Kiss Me Hard Before You Go (23 page)

Evie turned her head, looking out the window. She knew Katie was right. Her anger toward her mother had to go, but there were so many unanswered questions.

“You’re right,” she finally said.

“I know I’m right, Eves,” she said. “I’m just saying, you’ve got yourself a daddy that thinks you hung the moon, and a boyfriend, or whatever you want to call him, who isn’t far behind him in line. Appreciate what you’ve got, and stop thinking about the things that are out of your reach because you’re never going to get a hold on them anyway,” she said.

“Pregnancy has made you wise,” Evie teased.

“I’ve just had to make a visit to shit city is all, and I don’t want to drag you there with me.”

***

They held hands, walking in silence and lost in their thoughts. “You’re quiet tonight,” Finch said.

“Just thinking,” Evie said in a low voice.

“I saw the strain on your face,” he kidded.

She formed a half-hearted smile.

“Oh man, I’m losing my touch.”

“Who said you were funny to begin with?” She smirked.

He grabbed her by the waist and tickled her.

“Finch!” she squealed. “Stop!”

“No. Not until you admit that I’m the funniest person you’ve ever met!” He tickled her armpits, that spot on her neck he knew drove her crazy, and the right side of her stomach.

She giggled uncontrollably. “Stop it!”

“You heard my condition.”

“Fine. You’re the funniest person I’ve ever met,” she said in between laughs.

He gave her a smug look.

“Don’t be so smug. That was blackmail,” she said.

“I can do it again,” he said and gripped under her arms.

She playfully slapped his hand. “Cut it out!”

“Okay, I’ll stop,” he said with a mischievous grin.

“Hands in pockets, now!” she barked.

He pouted his lips and shoved his hands in his pockets. He nudged her with his shoulder and said, “So, you said you were thinking?”

“Yeah,” she said.

“About?”

“A lot of things. My dad’s really irritable lately, and I think it’s because he’s so worried about money. And I’m going to miss Katie, and then there’s you,” she said all in one breath, and paused, biting on her lip.

“What about me?”

She brought her finger to her mouth and chewed for a second. “You’re leaving soon.”

“In a couple of weeks,” he said.

“I’m going to miss you,” she admitted. There, she said it, and he could take it however he wanted.

“I’ll miss you more,” he said. “Evie.” He breathed and cupped her face. “Just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean we won’t continue to talk.”

“But how is it going to work?” She touched the surface of his hands and brought them down to her waist.

“There’s this wonderful invention called the telephone, and let’s not forget our friends at the United States Postal Service.” He could tell she didn’t appreciate the sarcasm. “Seriously, Evie, just enjoy what’s going on right now and quit harping so much on the future. I’ve never met someone who worries as much as you.”

“But,” she started.

“I’m going to put everything I’ve got into this and make it work, whatever it is.”

He brought her to him and kissed her, and her hands wandered up his shirt, feeling the smooth texture of his back. Her fingers roamed to his stomach, feeling the soft patch of hair that centered around his belly button. He trembled from her touch. “Evie,” he murmured and kissed her again, drowning into her mouth.

***

Later that night, they lay in the grass staring up at the twinkling stars that lit up the opaque sky. “How far is that star?” Evie pointed to the sky.

“Don’t know, but it shines so bright you’d think it was close by,” he said and intertwined his fingers with her. He rubbed the surface of her hand with his thumb.

“The sun is a star,” she said. She rarely paid attention in science class, but that was the one thing she remembered.

“You’re like the sun,” he said.

“How’s that?”

“You brighten my day and give it life.”

Chapter 22

Gray begged Evie to go to the carnival with him. A part of her felt guilty because the only reason she relented was so she could see Finch. She itched to see him, to have any contact with him, and the nights alone didn’t seem like enough time for them to get to know each other.

