Page 169 of Rookie Attraction

“He has a, uh, a layover and might stop by to say hello,” I offer between bites. “Later. Maybe.”

Definitely.

“That’s a pretty awesome thing he’s doing,” Will murmurs.

“I know.”

Will grabs a runza and starts munching away. I do the same, trying to avoid the awkward silence. Once he’s done eating, he sips on his coffee.

“Finn.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s me. What’s really going on?”

“Nothing.”

I can already feel a hot blush creeping up my cheeks.

“You can’t lie for shit. Not to me. Him flying here isn’t a coincidence, yeah?”

Will’s right. I can’t lie for shit, but especially to my brother, so I shake my head.

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah.” Will shrugs.

“Don’t you want to know why?”

He shakes his head.

“Only if you want to tell me.”

I’m sweating so hard I’ve probably got pit stains on my shirt. Then I glance across the room at Mom. She looks tiny and frail in that bed, but she’s fucking brave, still fighting, and a reminder that I only have one life.

“I want to tell you,” I confess. “But it may take a while.”

“We have coffee and runza, so talk away.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

SELWIN

THAT AFTERNOON

Thanks to high winds in Minnesota, I arrive in Omaha an hour later than I’d planned. And the drive from the airport is slow too, given the afternoon rush. I’m almost two hours late. By the time I check in to my hotel, I’m so damn antsy that minutes later, I drop off my bags in my room and walk straight to the hospital.

But before I head up to my room, I pop into the giftshop.

Now I’m two hours and fifteen minutes late and sweating even though I’m still frozen solid from being outside.

When I follow the directions and arrive at the fifth floor, my gaze lands on a familiar figure in the hallway. He’s dressed in a blue gown, mask, and gloves, pacing back and forth. I know that walk, the red hair, the cowlick. I pause, soaking up the sight of Finn, even though I can’t see much of him with that gear on. He suddenly turns and looks up, our eyes locking, and I force myself not to run. Finn stills, and I walk closer, noticing the violet shadows under his pretty eyes.

“You’re here.”