eventually come to me, this wasn’t exactly what I meant. You ready to get to work on your recovery?”
Fuck everything, Teddy thought.
The universe was clearly out to get him.
two
IfTeddyhadworriedbefore that Finn might discover his actual age, that fear was now realized since the younger man had access to his medical records.
“Is this weird? Because you absolutely can reschedule with another therapist, Teddy. I won’t be offended.”
Finn also made it impossible to take the high road and just leave. Besides,PhineasArcher had come highly recommended, the best physical therapist in town, and honestly, Teddy didn’t want to make a fuss.
“It’s fine. As long as you promise to keep things professional.” He meant to smirk at the remark, but it turned out as disastrous as everything else lately and came out a grimace.
