HAPTER 031 : Do WeHave ADeal Or Not ? ThesefeelingsFinnhasareobviouslynotthecasualkind.Nottheshesmybestfriendkind.No.Itsdeeper.Itsinthewayhisvoicecrackswhenhesaysher name.Thewayhishandswontstaystill.Thewayhispanictakesonanedgethatlooksahellofalotlikeheartbreak.
Andmaybehehasntfigureditoutyet.MaybehestoofixatedonDelilahtoseewhatsbeenrightnexttohimallalong.ButIseeit.Iseeit,anditspissingmethefuckoff.
Ibitedownontheinsideofmycheekandtastecopper.
ItsahabitIpickedupincombatquietpainoverloudreaction.Keepsthethoughtssteady.Sharp.Contained.Butnothingaboutthissceneinfrontofmefeelscontained.Finnspacing.Moms posturing.
IstepcloserbeforeIcantalkmyselfoutofit,andtheybothlookup.
Momsmoothsherexpressionintoasmile.Finnwipeshiseyes.
Knox,Momsays.Ithoughtyouleft.
Ididnt.Itsmyfriendsweddingrehearsal.
Right.Ikeepforgettingyourethebestman.
Inodbeforesaying,Icouldnthelp overhearingyourconversation.Areyoulookingforsomeone? Justgoaway,Knox,Finnmutters.
Momcutshimoff.Actually,yes.Weare.Youhaventseenyourbrothersfriend,haveyou?Hesworriedshesfallenintothewronghands.

IthoughtAshevillewassafe,Isay.
Nowhereiscompletelysafe.
AfterservinginAfghanistan,Ashevilleseemslikeahaven.
MomfallssilentlikeshealwaysdoeswhenIbringupmytimeoverseas.
ButImnotfocusedonheranymore.MyeyesareonFinn,whohassuspicionwrittenallover hisface.
Youdontseembothered,hesays.
What? ImentionedSloanemightbemissing.Youdidntevenblink.
Whatdoyouwant,Finn?Youwantmetoshedatear? Iknowyou,hesays.IsawyouleavethatroomafterIkissedher.Iknowhowyoulookather.Iftheresevenaslightchanceshesmissing,youwouldntbethiscalm.
Istareathimforasecond.Maybetwo.
ThenIshrug.
Maybeyoudontknowmeaswellasyouthink.

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Whereisshe,Knox?heasks,steppingtowardme.
Momblockshispath.Nowyourejustaccusingeveryonebutyourself.Sheleftthesecondyoukissedher.YouvespentsolongchasingDelilahthatyoudontevenknowhowtoproperlyseducealadybeforekissingher,especiallyinpublic.Shepanicked.Andthepanicmusthavelookedlikeangertoyou.Shell beback.Stoppointingfingers.Justfindawaytodoitrightnexttime.
Finnfrowns.Do whatright? Askherout.Dateher.
Whatareyoutalkingabout? Youkissedher,right?Itmusthavecomefromsomewhere.
Thatkissmeantnothing,hesays.Itwasfora plan.TomakeDelilahjealous.
Momstepsclosertohiminannoyance.SometimesIjustwanttoslapsomesenseintoyou,Finn.Delilahsgettingmarried.Leaveheralone.
I cantdothat.
Ofcourseyoucan.
Successfullyunlocked! Istandthere,watchingthemvolleywordslikeatennismatchfromhellFinngoingonandonabout needingDelilahandneedingtofindSloane,whostheonlyonethatunderstandshim.Itsdoingmyfuckingheadin.
1/2 CHAPTER031:DoWeHaveADealOrNot?AndbeforeIcanstopmyself,Ispeak.
Whydontyoujustpickaside,Finn? Heturnstome.What? IfyouwantDelilahback,justsaytheword.IllgetHuntertocallofftheweddinginminutes.

Knox,Momwarns.
Idontevenlookather.MyeyesareonFinn.Andhisarefinally,finallytakingmeseriously.
Imassumingtheresacondition,hesaysslowly.
Thereis.IwantSloane.AndIdontwanttoshareherwithyou.Assoonasyougivemeyourwordthatyoullsetherfreefromthiscageyouvekeptherinforyears,IllgiveyouDelilah.Heartbroken.Needingcomfort.Youknowthatswhenshesmostmalleable.
Hesquints.WhatcagedidIkeepSloanein? Cutthebullshit,Finn.
Hefrowns,andIknowthatlookhestryingtojustifyittohimself.Tryingto pretendhesnotbeenusingherasaplaceholderforadecadewhilechasingawoman whoscrazy.
Soletmegetthisstraight,hesays.YouwantmetoendmyfriendshipwithSloane…andinreturn,youllhelpmegetDelilahback? Ismile.Yourecatchingon.
IcangetDelilahmyself,youknow.
Really?By kissingyourbestfriendinpublic?Howdthatgoforyou? Hedoesntanswer.
Igoon.DelilahshellbentonmarryingHunter.Shewontleavehimforyou.NotunlessHunterrejectsheroutright.Justsaythemagicwords,littlebrother,andgetwhatyou want.
Hisjawticks.
Istepcloser,voicelow.Dowehaveadealornot?