SWNOVELS Finn Rhodes Forever: Chapter 39
WHEN WE PULLED up to our usual parking spot at the end of the old logging road a few days later, there were already seven cars there. People stood around in the early morning light, chatting and drinking coffee. Avery, Sadie, and Hannah gathered around the bed of Holden’s truck, eating muffins, while Holden, Wyatt, Emmett, and Beck peered over a map. Aiden, a friendly, annoyingly good-looking guy who worked for Rhodes Construction, chatted with Joe and Jen.
“What’s going on?” Liv asked, twisting around in her seat as I parked. “Why is half the town here?”
“I invited them.” I killed the engine.
Her expression turned baffled. “Why?”
I chuckled. “So we can find the flower.”
She stared at me, frowning, before opening the car door and stepping out. She stood watching everyone in confusion.
“Sadie and Holden aren’t coming, they’re just here to see everyone off, and I think Hannah and Wyatt can only stay out until the early afternoon. Beck, Aiden, Randeep, and a few others are going to camp with us.”
Emotion rose in her eyes. “They are?”
I smiled at her and nodded. “Yep.”
Another car of people pulled up behind us and a family poured out—Emmett’s best friend Will and his wife, Nat. Will was our other neighbor growing up.
“Hey, Olivia!” Randeep passed Liv, decked out in his hiking gear. He lifted both hands up, giving her a double high-five. “Flower power!”
“Yeah,” she said, watching him walk away with confusion all over her face. She turned back to me. “You did this?”
I shrugged. “I suggested it and people were interested.”
A slow smile pulled up on her mouth, and her eyes softened. “Finn.”
I opened the trunk and pulled our packs out. “It was nothing.”
She came up behind me, wrapping her arms around me and leaning her head against my shoulder. “Thank you.”
My heart thudded against the front wall of my chest, steady and strong, and my hands settled over hers.
THAT EVENING, a small group of us sat around the campfire, chatting and making s’mores. Across from me, Liv talked with Randeep but our gazes kept meeting over the fire. Her skin glowed in the firelight, and I was counting down the seconds until I could pull her against me in the tent and bury my face in her hair.
“Glad you could get away from the hospital,” I said to Beck beside me.
He made a noise of acknowledgement and tipped back the last of his beer. “It wasn’t easy. We can’t catch up these days.” He glanced at me. “Olivia was worried about you a few weeks ago when you were sick.”
Again, my eyes met hers across the fire and her mouth curved up. She’d been so light and happy today, hiking with everyone. The old Liv was back again. I didn’t know why I didn’t think to invite people before.
When I turned back to Beck, he was glancing between Liv and me with a funny smile. “Must be nice.”
“The prom king’s having issues with the ladies?” My smile quirked up.
Beck was tall, like me and my brothers. The guy hit the gym regularly. People in town joked that he was Queen’s Cove most eligible bachelor.
I arched a brow at him. “You save babies for a living and you have a boat. What’s the issue?”
He shrugged. “Finding someone is one thing. Finding the right someone is another. Do you ever feel like…” He sighed and settled back against the log. “Like you’re never going to meet someone interesting enough to spend your entire life with?”
I thought back to my years in the field, fighting forest fires. How I’d compare every girl in every bar to Liv but no one came close. Across the fire, she stuck her tongue out at me, fast as lightning, and I grinned.
“I can’t say I do, buddy,” I told him.
Beck snorted. “Of course not. Forget I said anything.”
A pang of empathy threaded through my chest for him. Beck was a good guy. He deserved what I had with Liv.
“Is this the part where I’m supposed to tell you that love will find you when you least expect it?” I asked with a wry grin.
Beck’s chest shook with laughter. “Wow. Thank you for the sage advice.” He rolled his eyes. “Especially from the guy who’s with his childhood sweetheart. So unexpected.”
I smiled at the fire, gaze finding Liv once again.
“Hey,” he said, “do you think this strippers thing is going to get out of hand?”
“Strippers?” I repeated, laughing. “What?”
He chuckled. “Miri organized a ladies’ night at the community center and hired male strippers to drive in from Victoria. Sadie’s doing her baby shower there. I want to know if I need to be on-call that night.” He winced. “Miri can get out of hand.”
Ever since Liv dragged me to the book club and made me listen to my mom talk about alien dicks, I’d been waiting for an opportunity to get her back. A slow, wicked grin curled up on my mouth, and across the fire, Liv narrowed her eyes at me, smiling.
I had just found it.