Bevin smirked, though his eyes searched his father’s face.“Would you step aside if I were?”
“Bevin, I would give you anything you want in this world,” he father said in a steady and unapologetic tone, “but I can’t give up Finn, not when I’m not sure of what we could be.”
Bevin nodded slowly.“I might not be in love with him, Dad.But if you hurt him, or make him sad enough to cry, I will never forgive you.”
Prince studied his son carefully.“You care that much about him?”
What he said was the truth.He wasn’t in love with Finn.Sure, Finn was gorgeous, but from the first day they’d met, Bevin saw him as a brother he needed to protect.He had even gone so far as to start a company with Finn’s goals and vision in mind, and after graduation, he planned to turn it over to him.Bevin understood the cutthroat business world and knew how to navigate it, thanks to his family’s guidance, so he took on the backbreaking work for Finn.He didn’t want him to struggle any more than he already had.
Bevin turned and looked through the small window in the hospital door.“He’s important to me.”
A touch on his shoulder made Bevin glance back at his father.
“I can’t promise that I won’t fuck up sometimes,” Prince admitted quietly.“But I’ll do my best not to break his heart.”
“Good,” Bevin replied.“You have some time to work things out with Finn.I’m going to get the doctor.”
He turned to leave, but his father’s next words stopped him.
“He’s right, you know.You’re being really grown-up about this.”Prince stepped closer and pressed a kiss to Bevin’s forehead.“I’m proud of you, Son.”
Bevin looked away, attempting to hide the faint blush creeping up his neck.“Go sweet-talk him,” he muttered, waving a hand as if to shoo his father toward Finn’s room.
CHAPTER TEN
Prince took a deep breath and reached for the door to Finn’s room, but paused, needing a few more minutes to collect himself.He hadn’t meant to listen in on Finn and Bevin’s conversation.He hadn’t left the hospital since Finn was brought in, stepping out only briefly for fresh air and to clear his head.When he returned, he’d heard their voices just as he was about to enter.Relief flooded him at the sound of Finn’s voice, but he knew the two friends needed that moment alone.
He knew Bevin had been just as scared as he was.The thought that Prince could have lost Finn before they even had a chance to begin had shaken him more than he cared to admit.Those two days had given him too much time to think, and he had done plenty of it.By the time Finn woke up, Prince had already made up his mind.When Finn was strong enough to hear it, he was going to tell him exactly how he felt.When the rescue team reached their location, they moved quickly, securing Finn and transporting him to the hospital.Prince wasn’t a doctor, but there were words he recognized as they worked, words like hypothermia, rib fractures, and concussion, and each one made his fear deepen.
While the doctors worked on Finn, Prince had paced the length of the hospital corridor, consumed by what-ifs and regrets.Time stretched painfully.It felt like hours before a doctor finally stepped through the double doors and looked around.
“I’m looking for Finn Turner’s family.”
The response slipped from Prince’s mouth so naturally that he didn’t stop to question it.“I’m his husband.”
He braced himself, half expecting someone to challenge him, but no one did.The doctor simply nodded and began explaining Finn's condition.
Although his injuries weren’t life-threatening, they had been serious enough to warrant caution.Finn had suffered two fractured ribs, which could have been worse if not for the thick padding of his ski suit, and a cerebral contusion that caused swelling in his brain.The doctors placed him in a medically induced coma for two days to reduce the swelling and give his body time to recover after the hypothermia.
For a while, there had been uncertainty about how he would wake, and that possibility weighed heavily on Prince.He knew what had happened to Finn wasn’t his fault, but somehow he still felt responsible, especially after learning why Finn had been avoiding him.Prince realized he had approached the whole partnership proposal the wrong way.His plan to grow closer to Finn through business had not been the right approach.But now he had a chance to fix it.
Pushing the door open, Prince stepped inside.Finn turned his gaze toward him as he entered.Neither of them spoke right away.They simply looked at each other, as if trying to absorb the other's presence after everything that had happened.
"Hi," Finn said first, breaking the silence between them.
"How are you feeling?"Prince moved closer and sat carefully on the edge of the bed, mindful of the IV line.
"I hurt," Finn said, his eyes glistening as if he was about to cry, but no tears fell.His guard seemed to drop in a way it hadn’t with Bevin.It was undeniably cute.
Prince smirked and gently brushed a stray lock of hair behind Finn's ear."Hush.The doctor will be in soon."
Silence settled between them again, softer this time, their gazes lingering.It broke when they both spoke at once.
"Prince."
"Finn."
They both chuckled.Finn glanced down at his fingers gripping the blanket.
