I run through the checklist again: I called my mother, steamed my dress, washed and curled my hair, and finished my makeup. The last two I did on a live feed because I needed content to post today. Unlike the other times, I didn’t answer any questions that popped up while I was speaking about the Alma Foundation, since all of them were asking if Finn was really my date for this. We have to be at the hotel in two hours and haven’t spoken or texted, which means … well, I don’t know what it means. By the time Livie gets to my place for me to do her makeup, I start to worry.
“When do you have to be there?”
“An hour and a half.”
“Is Finn picking you up?” she asks, as I face her with the eyeshadow palette in my hand.
“I haven’t spoken to him today.”
“At all?” she asks in disbelief.
“Nope.” My stomach tumbles, and I take a step back until her brown eyes are on mine. “We had sex last night.”
Her mouth drops just for a second before she shrieks, “What?!”
“Yeah.” My lips purse. “So I don’t know if I should text or just … go by myself?”
“Um, I’m still trying to wrap my head around you having sex with Finn Fucking Barlow,” she says, wide-eyed. “How was it?”
“It was good, but it’s worth mentioning that Tate set the bar in hell…”
Livie snorts. “Which means anyone would have been good.”
“Right.” I feel myself smile. “It was really good though.”
“But?” she asks expectantly.
“There’s no but. Not really, anyway. I just hope things aren’t weird now. Scratch that, they’re already weird considering I haven’t even been able to text him a simple question.”
“Do you think you’re catching feelings for him?” she asks quietly.
I think about that for a moment, then shake my head. “I think I could very easily fall for him though, which would be a mistake.”
“Maybe.”
I shoot her a look. “Definitely. Now shut up so I can finish doing your makeup.”
She laughs and doesn’t shut up, but at least the topic of Finn is over for now.
28
JOSSLYN
Me: do you want to meet there?
I stare as the little bubbles appear and disappear before his text finally comes through.
Finn: we live in the same building
Me: so…meet in the lobby?
I stare, and stare, and when he doesn’t respond, I toss my phone aside with a huff and start putting essentials in the small clutch I’m taking. If he doesn’t respond in the next ten minutes, I’m going downstairs, and if he’s not there ten minutes after that, I’m leaving. He may be hot as hell and give great orgasms, but I’ve never sat around waiting for anyone and I’m not about to start now. Especially tonight.
We’ve been hosting fundraisers for the Alma Foundation for a few years now, and I’m usually fine going and mingling. Tonight, I’m giving a speech and even though I’m keeping it short, my nerves are still wrecked. Once I’m done gathering my things, I head to the door and come to a dead stop when I open it and find Finn standing on the other side. My heart skips a beat at the sightof him in his tux. His light brown hair is brushed back, he shaved the shadow of a beard he’d been rocking, which I would say is a pity if he didn’t look so damn good this way as well, and his green eyes are dark and unreadable as he takes me in slowly.
I swallow hard as I take a step outside. “Hey.”
“I was on my way down,” he says, jaw clenching as he turns toward the elevator.
