Page 64 of Always a Chance
“That may have been how she described our SOS habit.”
The diner was blissfully quiet even during the dinner rush, and a waitress set four milkshakes and cheese chips on the table.
I caught Finley glancing at me over the top of her glass, and a sour feeling started in my gut. No. Oh no. “Mom,” I growled.
“What?” Tanner asked as he shared a confused look with Shane.
Finley folded her arms on the table, not reaching for the chips. That was a surefire sign this was serious. “Mom called me this morning.”
“Of course she did.” I took a giant gulp of my shake. “And? Did she tell you what an idiot I was? Again.”
“I’m lost.” Shane’s brow furrowed. “Are we not here to talk about Finley?”
“No, brother. Our dear sister lured us here under false pretenses.”
“Stop talking like a writer and tell us what’s going on.” Tanner looked from me to Finley.
I locked my eyes with hers. “Talia has a boyfriend, someone she’s been seeing in New York. Mom seems to think there’s a reasonable explanation.”
“There probably is.” Shane, always taking the path of least resistance.
Even Tanner seemed too calm. “Are you sure she just hadn’t gotten around to dumping him? Maybe she didn’t expect you guys to happen and was going to break up with him when she got back.”
Shane nodded, but it didn’t make sense. She was happy to see him. “No.”
Finley pushed a hand through her dark hair and muttered something that sounded like “men” underneath her breath. “I didn’t SOS you guys so we could convince Johnny not to be hurt. He should be. He should be angry, so freaking mad he never wants to see her again.”
I… did not expect her to say that. “Yes.” I pointed to her. “Someone who finally gets it.”
Tanner swallowed a chip. “Finny, it’s Talia.”
“Yes,” she said. “Talia. The girl who broke his heart ten years ago. You guys were living out of the house when it happened, but I remember how much it crushed him when she left. I love Talia, I do. But in this, I’m team Johnny.”
It should have made me feel better that my sister was on my side, but it only twisted the knife inside me. I didn’t want my family turning on Talia, thinking she was a bad person for what she’d done.
I bore a lot of the blame. All the years when we were younger that I spent ignoring any feelings for her and dating my way through the school. Not going after her when she left Gulf City for the first time. Giving her little space to speak last night.
But I didn’t say any of that. “She’s leaving.” I drowned the words in a stream of chocolate shake.
No one said anything for a long moment until Finley spoke. “Are you going to say goodbye?”
Tanner grunted. “Really, Fin? A moment ago, you were prepared to go all warrior woman on her.”
“That was a moment ago.” She reached across the table to grab my hand. “Don’t you see him now? He looks like a sad little puppy lost on his way to the game.”
Shane and I stared at her.
“TheAir Budmovies make her cry,” Tanner explained.
“Anyway,” Shane said. “Would saying goodbye do you any good?”
I shook my head. “It won’t change anything.” But maybe that was wrong. There was a time she was the most important person in my life.
“You so sure about that?” Shane asked.
“Of course he is.” Finley squeezed my hand. “He doesn’t need to see her again.”
“Holy reversal Batman.” Tanner lifted a brow. “You’re just going to confuse him going back and forth.”
