Page 41 of Persuaded

“Does it matter? It was inevitable.”

Finn glanced at him and away. “Fuck, Josh,” he said in a raw voice. “Why’d you ever listen to that bastard?”

“Because—”

“There you are!” Liz giggled as she slipped into the room, unsteady on her feet. She wound her arms around Finn’s waist. “Was looking for you, babe.”

Joshua turned away, but in the night-black window he could still see their reflections as Finn put his arm around Liz’s back. “Maybe it’s time we got you to bed, huh?”

“Only if you’re coming too.”

Liz grinned and Joshua closed his eyes, telling himself it was all happening for a reason: meeting Finn again, seeing him with Liz, putting to rest eight years of hopeless dreaming.

There’s no going back, Joshua. There’s never any going back.

Finn sighed. “C’mon, Liz, you need to—”

“Uh-uh. I need my coat.”

“What? You’re not driving.”

She laughed again. “Stupid. We’re going to the beach!”

“I don’t think so.”

“C’mon, Ali dared me to paddle barefoot!”

Joshua turned away from the window. “Liz, it’s literally freezing out.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m smokin’ hot.” She twitched a drunken eyebrow at Finn. “Right, babe?”

“Right, but—”

“Uh-uh.” She stopped his words with a finger to his lips. “No buts, Finn Callaghan. You know me, I don’t take no for an answer.” Pushing away from him, she disappeared into the living room.

Finn watched her go with a frown. “Guess I’d better go with her, make sure she’s okay.”

What Joshua wanted to do was go home, but everyone was so drunk he wasn’t comfortable letting them walk down to the beach unescorted. The path was steep, with a scramble over the rocks at the bottom—it wasn’t safe. So he tagged along behind them as Liz led the way out into the freezing night. Sean and Tejana stayed at the house to mind Matt, who was asleep in one of the guest rooms, while Dee dozed on the sofa.

The night was bitter, but at least it was bright. A huge moon hung over the water, blanching everything silver as Liz, Ali and Lexa laughed and jostled their way down the path. The cold, Joshua hoped, might sober them up—hopefully before Liz got frostbite in her toes.

“I really think this is a bad idea,” he called as they clambered across the rocks.

“Come on, Newt,” Liz yelled over her shoulder, “live a little! Whoo!” The moonlight caught her dark hair where she stood on the rocks, transforming her into something wild and beautiful. In that moment, Joshua understood what Finn saw in her free spirit and it gutted him that she was everything he could never be.

Jumping onto the sand, Liz ran toward the dark ocean, Ali and Lexa on her heels. Finn cursed sotto voce as he stomped after them. “Hold up!” he shouted. “Liz, wait up!”

Clambering down from the wet rocks, Joshua followed them to the water’s edge. The view was breathtaking: moonlight limned the black waves in silver, golden light spilling from the homes around the bay, and the starry sky glittering. He glanced along the beach toward the gap in the dunes at the end of Sandy Lane. He could walk home from here in ten minutes. He could be inside where it was warm and safe, far from Finn and Liz. His chest ached with sudden longing, eyes prickling in the freezing air. He wanted to be home so badly. He wanted Finn to be with him even more. Stupid fool.

Liz screeched as she pulled off her boots and danced barefoot on the freezing sand.

“Liz,” Finn complained, “this is a dumb idea. Ali—find another dare, this isn’t—”

“I’m doing it!” Liz laughed and darted away from them into the white foam on the foreshore. “Crap, crap,crap!” she squealed as her feet hit the water. “Fucking fuck, it’s cold!”

Everyone laughed. Even Finn gave a grim smile as he huddled into his coat, turning away from the bitter onshore wind.

“Liz, get outa there!” Joshua called, and he didn’t care that he sounded like a killjoy. “C’mon, you’ll make yourself sick.”

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