Page 8 of Ravenous

“Oh, cool. Thanks, Opie.” Grabbing it, Finn took a bite and opened the door, hoping that Owen wouldn’t be in the mood to quiz him. But those hopes were dashed when Owen followed him outside, closing the front door behind them.

“Are you okay?” Owen walked Finn to his SUV, which was parked a few sections down in the visitor lot.

“Yeah, I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Finn groused, telling as much truth as he could. Owen read him far too well for anything else. “But I’m glad you called. I liked hearing Liam’s good news.”

“Okay.” Owen seemed appeased, his brow relaxing. “Are yousureyou can’t stay for breakfast?”

That was the last thing Finn wanted to do and it made him feel shitty because Owen wasn’t a friend; he was family. It wasn’t Owen’s fault that his new relationship made Finn feel lonely. That was all on Finn.

He needed to get his head on straight. Again, he’d stuck to the truth; hedidhave a shift at the shoe store in an hour, and before he clocked in he had to shake everything off. Which meant he should’ve left five minutes ago.

“Yeah, I gotta jet.” Reaching the car, Finn gave Owen another hug. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” Pulling away, he grinned in amusement. “Worry about how often you’ll see Liam once college starts.”

“I didn’t think about that.” The creases in Owen’s forehead were back within seconds. With his distraction technique complete, Finn took that as an opportunity to leave, hoping that his day would get better from here on out.

Finn sighed, realizing that his day had been absolute shit since the moment he’d woken up and it would most likely stay that way until he went to sleep. Packing it in, calling it a loss, and curling up on the couch with a blanket, some buffalo chicken pizza, and a classic tennis match would be the wise choice.

If he hadn’t just lost his job.

Now, he needed the hours, which was why he was up at the view, taking a few minutes of downtime before starting his rideshare shift. Resting on the hood of his car, he fiddled with a small silver ring that he kept on a chain around his neck and tried to absorb the landscape, letting it soothe him.

He still couldn’t believe that he’d brought Ollie up here. Some of Finn’s relationships had lasted months and he hadn’t even thought about showing off this precious view, yet he knew Ollie for all of ten minutes before seeing those tears and wanting to reroute, somehow knowing that it would provide comfort.

The ring of Finn’s cell cut through the peaceful quiet and he warily checked the number, then smiled for the first time that day, pressingaccept. “How’s it goin’, Uncle Joe?”

“It’s going,” Joe chuckled, ending on a cough. “I’m just checking in with my boy. How ya been?”

“Overall? Good, except for me getting fired today.” Finn twirled the ring between his fingers.

“What? Did you moon them or something?” His uncle coughed through another laugh and Finn could hear water percolating.

“No, the rent for the store is going upa lotand the owner is eighty-three, so he’s going to retire and close up shop. Are you doing bong hits?”

“Of course.” Joe’s voice was tight as he tried to speak while holding his breath. “I gotta take my medication.”

“How about your other meds?” Dropping the ring to his chest, Finn sat up. “The high blood pressure and the ones for your heart? Are you taking those?”

“Yessiree bob!” An exhale followed that was so large Finn expected to smell pot on his end.

“You’re not drinking too, are you? You’re not a spring chicken anymore, you know.”

“Just a little whiskey. And maybe some beer.”

“Uncle Joe!” Finn’s tone was all admonishment. His uncle was the only family he had, or the only family he cared to have, and he needed the old fool to live a long life; however, Joe partied like he was eternally twenty-four and on tour with his band. He still lived in the country cabin that Finn had been raised in and it was over an hour north, so Finn didn’t get up there as often as he liked, but he had to make more of an effort since his uncle was over seventy and had no sense of self-preservation.

“Stop shouting, I can hear you from here. A man has to have some vices,” Joe grumbled.

“Somevices. Not all. How about I visit this week? It’s been too long.”

“You miss me?”

“Of course. You’re my uncledad.”

“I tell you, you’re the best nephewson a man could ever ask for.” Joe’s voice was blurry with genuine and plant-based happiness. “How’s your buddy Owen doing? I know he had a tough time with custody.”

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. He was trying to getawayfrom this topic. “He did. But he moved in with his new partner-”

“That Liam boy, right?”

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