Walk Me Down (7 page)

Slapping the back of Will’s seat, I ask, “Is this a prank? If so, I’m not in the mood. My head is splitting. I’m dizzy and still taste the puke in my mouth.”

All three of them shrug at the same time and truly look as perplexed as I do.

“This can’t be good,” I mumble to myself.

Sliding the lock screen to open, I take a deep breath and see what awaits me.

  555-3466: This is Finn. I need to talk to you.

555-3466: Please text back. I don’t want Kara to ruin this.

555-3466: I’ll make you talk to me. Random fact about me…I hate balloons. Who wants a piece of plastic filled with someone’s spit???

“Well, who is it Tess?” Tommie asks from the front seat.

I very calmly push the button to roll down the window and toss out my phone and Finn.

“Holy shit,” Scarlett yells.

“What?” I ask, shrugging my shoulders. “Everyone I need to talk to is in this truck and typically shoved so far up my ass that I don’t need a phone.”

I shoot Scarlett a death glare, and my message is very well received from the look on her face. I know exactly where Finn got my number, and she’ll pay for it and for the new phone when I leave at the end of summer.

“Sorry,” she whispers. “I just thought after learning more that…”

“Don’t,” I blurt out.

Will slows the truck down pulling into New Moon café. It’s only the best breakfast place on earth and with its perfect blend of grease and spice. I may be able to beat this hangover. Stepping out of the truck, I realize I’m still wearing Tommie’s shorts from last night and for the first time in years, I don’t give a fuck. I exposed myself days ago to Finn in the closet and had another layer ripped off me last night in the same bar. I’m sure the whole town knows by now that I have a fake leg, and something in me doesn’t even care anymore.

“Booth or table?” Tommie asks, as we enter the front door.

“Booth,” Scarlett and I both reply.

Taking in the aroma of New Moon, I’m immediately slammed in the face with that voice and group of laughter once again. Kara, her group and upon closer inspection, Finn. He just can’t seem to stay away from her.

Pretending as if I didn’t hear or am currently boiling with anger on the inside, I follow Will’s lead as he guides us to a booth. I instantly jump in the side with my back to the famous crowd of hypocrites. Kara doesn’t bother to quiet down when we sit, nor does her table all laughing hysterically at something. I know assuming is the worst thing to do in moments like these, but it’s the only thread I have left to grasp. And it’s safe to assume they are all laughing at me.

“What can I get you all to drink?” A voice asks.

“I’m ready to order,” I pipe up, hoping to hurry along this pain.

“Alright, what can I get you?”

“I’ll take a side of sausage links and an extra large order of hash browns.”

A little trick I learned in high school, grease and ketchup the instant hangover cure. The rest of the table orders and I don’t catch one thing they say. They could have ordered grilled alien with a side of cactus and I just smiled and nodded. Will tries to make small talk about the size of his boat engine and who he’s going to drag around first on the tube. His words are just a jumble and Tommie’s face, nodding in agreement, is just a missing piece to the puzzle.

“Okay, sausage and hash browns.”

“Here,” I say, signaling with my hand.

“And our famous cinnamon roll?”

We all look at each other in question.

“Nobody ordered that,” Will finally speaks up.

“Oh, that’s right. Finn ordered it for a Tess.”

Holding my hand out automatically, then mentally kicking myself realizing it was at the mention of the name Finn that made me hold my hand out. Grabbing the plate, I mentally note the paper on the bottom of the plate, trying not to give up my poker face.

“Shit, I totally forgot about the cinnamon rolls,” Will vocally scolds himself.

“We can share,” I playfully tease, trying to distract the table from my actions of burying the note in my lap.

Finn. The fucker isn’t giving up. It takes everything inside of me not to open the paper and read it. Every five seconds, I have to remind myself not to look.

“I need to use the restroom,” I finally surrender to the note sitting in my lap.

“Are you sick?” Will asks around a mouthful of waffle. “You always say I’m heading to the shitter.”

“Yeah, I’m sick of watching you molest that waffle,” I automatically retort not giving him a chance to respond before I dart from the booth.

Once safe in the bathroom, I open the piece of paper.

Tess,

I’m not giving up on you. I ordered you a cinnamon roll. They are my favorite, and I want to share that with you.

Finn

Motherfucker!
I mentally berate myself.
Why did I even look? Self-torture, that has to be it.
Once back at the table, I first notice the cinnamon roll untouched by my hash browns. Settled back in, I dig into it and nearly experience my first foodgasm. The taste is out of this world with the perfect mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar, warm bread and frosting. It’s the frosting that makes this cinnamon roll so mind blowing.

“Giving up on the ketchup grease theory? Knew it was fake, I’ve never seen you drunk a day in college,” Scarlett preaches.

“It’s next. This cinnamon roll is uh-mazing.”

“They really are. Your sister gained ten pounds the first month we lived here.”

“Will,” Tommie screeches.

“You know I like those extra pounds,” he says, waggling his eyebrows up and down.

Scarlett begins to gag and Will picks up on her cue.

“Eat and let’s go spend a day on the river,” Tommie finally blurts out.

“Is that a blush, I spy?” I harass Tommie.

“Eat,” she retorts back.

Tommie, always the famous prude, some things never really do change, and she is one of them. A few minutes later the loud clatter of the largest group of the restaurant leaves. I do everything in my power not to turn and face him because I’d bet all my money, he’s following Kara like a neutered puppy.

The door slams shut with the slight breeze flowing outside, and everything inside me relaxes for the time being. The restaurant is suddenly eerily quiet with the popular group gone.

“You can unclench your butt cheeks there, Tess. They’re all gone.”

