Papers signed, he followed Finn on the same tour he’d gotten last Friday, but with more in-depth explanations of what everything was for and which things he should avoid touching. Half of his brain listened while the other half tried to come up with a way to convince Gavin that he reallywasdating Finn, but he genuinely couldn’t make it.
Without sounding like a high schooler claiming that they really did have a boyfriend, but he went to a different school. Which was difficult, because that was almost exactly what he’d done.
“You might wanna consider investing in steel-toed boots if you’re gonna come by a lot,” Finn said.
Nolan hummed in response, still only half-listening.
“Dude, I know this is boring, but I don’t think you’ve listened to a word I’ve been saying.” Finn stopped in front of him so suddenly that Nolan nearly ran straight into his chest.
Dammit.
Now Finn thought he was ignoring him. He looked hurt.
This day was doomed to just keep getting worse.
“I’m sorry. I’m not ignoring you because I’m bored,” Nolan said, his stomach tied up in knots over the thought that he’d hurt Finn. “I’m just not here.”
“Work stress?” Finn asked, sympathetic.
Nolan snorted, not surprised that Finn’s impression of him was that he was a jittery workaholic. “For once in my life, no. No, I…”
He should admit to what he’d done. At least then, Finn wouldknow.
Maybe he’d even agree to tell Gavin they really had been on a date if they ever ran into each other again. It was the best he could hope for.
On the other hand, what if he was mad? Nolan wasn’t sure he could handle that.
I need you to pretend to be my boyfrienddidn’t seem like the kind of thing that’d go down well.
“I’m listening,” Finn said, his voice soft and warm and gentle, like he was soothing an injured animal. Which, come to think, he was probably good at.
“This is so stupid.” Nolan sighed, leaning back against a table in the reptile shed. “Gavin was giving me crap about you, asking how ourdatewent, and whether I was gonna see you again, and I… please don’t be mad?”
“I’m not gonna be mad,” Finn promised.
“I told him it went great and Iwasseeing you again,” Nolan said. “And then he gave me this smug little smirk and saidgreat, then you can bring him to the Halloween partyand firstly, who has a Halloween party almost a full week before Halloween, andsecondly, he was just saying it to catch me out and now I’m gonna look like an idiot. And you’re gonna hate me for lying about it.”
To Nolan’s surprise, Finn chuckled.
He wasn’t yelling, or telling him off, or looking at him in disgust. Just laughing quietly.
“Well, I’m flattered,” Finn said. “No one’s ever pretended to date me before.”
“You’re not mad?” Nolan asked, despite the fact that Finn hadjust saidhe wasn’t. He’d been worrying about it on the whole drive over. A little more reassurance was necessary.
“Clearly not. So when’s this Halloween party?” he asked.
“The Friday before—wait,why?” Nolan looked up at him.
Finn shrugged. “Gotta know when I need a costume by. This is a costume thing, right?”
Nolan blinked at him.
Was Finn offering to go with him?
No. No, there was nowayhe’d gotten that lucky. Why the hell would Finn want…?
“Okay, here’s the thing—your cousin is an asshole, and I don’t like him. He dragged me into trying to humiliate you at that auction. As much as I’d love not to be petty about it, Iampetty, so… the chance to see the look on his face when wedoshow up together? I’d do a lot for that.”
