“Oh.” Nolan swallowed, hoping he didn’t seemtoodisappointed by Finn’s reasons.
It wasn’t as though he really expected Finn towantto go with him. At best, he’d expected to be forgiven for lying about it and allowed to keep coming back to the sanctuary.
“Sorry.” Finn shrugged. “I’m not gonna pretend to like the guy. I know he’s your cousin.”
“No, uh… my relationship with Gavin is, umm, complicated.”
Complicated was understating it a little, but it was the best description Nolan could come up with short of telling Finn his entire life story.
“I kinda figured.” Finn nodded. “And I’m not gonna tell you how to run your life, obviously. But if you’re okay with me tagging along… I mean, how bad can it be?”
“Well, there’s an open bar.” Nolan shrugged. “I don’t really drink, so I’m not sure how much of an enticement that is.”
“I don’t really drink either,” Finn said. “But Iwillhave one hard apple cider on your cousin’s dime. If you’re cool with that.”
How could he say no? Finn was giving him the opportunity to turn the tables on Gavin for once in his life.
That was too good an offer to pass up.
“We wouldn’t have to stay long,” he said. “Just long enough for him to see you there.”
“Hey, I already said I’d go,” Finn responded kindly. “You don’t need to sell me on this. It was my idea.”
“I know, I just… you’re doing it to save me being humiliated all over again and I really appreciate that. You don’t owe me anything.”
“I don’t have to owe you anything to want to help out a friend in need,” Finn said.
“Friend?” Nolan asked hopefully.
“Yeah. I mean, assuming you wanna be friends.” Finn shrugged again, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
Was henervous? About Nolan potentially not wanting to be his friend?
Wow.
Fear of rejection obviously wasn’t limited to people who were used to being rejected. Nolan couldn’t imagineanyonesaying no to Finn. A smile and a wink would have gotten him anything.
“I’d like to call you a friend,” Nolan said after a moment, realizing that Finn was expecting an answer.
“Good. Back to the safety briefing?”
The multiple knots in Nolan’s stomach all seemed to unravel at once. Things were okay.
Finn was smiling at him.
Gavin was going to bepissed.
And he’d made a new friend.
The relief was enough to leave him lightheaded. He blinked up at Finn for a moment, and then managed to nod.
“I’ll even listen this time,” he promised.
“Yeah, well, it’s your ass on the line if you don’t,” Finn joked. “You already signed the paperwork.”
“I’m sure Buttercup won’t eat me. We’re friends.”
“You are. Look at her looking over at you.” Finn nodded to her tank, where shewaspointed in Nolan’s general direction.