She could tell at least ten random facts about Finch Mills to anyone who asked. She knew that he was allergic to milk, which she thought was ironic considering that she worked with cows day in and day out. And she knew that he didn’t have a middle name. He loved peanut butter and would eat it straight from the jar. He slept lightly and could wake from any sound. She loved the small mole on the left side of his cheek, and if she were blindfolded, she could pinpoint its exact location.

If anyone asked Finch, he could tell them that Evie worried too much, so much that she gnawed her nails off and bit on her plump bottom lip until it bled. That she talked to the cattle like they were human beings, and that she loved mustard and would put it on any item of food she could. He knew that he loved her middle name as much as her first and would call her Evelyn Rose if she allowed him to.

“Let’s walk for a change,” Gray said. Evie thought to herself,
if he only knew! That’s all I’ve been doing the past couple of weeks
. She noticed her shorts and pants were less snug, and if she kept at it, her clothes would be baggy by summer’s end. Her appetite was nonexistent. Katie told her that’s what happens when you fall in love, but Evie brushed her off and said it was the summer heat.

Gray peered up at the cloudless sky and then glanced at Evie. “It’s a nice night, ain’t it?”

“Yeah,” she said. The weather was perfect – not too hot, not too cold, just right. It was nice enough to lay outside and watch the stars with Finch, she thought. Or maybe take a midnight swim. They hadn’t been back to the pond since that one night, but she often thought of asking him if he’d want to join her again.

“Will you ride something with me?” he asked, and Evie thought that he sounded like a an anxious kid.

“I’m not much for rides, you know that,” she said.

“Suit yourself, Debbie Downer.” He nudged her and smiled. It was the first one she had seen on him in days.

“Have you been doing all right, Daddy?”

“Sure. Why?” He slowed his pace.

“You’ve just been cranky lately, and it’s not like you.”

He stopped and wrapped his arm around her and gave her a tight squeeze. Evie could feel the dampness of his shirt. He was already sweating, and they had barely begun their walk.

“I’m fine, Punkin. Really, I am.” He plastered a wide grin. Evie knew not to question him anymore. If he wanted to tell her what was really the matter, he would. He let go of her and started moving. “You going to see Finch?”

“I’m sure I’ll run into him,” she said. Their visit to the carnival was a last-minute decision, and she didn’t have time to tell Finch she’d be there.

“And I’m sure you’ll make a point to,” he said with a lopsided grin.

***

After spending five dollars of his hard earned cash only to come up empty handed, Gray decided the Ring Toss just wasn’t his game. “Guess my aim ain’t as good as it used to be.” He wiped the sweat from his brow and frowned.

“That’s okay.” She patted him on the arm. “Good Lord, Daddy, you’re sweating buckets!”

His clothes were drenched, and his hair was sopping wet. “Lawd have mercy, it’s a scorcher,” he said and wiped his forehead.

“You’re soaked.” She dried her hand off on her shirt.

“Men sweat, Punkin,” he said. He did a quick nod and gestured with his head. “That fella of yours is coming this way.”

She turned around and saw Finch approaching them.

“Hi,” she said with a goofy grin.

“Hi,” he said to her. “Hi, Mr. Barnes.” He shook Gray’s hand and didn’t even flinch from the sweat.

“Hey, Finch,” Gray said. His tone wasn’t overly friendly, but it wasn’t cold, either. “She decided to come with me tonight. Can’t imagine what brought her here.” He cocked an eyebrow.

Evie peered down and shook her head in embarrassment.

“It must be the rides. We know how much she loves them,” Finch said.

Gray let out a laugh. “You know her well,” he said. “I’m aiming to ride that ferris wheel. Evie, can I persuade you to change your mind?”

She shook her head vigorously.

“I take it that’s still a no,” he said. “See you later, Finch.”

“Bye, Mr. Barnes,” Finch said and brought his gaze back to Evie.

“Bye, Daddy,” she said and then made a kissing sound and puckered up her lips to Finch.

“What? You wanna kiss right here? Right now? I knew you liked kissing me but...” Finch said with a half-grin.

“I was talking about you being a butt kisser,” she said and repeated the noise and puckered her lips again.

