Page 47 of Best Friends, Tennessee

“Thank you, Finn. Jesus,” Thomas said. “I felt like I was watching a horror movie when I came back out here. One minute I’m trying to show Ori a good time and take him on a date, and the next thing I know he’s about to get punched. You’re a hero.”

Hearing those words come out of Thomas’ mouth was more of a shock than Aaron trying to punch me.

A date?

Thomas and I were on adate?

Fuck, I had been completely clueless.

Finn’s expression had changed, too. Even though he’d just broken up a bar fight, he practically looked embarrassed now, like he was intruding on me and Thomas.

“Right, right,” Finn said, the slashes of pink appearing on his cheekbones again. “You two were here just trying to have a good time, and…”

He trailed off, looking down at his wounded arm rather than making eye contact with either of us.

Finn finally looked back up at me.

I wanted to talk to him about so many things in that moment.

He didn’t even know about my history with Aaron. I could see a whole world of questions behind his eyes, too.

“You sure you’re okay, Ori?” Finn asked.

I swallowed. “I’m a little out of it now,” I admitted. “Had a few margaritas already, and I was a little tipsy and spaceybeforeAaron got in my face.”

“You handled yourself really well,” Finn said. “I was kind of impressed.”

“Fuck that guy,” I said, shaking my head. “I still want to punch him as much as I did back in high school, but I was actually close to doing it tonight.”

“Ori, I wasn’t playing the foosball game with him,” Finn said. “Mason went to grab a drink, then Aaron came up and just started taking random shots on our table. I couldn’t get him to fuck off. I don’t hang out with that guy—”

I held up a hand, stopping him. “You can do what you want, Finn,” I said. “I’d never try to tell you who you couldn’t play a round of foosball with.”

His expression was serious. “Well, I wouldn’t with him. Ever. Guy always gave me bad vibes, anyway.”

My heart did a little flip in my chest.

Fuckme. The look in Finn’s eyes right now was so soulful that I never would have known he’d been in a fight just five minutes ago.

Finn always cared about me.

I was pretty sure Finn would still step in front of a moving train for me, no matter how distant I’d been when I was back in Los Angeles.

I felt like I didn’t deserve it. Like I’d been off on my own, trying to be independent for so long, putting thousands of miles between us.

I really had been shutting him out.

Maybe because it was easier than missing him.

My throat suddenly felt tight. I took a step back, sitting down on the bench table behind me.

“You okay?” Thomas asked, attentive to me.

“I, uh, need a breather.”

Thomas nodded. “I’m going to go get you some water. Water and some food and painkillers, if one of the bartenders can grab some. Be right back.” He rushed inside, disappearing behind the patio door.

Everything was so different now.

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