It had been so long since I’d been excited about what I did for a living, and going to London had changed all that for me. I wasn’t going to waste that lesson. I was going to make it happen.
“Hey, I just thought of something. Have you ever thought about the fact that someone might name their horse Wyatt after your character on Big Sky Ranch? I mean, you just named your horse Han Solo,” I said as I made my way into the kitchen, where he was cooking chili.
I’d just gotten ready in Finn’s bathroom. Sometimes it was just easier since all of my belongings were in his room. Turns out, Brinkley was right because Georgia had been at Cottonwood Café and overheard Mrs. Runither and Marilyn talking about me and Finn living together. Marilyn had cleaned his house three days ago, and clearly, she’d paid attention to where my things were.
“Wow, look at you,” Finn said with a whistle.
It smelled like fall in here, with the fresh log burning in his fireplace and the seasonings from the chili flooding the kitchen.
“Thank you. You approve, Lover?” I teased as I twirled around. I was wearing my new cream sweater, which fell off one shoulder, my dark skinny jeans, and my lucky cowboy boots. My hair was pulled back in a messy knot at the nape of my neck, and I felt put together for the first time since I’d found out Carl was dating someone else.
It felt good to put on makeup and dress cute again.
After our long conversation about orgasms, my mind wandered to Carl and his current girlfriend. It was nauseating to think about, for sure, but I couldn’t help but wonder if our lack of connection had something to do with me. Maybe I don’t appeal to guys in a sexy way. Maybe I’m safe or something like that. Finn and I have been friends forever, and never once has he tried anything sexual—not in a serious way, anyway. Maybe Carl didn’t get excited over me either… That was a depressing thought.
“I sure do, Lover,” he said as he held a hand beneath the ladle and motioned for me to come taste.
Living here had been so easy, and I knew I’d be sad when our little arrangement came to an end, but it was for the greater good. I’d still get to see Finn every day, at least when he wasn’t filming. And it was time to figure out things with Carl.
I sealed my lips over the spoon and groaned as the garlic and peppers hit my tongue. Finn had become a really good cook since all the drama with Jessica had him keeping a low profile at home.
She’d gone silent since our relationship had gone public. But she kept calling Finn, who continued to ignore her calls. He was not looking forward to filming with her again in the new year. And I was dreading him not being here, where I could see him every day.
This last year had not only shown me that I was ready to spread my wings professionally, that I was ready to get my relationship with Carl back on track, but it also showed me how much I’d missed my best friend.
My ride or die.
And I’d missed being here, in Cottonwood Cove, more than I’d ever imagined.
“Damn. That is so good. I kind of wish I was going to stay and eat here.”
“So, stay and eat here,” he said, setting the spoon down and crossing his arms over his Henley-covered chest. His muscles pressed against the fabric, and I took him in. He really was a beautiful man. He had fans and women that fawned all over him, but he was still just Finn.
The boy who’d convinced me at the young age of five years old that if we left food out at night for our gummy worms, they would come to life while we were sleeping.
The boy who’d gone with me to get my ears pierced when I was ten years old because I was too afraid to go alone.
The boy who’d always saved a spot for me at lunch right beside him, from kindergarten through high school.
Even when I was dating Carl our senior year, he’d still hold that spot for me, just in case I didn’t want to sit with my boyfriend that day.
He was also the boy who went to every single chemo treatment with me for months. He never missed one. A lump formed in my throat at the memory—how Finn had somehow made my treatments tolerable.
“I need to go talk to him and find out how serious things are with him and his new girlfriend.” I cleared my throat. “See if we can salvage this.”
He studied me for the longest time as I reached into my purse and popped a mint into my mouth. I didn’t know what to expect tonight, but I wanted to be prepared. “Yeah, yeah, sure. A lifetime of boring sex and being a doctor’s wife sounds really appealing.”
“Says the guy who doesn’t do relationships. You don’t know what it’s like out there, Chewy. I don’t want to waste years looking for Mr. Right when I’m fairly certain I’ve already found him.”