“Enjoy your pizza, girls,” Lena calls over her shoulder.
Millie faces me and mouths, “I’m sorry,” shaking her head.
I give her a stern look that I hope conveys my seriousness when I say, “Don’t apologize.” I pull out my phone and hand it to her. “Give me your number, and I’ll text you my address. Then you can tell me what I need to pick up from the store.”
Chapter 10
Millie
“You and the girls totally teamed up against me!” I yell into the speaker end of my phone. If I weren’t driving down the road, I’m sure people would be able to hear my voice echoing through my car as I scream at Lena.
“They did play right into my plans, didn’t they?” she croons.
“The next timeyoulike someone, I’m going to make sure they know about that time you threw up all over that woman’s lap—the one buying you drinks at Barkeep’s.” I pause at a stop sign as I enter Finn’s neighborhood. “Not that IlikeFinn. But you know what I mean.”
Lena’s dark chuckle drifts through the phone. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” She lets out a dramatic sigh. “I’m devastated I won’t be there. I only saw him for, like, three minutes with those girls, and I was already swooning.”
My knuckles turn white as I squeeze the steering wheel. “No one is supposed to be swooning!” I shout as my GPS directs me to turn right.
“Are you the swoon police?” Lena asks, giggling through her words. “Because you might end up needing to arrest yourself. Watch out for that.”
“Ugh,” I grumble through my tight jaw. “You are the worstbest friend in history, and Micah has just been promoted to your previous position.”
Her loud laugh fills my car right as I slam my finger down on my cracked screen to end the call.
I scan the modern houses and cozy cottages until my navigation system tells me I’ve arrived. Parking in front of the dark-green, two-story bungalow, I check the house number and turn off the car.
The coppery taste of blood hits my tongue, reminding me of how aggressively I’ve been chewing on my lip. Flipping down the mirror, I use a napkin from the glove box to stop the bleeding.
My mind can’t process the fact that I’m going to his house. This isn’t like randomly running into them at Maggie’s. There’s something intimate about being in another person’s space, learning how they fold their towels, seeing their favorite coffee cup drying in the kitchen, and getting a glimpse at how they organize their fridge.
Did all his condiments expire three years ago? Does he let everything mold in there before he throws it away?
Once the blood has stopped, I let my eyes wander over the house beside me. Plants surround the wide porch, with massive ferns in hanging pots and flowers lining the walkway up to the wooden steps. Two spruce trees tower over the yard like a grand welcome. The golden evening sun is still blazing in the sky, but a warm glow of light radiates through the windows.
The inviting homeyness tugs at that invisible thread in my heart, pulling me toward the house.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, I run my clammy palms over my jeans and look around the car. My trusty twenty-year-old 4Runner still smells like sunscreen and the pool from my years of driving to and from high school swim practice, and I close my eyes to let it soothe my nerves.
I will have to get out of the car eventually, but I take a moment to give myself a small pep talk. Pretend Lena’s in my pocket telling me how amazing I am.
Damn it.No.I’m mad at Lena right now.
When I gather my nerves and step out of the car, a soft click sounds from Finn’s house. I snap my eyes to his porch.
He stands in his open doorway, arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the frame. I’ve never seen him in anything other than work clothes, but this evening I have the immense privilege of witnessing what he looks like in jeans. The way they’re hugging his muscular thighs is almost obscene. His black T-shirt is stretched across his chest and shoulders, and his bare feet and glasses add to the relaxed ensemble, making me a little light-headed.
As I walk up the stairs, electricity crackles through the air between us, buzzing and snapping as I draw closer. When I look up, his lips are curved in a warm smile, and it distracts me enough that I stumble up the last step.
I’m fully prepared to fall. Just crash at his feet like,here I am in typical Millie fashion, falling all over you.
But two large hands grab my upper arms and catch me before I hit the porch’s wooden slats. His palms meet my bare skin, and the electricity from the air mainlines straight into my body through his hands—a powerful jolt I’m not prepared for.
“What am I going to do with you, Millie?” Finn smirks as he stands me up straight.
Put your fingers through my hair and kiss me? Slide your hands down to my waist and pull me toward you.
Shit.
