“How’s she supposed to get home? She’s running around half-naked, crying. Something could—”
“Finn. She’s not drunk and she’s a smart girl. She knows how to call for a ride. If you treat her like an idiot right now, she’s going to be even more embarrassed. There’s a fine line between protective and patronizing, okay? Don’t make this worse.”
I nod. “Okay.”
“I’m sorry, I have no idea what happened. I kissed her first but then backed off. She’s the one who wanted to—”
“I know. It’s not your fault. She’s been trying to prove all summer that she can handle sex with me. She’s trying to be more daring so she fits into this scene. This city. She thinks that’s what I want from her.”
“Do you?”
“Not at all,” I reply. “Look, Cass, we’re not doing this anymore. You and I are going to keep our clothes on from now on.” I look around the room. “And I’m not coming here anymore. Gramps can donate Ruby’s for all I care. I don’t want anything in my life that comes between me and Avery.”
I burst through the exit doors of Ruby’s and scour the long row of vehicles parked in front of the club. There is a fleet of limos waiting to take drunk partygoers home, but I’m looking for a red Escalade—my ride share.
By now my breathing has calmed and my tears have mostly dried. I made a quick stop into the bathroom to somewhat compose myself.
What the fuck was I thinking? I pull my phone from my clutch again and check the ride-share app. I had to share the ride and I’m the second passenger to be picked up. I am not in the mood to drive around Las Vegas with a stranger, but it’s all that’s available right now. I’m sure I’m lucky to even have booked a ride. From the looks of it, my driver is stuck at a red light and attempting to make a U-turn, so I make a call to kill the time.
She answers in a groggy slur.
“Aves?”
“Palmer,” I say through a sniffle. She hears the strain in my voice and is immediately on high alert.
“What’s wrong?” For a moment, I just breathe and cry into the phone, so she asks again. “Where are you? It’s past midnight.”
“Outside of the birthday party, waiting on a ride.”
“Where’s Finn?”
My heart drops. He’s going to be upset that I ran out on him, but I’m so overwhelmed at the moment. I don’t want him to make it okay. I know he will, and right now I need to feel the overwhelming magnitude of my decisions. I’ve been reckless this entire summer, and I need to recognize that.
“I watched him kiss another woman—”
Her voice drops. “I will seriously murder a motherfucker—”
“No, Palmer. Not like that. I tried to have a threesome and I couldn’t do it. We talked about it. It was just…sex. But watching him with someone else…” It hurt. I trail off and try to calm my rising hysteria. “I think I’m already in love with him.”
This all happened way too fast. It didn’t even hurt this bad when Mason dumped me and that was after four years. Yes, I could’ve told Finn and Cass that I was uncomfortable and that we should stop. Finn would’ve gallantly walked me out of this club, taken me home, held me in bed, and everything would be okay.
That’s the problem.
Finn makes me feel so secure that I haven’t seen the mess I’ve been creating all summer. I’ve been running from my home, my problems, and getting whisked up into a situation that I am not equipped to handle. This isn’t the life I want and now I’m wildly attached. I’m probably going to spend the next four years changing my identity and personality to accommodate yet another man…and lose myself all over again.
“You tried to have a threesome?” Palmer doesn’t hide the shock in her voice. “And you’re in love?”
“I miss you, Palmer. I miss home. I miss me.” The real version of me who isn’t exhausted from trying to be something she’s not. I’m mundane. I’m vanilla… And I’m okay with that.
“Did you book your flight?”
I suck in a little breath again. “Not yet. I’m going to go home right now and pack a few things. I’ll get on standby. It’s easier to catch a redeye anyway. Send me your hotel details. I’ll catch a ride from the airport.”
“Don’t be silly. Call me and wake me up. I’ll pick you up whenever your flight lands… Aves, it’s going to be okay. I’m here, babe. This summer has been a mess for both of us. We’re going to go home and pick up the pieces. We’ll get through this like we always do—together.”
I nod into the phone. “Okay,” I whisper.
“I love you, Aves.”
“I know, me too.” Looking up, I see a large red SUV pulling in front of Ruby’s neon red sign. “My ride is here. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I hang up and as I approach the vehicle, the driver rolls down the window. He looks me up and down in my mermaid costume. “Ms. Avery?” he asks.
Wiping under my eyes and trying to mop up the fresh batch of tears, I nod. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Left side, ma’am,” he responds before rolling the window back up.
I walk to the other side of the car and pull open the door to see my ride-share buddy already seated and buckled. Holy shit. She’s startlingly gorgeous. Forget Maura, Palmer, all these mean girls at the restaurants, Lennox, Cass, and every woman in Las Vegas whose looks I’ve secretly envied. This woman puts them all to shame. Her petite frame is sheathed in a skin-tight leather minidress. She looks like she’s dressed as a sexy character from the Matrix. And her stick-straight, long black hair is pulled to the side. She looks up at me with her big, light brown eyes as I settle in my seat and buckle in.
“I love your costume. Mermaids are so in.” Even her voice is melodic. She must notice my red eyes because she suddenly cocks her head to the side. “You okay?”
“Long night.”
“Same,” she says with a small smile. She calls out to the driver, “You can take her first. I’m in no hurry to go home.”
“Were you at the birthday party?” I have no idea why I’m trying to make conversation at the moment. Maybe as a distraction to avoid more crying.
“For about five minutes. My exes got into a fight,” she grumbles. “I’ve been hiding out ever since.”
Oh, fuck me. It dawns on me instantly. I’d hop right out of this vehicle, had it not already pulled into traffic. Maybe I can still open the door and just tuck and roll. Of course this is how my night would end. I know exactly who this is. The question is…
Does she know who I am?
I hold out my hand. “I’m Avery. I’m a friend of Finn’s. It’s nice to meet you.”
Her ears perk up at his name and it’s clear she realizes what I’m saying. She takes my hand, somewhat reluctantly.
“Nice to meet you.” Her pretty eyes narrow. “I’m Nora.”
36
Finn
The morning after Cass’s party, I walk into my kitchen to see Lennox making coffee. She’s in baggy sweatpants, with no makeup.