Page 3 of Hearing Little Hadley

“I think we have time for ice cream.”

She grabbed his hand again and he allowed her to lead him over to the counter.

After pointing to her favorite, she looked back at him.

“In a cup or cone?”

She pointed to a chocolate-dipped cone.

“Oh, good choice,” the woman behind the counter complimented as she scooped up the blue ice cream.

Hadley tapped his stomach and he chuckled. “I’m going to get some too.”

She looked pleased with his answer. She did not look pleased when he paid the total. Frowning up at him, she tappedNo.

Ignoring her for the moment, he took both their ice creams and walked over to the tables shaped like upside-down bowls. He sat down on a chair meant to resemble a cherry and waited for her to begrudgingly join him.

As soon as her butt hit her seat, she crossed her arms. He chuckled at her pout.

“I can’t hand you your ice cream if your arms are crossed like a grumpy monster.”

She unfolded her arms but flipped through her cards.No.

He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he couldn’t resist riling her up a little bit.

“No what, Peeps? No ice cream?”

Furrowing her brow, she tappedMoney.

“Oh no, you don’t have any money? That’s terrible. I’ll help you out until you get back on your feet.”

If looks could kill, he’d be a dead man. Having mercy on her, he handed her the treat and sat back on the stool. “I know you’re upset that I paid for our goodies, but I wanted to, okay?”

She sighed as if he’d asked her to give him a kidney.

After his brother had passed, he’d struggled financially. They’d lived together after escaping their junkie parents, and when Josh had passed, the expenses to cover his funeral, plus pay the rent, simply hadn’t been possible for the then twenty-two year old Finn. He’d been evicted and honestly only continued going to grief counseling to see Hadley. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out what was going on. She’d asked him to move in with her; she’d won him over with a story of how scared she was in the house alone the first time she’d spoken more than “hello” to him. He wasn’t sure, even after all this time, if she was actually scared to be alone in the house. She’d been patient with him while he worked jobs that would hire someone with no college experience. She’d never asked for rent or hinted she wanted her space back. He’d been able to earn a degree from the local technical college and now he ran her online store, still working as her assistant. Hadley had saved him and given him a chance for a better future. Finn knew he would never be able to pay her back for all she’d done for him over the years, so he tried to show his gratitude by picking up their tab and buying her things for her Little, like their upcoming trip to Rawhide Ranch.

Why?

“Because I love you and want to do nice things for you. Do you want to deprive me of that?” he asked, making his own pouty face.

No.

“Then let me spoil you sometimes. Please? You took care of me for so long and I’m so grateful for your kindness. I know I’ll never be able to repay it, so let me do these little things for you.”

Okay.She didn’t look too happy about his request, but at least she had agreed.

“Thank you, Peeps. It means a lot to me.”

I love you.

“I love you too, Hadley. So much.”

She smiled and began to eat her rapidly melting ice cream. He watched her as she ate, wishing she could see herself like he did. She was so beautiful and kind. Thoughtful, so fucking thoughtful. Even after going through so much, she still saw the good in the world. Anger burned inside of him when he thought about how sad she’d been earlier. While he’d been holding her phone, he’d blocked Noelle’s number. Later tonight he’d block her on all Hadley’s social media. She wouldn’t be able to hurt his friend’s sensitive little soul anymore.

Good.Hadley tapped her card before looking at him in concern. He realized he wasn’t eating his ice cream.

“It is good, Peeps. I was just distracted.”

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