Finn’s gaze finally turned in my direction. His jaw tightened at Henrik’s words. Nothing subtle about that. Was it strange that I appreciated how much of an open book he was? I liked knowing what I saw was what I got with him.
“I’m good, thanks. That’s my car over there.” I pointed toward the edge of the street. My beat-up car earned me a low whistle from Lincoln.
“Glad you pointed that out,” Lincoln said as he leaned against Finn’s ride to stare at mine. “I was about to have it towed last night. Sam was complaining about it being an eyesore.”
Henrik made a disapproving noise. “Lincoln.”
“What?” Lincoln held up his hands. “I was.”
“No worries.” I shook my head because honestly, I would have thought the same thing, too. My ride was an eyesore, but it got me through hell and back. I’d slept in it after we lost our apartment when my mom was in the hospital. It was my home until the Ables took me in. I wouldn’t give it up for anything, even if I had money to replace it. I felt like I owed the little hatchback so much.
Henrik continued to scold Lincoln in a low tone as I walked to my car. There was a trick to get the front door open. I had to twist the handle at a weird angle. When it clicked into place, the door opened with a noticeable squeak. I felt the guys watching but didn’t look back. I knew their eyes would fill with pity or shock if they saw the inside. My leather seats looked like they were coughing up cotton, so I never offered people rides. The front windshield had a crack reminiscent of a frozen lake melting.
I placed my key in the ignition, and the engine sputtered. This was to be expected. Three more turns—four tops—and it’d come to life. Or, at least, that’s what usually happened.
On my sixth attempt to start the engine, there was a knock on my window. The glass shook underneath the hand. My automatic window system broke a long time ago, so I had to open the door to answer.
Seeing Finn standing in front of me came as a shock. I raised a brow, and he peered down at me with an unreadable expression. His hand folded over the top of the door, opening it wider. A gust of wind left his hair in slight disarray and blew some of his spicy scent in my direction. My body buzzed, much to my dismay.
“You need a ride.” It didn’t come out as a question, but as a statement. Like he wouldn’t even entertain the word ‘no.’
“It’s just my battery. I have an EverStart jump starter that works like a charm.”
Finn shook his head. “This car looks like a death trap. The battery’s the least of your worries.”
I blinked. “Sure, it’s a little rough around the edges—”
“Hurry and grab your things. You’ll ride with us,” he said, simply. “Be prepared to show up late because I still need to stop for gas on the way.”
“I…”
He started back to his van before I could voice another protest. I sighed and grabbed my bag. There was no point in arguing. Not when it’d take me a good twenty minutes to jump my car, and that was if I could get my hood to pop and stay up during the process.
“Welcome aboard.” Henrik opened the passenger’s door for me. I smiled and whispered a ‘thanks’ as I slipped into the seat. As soon as the working heat of the car hit my face, my shoulders relaxed. It’d been so long since I sat in a car with a functioning seatbelt. It felt odd to click something around my waist.
Finn slipped into the driver’s side and didn’t even look my way when he asked, “Do you have a preference?”
He fiddled with the radio’s volume. I blinked, confused. Henrik translated, “The music.”
“You’ve never in the history of ever askedusif we wanted to listen to something other than your podcasts,” Lincoln complained as he settled in the middle seat. I’m not sure why he sat in the middle since there were only two of them in the back. Henrik seemed equally perplexed. I watched him through the rearview as he frowned, but didn’t tell Lincoln to move over.
“If that’s true, it’s probably cause your taste in music annoys me.” Finn put the car in reverse. “Podcasts are neutral ground.”
“Neutral ground my ass,” Lincoln grumbled. Henrik offered him a pair of earbuds, which were begrudgingly accepted.
“I like podcasts. This one’s a favorite,” I said in a soft voice.
Finn kept his eyes on the road. For a second, I didn’t think he heard me. Eventually he offered me a curt nod. I smiled because it seemed approving.
Chapter Nine
Naomi
WestoppedatNicMart,a gas station right outside of campus. Lincoln and Henrik hopped out of the car to grab a few snacks while Finn pumped the gas. I tried not to watch him through the side mirror, but my gaze kept straying his way. He hadn’t said a word on the ride as Lincoln and Henrik grilled me with questions.
Finn’s brand of quiet left me wanting more. I used to sit next to the quiet kids in school—it’s how Celeste and I became friends. In class, I was a motor mouth. My teachers had the same feedback during parent-teacher conferences: talks a lot, huge distraction.
Celeste was the first person who didn’t complain. She was a good listener. I enjoyed making her smile. I was the person she was most comfortable with, and it felt like an honor.