“You’re cute when you do that. You look like a little hedgehog,” he said and pinched her nose.

She touched her nose and grimaced. “You just pinched my nose.”

“Yeah. So,” he said.

She reached up to pinch his nose but his reflexes were too quick. She tried again and failed.

She sighed in frustration.

“I’m too fast for you, Evie.”

“And annoying,” she said.

“So, did you come with your dad tonight so you could see me?” He hooked his fingers in a belt loop of her denim shorts.

“No.” Her cheeks glowed, and she couldn’t stop the big smile from coming.

“You wanted to ride all the rides then? Or, maybe play some games?”

“Yep. That’s it,” she said with a sarcastic grin.

“So why aren’t you on the ferris wheel with him then?”

She rolled her eyes.

“What?” he asked with a smirk.

“You know what. Besides I don’t do heights, and he rides that dumb thing because he and my mother rode it together.”

“Was your mom around when we started coming out here?”

“One summer,” she said. “And it’s the only ride she’d get on with him. He says he’s over her, but why else would he make a point to get on it every year?”

“Because ferris wheels are fun. If you weren’t such a chicken, I’d ride it with you.”

“I’m not a chicken,” she said defensively.

“When it comes to rides you are. It’s nice up there.” He gestured with his head. “You can see the entire farm.”

“Are you spying on me from up there, Finch Mills?” she said, trying to be coy.

“Yes, and you’re really boring,” he said and fought a smile. He tugged on her hand and motioned for her to follow. “Come on. Let me win something for you.”

***

Finch threw his last dart, popping the pink balloon to shreds. “That’s the fifth one,” Evie said. Even she couldn’t deny that she was impressed. Finch had aim. He threw each dart and obliterated every balloon he aimed for.

“Hardly seems fair,” the carny said with a huff and scowled at him.

“Aww come on, Mickey. I never play,” Finch said.

“Still seems wrong,” he said with a grunt and pursed his lips.

“Which one do you want?” Finch asked Evie, pointing up to the array of stuffed animals: rabbits, bears, and other cutesy animals that were far from fearless when they were stuffed with cotton.

“The koala bear is cute,” she said.

“The cute but deadly bear it is,” he said.

Mickey mumbled something to himself and reluctantly handed the bear to Finch, who then handed it to Evie.

“Thanks,” she said, hugging it against her. It was soft and cuddly and the first gift she’d ever gotten from a guy who wasn’t her dad.

“Want me to win you more? I’ve got every booth here beat,” he said with excitement, not arrogantly. He wanted to win everything in the entire carnival and give it all to her.

“That’s okay. I’m happy with the one,” she said, looking down at the koala bear.

“You sure?” He asked in the same tone.

“Yep.” She peered up at him with a smile and nodded reassuringly.

He took a hold of her hand as they ambled through the midway. Booths with games were on each side of them: lines of people tried to win a prize. Voices carried and sounded like an angry swarm of bees. Rock music from nearby rides overlapped each other.

“How do you hear yourself think?” Evie shouted to Finch.

“You get used to it,” he said.

Evie’s head was throbbing, and she wanted nothing more than to be on the other side of her property, staring up at the stars with Finch laying next to her. At least there they’d have peace and quiet. At least the stench of popcorn and funnel cakes wouldn’t permeate the air.

They came to a dead stop, blocked by a large group of people who huddled near the ferris wheel. “What’s going on?” she asked. The ferris wheel wasn’t moving, and the looming crowd was growing.

“Don’t know. Lemme go find out.” He let go of her hand and pushed his way through the crowd.

Finch knew something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut, and his gut never lied to him. When his mom died, he knew. He felt a void, an emptiness he never experienced before, and a cold sensation came over him. And he knew before he was even told the dreadful news—she had passed.

The closer he got to the front of the huddle, the more his instincts told him that whatever it was, it wasn’t good. He could read their faces: shock, uncertainty, fear. Those weren’t good emotions. Those were omens.