Page 88 of The Dangers of Daydreaming

Mom smiled. “We don’t always think straight in matters of love.”

I cleared my throat and gave a little nod so I wouldn't have to come up with an actual response. Love? That was a big word. A serious word. One I’d thrown around once before, only to realize how little I knew what it meant.

I wasn’t in love with Finn. I just liked him. A lot.

My brain firmly agreed. My heart seemed to be beating abnormally fast so I decided not to ask it for a comment at that moment.

We finished dinner, went our separate ways after agreeing to carpool to Chloe’s going-away party together, and I tried Finn one last time in the car. This time, it went straight to voicemail instead of ringing. I frowned down at the phone, not bothering to leave a voicemail. He had three others waiting from me, after all.

Taking Brian’s advice, I googled the Seaside Barn and Breakfast and found the phone number, clicking on it to call. It rang three times before someone picked up. Probably Stephanie.

“Hi, ah—” Did I say my name? Would she remember me? She hadn’t been at the desk every time I was there. “Is Finn Harrison available?”

“No, sorry, he’s not here right now.”

That was helpful. “Will he… be in tomorrow? This is Lucy Sinclair, by the way. I was there last week.”

“Oh, hello.” Based on that generic reaction, she didn’t remember me. “He had a personal matter come up and will be taking a hiatus for the foreseeable future. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

My voice had ceased to work as the woman’s words hit me. His grandpa. My heart plummeted. “No,” I croaked.

“Have a great day, buh-bye.”

I stared at the phone as my mind clunked back into motion. If something had happened to his grandpa, Finn would have told me. He would have. But he hadn’t answered my messages since about ten o’clock that morning. I sent another text, just in case.

As I was tucking my phone away, it buzzed. I pulled it out fast enough to strain a muscle, but it wasn’t Finn’s name on the screen.

Lily: I need another cute story about you and Finn to live vicariously through. All the guys here suck.

We’d been texting back and forth since leaving PEI, and she was quickly becoming one of my favorite people, but her text didn’t make me smile like it usually would. Instead of sending a cute story, I just sent a gif hug. She hearted it.

I couldn’t bring myself to call back and bug Stephanie to share personal information with someone she didn’t seem to remember. But if I didn’t hear anything by morning, I was going to do it anyway.

My phone ringing woke me up at five-thirty the next morning. My alarm wouldn’t go off until six-fifteen, and I didn’t recognize the number on the screen, but in my groggy state, I answered anyway.

“Hello?” I should have cleared my throat before attempting to speak.

“Lucy?” The voice was a little loud and a little familiar.

“Yes?”

“Hi Lucy, dear. It’s Gram. I know it’s still early there —I’m sorry if I woke you up.”

I sat up in bed, unplugging my phone from the charger so it wouldn’t yank me back down. “No, no, it’s okay. Is… what’s up?”

“Finn had an accident.”

My brain had barely woken up, but it comprehended that. “Is he okay?” I jumped out of bed and started pulling on last night’s jeans.

“He is now. He broke his femur and had to have emergency surgery.”

I turned the phone on speaker, yanking my head through a shirt. “Oh my gosh. What happened?”

“He fell off a roof.” Her voice was shaky, but I couldn’t tell if she was scared or sad or on the verge of laughter. Honestly, maybe a bit of each. “He was fixing some shingles that came off, and I called to tell him that Pops woke up—”

“Pops woke up?” I was putting toothpaste on the toothbrush when I suddenly realized what I was doing. Where was I planning to go? Canada? The island? Did I intend to row there? I dropped onto the edge of the tub, suddenly purposeless and only able to cling to the information Gram was sharing over the phone.

Her voice was brighter now. “Yes! He is doing so well. He’s trying to convince the nurses to take him down to Finn’s room so he can give him a firm talking to about proper roof safety.”

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