Page 93 of Best Friends, Tennessee

“I think you know the answer to that.”

His southern drawl had never sounded better.

I hoped I knew what he meant by that.

But for now, I kept it inside me, burning with curiosity, like I was staring at a gift I couldn’t open yet.

16

FINN

Be as stubborn as you want to be, and I’ll still be here to take care of you.

And laugh at you. And fuck you, too. So long as you let me.

I woke up to Ori’s hand, gentle on my shoulder, shaking me awake.

I opened my eyes to see him sitting on the edge of the bed next to me, a hot mug of coffee in his hand.

“Sleepyhead,” he said softly. “Way past your wake-up time.”

“Shit,” I murmured, seeing that it was already seven thirty in the morning. Sunlight was pouring through the window. “Good thing today’s my day off. You’re never up before me.”

He was wearing one of those pristine white sweaters, and the baby blue of his eyes looked more radiant than ever in the morning light. His cheekbones were thrown into relief, and I was struck more than ever by how beautiful he was.

Ori was stunning.

He had been, all along, and I’d been too airheaded to know it.

“I’ve got plans,” he said. “Get up and get ready. We’re driving somewhere.”

I grabbed the mug of coffee from him, taking a sip. “Should I be scared? Is this like that one time in senior year when you took me to a goth rave in high school?”

He snorted. “I forgot about that.”

“I’ll never forget it. I had neon paint in my hair for days.”

“I thought it was going to be anart fair, and it turned out to be three hundred people dancing in a factory.”

“Awfulmusic,” I said, smiling. “But it was fun.”

“We’re not going anywhere like that today,” Ori said. “Not a big trip. But youarerequired to come with me.”

I gave him a little half-salute. “Ready to follow orders, sergeant.”

He glanced down at my bare chest, his eyes lingering on it a moment before he popped up off the bed. “I’ll be ready in the living room whenever you are. I made some eggs and toast.”

“Christ, for someone who’s not a morning person, you sure are chipper today,” I said, hauling out of bed. He was already off down the hallway, and I got up, showered quickly, and threw on some jeans, a white shirt, and a red flannel on top.

I crammed into the passenger seat of Ori’s beetle ten minutes later, coffee in hand in a Thermos mug.

“Good to go?” Ori asked, firing up the engine.

“Should have just taken my truck,” I said. “My head almost hits the ceiling of this thing.”

“Tough shit,” Ori said, pulling out onto the road. “The Beetle is a classic, and you know it.”

“It’s an ancient relic, at this point,” I said. “How many dudes have you fucked in here?”

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