“Thanks, Will,” I say with a little giggle accompanying it.

I swear sometimes that man knows me better than my own sister.

“Ten minutes to finish up eating and then we are hitting the river.”

“For Christ’s sake, Will. You are not going to put a time limit on us eating. You can just kiss my ass,” Tommie replies.

“Oh, I’ll kiss your ass and then lick your…”

“Stop. Oh my God. Stop, now,” she squeals. “I’ll be done in eight minutes so there!”

“Good, I’m going to pay the bill and talk to a guy about a horse,” Will announces to the table, kissing Tommie on the top of the head and heading for the bathroom.

“A horse?” Scarlett asks.

“It’s code for the bathroom,” I say.

Exactly five minutes later, Will makes his way from the counter and just like good, little girls all three of us are standing by the door waiting for him.

“Good kids,” he commends.

Tommie gives him a slap on the ass, as he walks by and we all walk to the parking lot. My eyes are focused down on the metal parts of my leg that are gleaming in the sun. It’s such an awkward sensation, but so liberating at the same time not to care anymore. The tiny voice that is constantly begging and encouraging me to be free is whispering,
“You should be proud of that metal and everything you’ve become.”

A deep voice drags me from my thoughts. Looking up, I see Finn and Wes leaning up against their truck, which is also hooked up to a boat.

“Hey guys,” Will says, walking over and doing the man half shake half hug to both of them.

Tommie is standing directly behind me barricading me from turning and running. Damn her because that’s exactly what I want to do. Run and lock myself in the back of the truck.

“Scarlett invited me to go boating with y’all today,” Wes says.

“Yeah, no prob,” Will replies.

In slow motion, I watch Wes grab Scarlett’s hand and head for Will’s truck. I mentally note there is only room for two in the back seat due to all the shit Tommie packed.

“Whoa, whoa,” I finally holler, realizing exactly what’s going on.

“You can ride with Finn, Tess,” Tommie says, as the four motherfuckers basically jog and lock themselves in the truck.

The sheer horror plastering my face must be seriously obvious.

“Tess, I just want a day with you,” Finn finally says, stepping closer.

“Why,” I whisper.

“I’ve tried reaching out to you. I know you’ve read my texts and the note this morning. I’m not leaving you alone until you give me a chance.”

“How do you know I read your texts? Is my whole family in on this conspiracy?”

Finn laughs really hard before he has the chance to catch his breathe.

“No, Tess. You have the read receipts turned on on your iPhone.”

“Oh.”

Awkward silence fills the parking lot, which is now empty besides the two of us, and his truck and boat.

“Why not just walk away from me? It would be a lot less painful, I can assure you that.”

Finn takes another step closer and this time we are merely inches apart.

“I’m stubborn and know what I want. I want a chance with you. That’s all I’m asking. You’ve been on my mind since that first night together. I only taste you, smell you and feel every single part of you on me. I just want you.”

Finn grabs both of my hips, whirls me around and pins me up against his truck.

“But you never called or tried to get hold of me after that night. You just showed up with Kara.”

Finn lowers his forehead to mine. “Listen, Tess.”

“Uh. That’s Tessa to you, Finn.”

“Listen, Tessa. I planned on finding you. I never put two and two together and my heart literally shattered when I walked into the vet clinic and spotted you. I knew how it looked and Kara. Fuck Kara! I’m not going to let her ruin this. I won’t.”

“Ruin what? We have nothing, but one night together.”

“Give me a week. Let me have you for a week, Tess, uh.”

“Ass, you don’t have to be so dramatic about my name. Only my family gets to call me Tess.”

“A week, please?”

“What about Kara and that group. Hell, they made fun of me in public last night.”

“I don’t care about them. I grew up with all of them in this small town. Yes, it’s true my dad and Kara’s dad have always pushed us together. It’s not going to happen. She came home all graduated from college and ready to be with me. I’ve told her no.”

“I’m broken, Finn,” I whisper, hanging my head low.

“I’ve seen all of you. Your leg doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.”

“It’s more than the prosthetic. I’ve had my heart broken and life destroyed and I’m not quite sure I’m willing to put it all out there ever again for a repeat story.”

“A week. I want a week to get to know Tess-uh and I want you to know me.”

“First thing first, stop with the name shit. One week. That’s it. No Kara.”

“Deal.”

“Deal?” I ask.

“It’s a deal because I’m not letting you back out of it.”

“Whatever,” I say rolling my eyes and going for the passenger door.

Immediately, I notice it’s completely piled up with coolers, life jackets and a bag.

Pointing to the mess, I ask, “Where am I supposed to sit?”

“In the middle,” Finn replies, as he grabs my hand and starts dragging me to the driver’s side.

“You asshole. Where did Wes sit on the way here?”

Finn keeps dragging me and just laughs.

“I’m not losing one minute of this week. I came prepared.”

“So, you are telling me that Wes sat on your lap on the drive down here?”

“No, I’m telling you that I’ve fucking died day after day with the thought of never kissing you again.”

Finn wastes no time after his sentence and swoops down on me. He hesitates one second, almost pulling back from his decision, and I decide to jump for it. Standing on my tippy toes, I reach up and graze his lips. They feel and taste the same they did the other night. My hands grab his long, shaggy hair, as I press harder to his lips. Finn opens up and again I jump first, gliding my tongue into his mouth. I feel his hands roaming down my back and finally settling on my ass. His grips tighten, as he pulls me towards him, eliminating all air between us. A honking horn and some catcalls finally pull me to my senses. Looking up, I see Will’s truck pulling back into the parking lot and Scarlett hanging out the back hollering her approval.