Page 37 of When He Saved Me
“And you must be Carmen.” Her smirk widened to a broad smile, her eyes alight with humor. “Damn right,” she said as she pulled out the chair opposite me. Even if I didn’t know what she meant to Finn, I would have liked her immediately.
“How did you know who I was?” I asked.
“Broad frame, dirty-blond hair in a man bun, staring at my best friend like you want him to be your next meal…the signs were there.”
I barked a laugh, pleased that her description signaled Finn must have been talking about me. “Busted,” I said. “Did you come here looking for me, or is this a coincidence?”
She took a slow sip of her coffee as she studied me. “He might have mentioned that you were coming in this morning.” She shrugged. “I was curious.”
I raised a brow. “And?”
“And…I haven’t completed my assessment.”
“Fair enough.”
“Oh no. Nothing good can come of this,” Finn said as he approached my—now our—table.
I looked up at him and grinned. “Scared?”
“Of the two of you together? Fuck yes.”
I laughed. “Ah, baby. You don’t have anything to worry about,” I said as I took his hand, his eyes softening at my use of the endearment.
He turned toward Carmen, though he didn’t let go of my hand. “What are you doing here, CiCi? I thought you had a final this morning?”
“Calm down, Finn. I took it first thing this morning and then thought I’d come get a cup of coffee.”
“You haven’t been here in weeks and just so happen to swing by after I told you Jamie would be here this morning?”
“Mm-hmm,” she said as she took another sip, her eyes wide with false innocence.
“You two are unbelievable. I have to get back to work.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Be good,” he said as he walked away.
Turning back to Carmen, I said, “So…what do you want to know?”
She made a show of crossing her arms, leaning back in her chair, and giving me an assessing stare. “What are your intentions with my best friend?”
“My intentions?” I laughed. “Why do I feel like I’m being interrogated by his ninety-year-old grandma?”
She dropped the pretense of being my interrogator, her face taking on a genuinely worried look as she leaned forward, speaking quietly. “Listen, you seem like a nice guy, but Finn is…he’s fragile.”
“Fragile?” I scoffed. “I think he might be the strongest person I’ve ever met.”
“He is, in so many ways. But emotionally, he’s…well, he’s never let himself care about anyone. He’s never risked himself that way.”
“He has you,” I argued.
Her face softened. “I love that boy so much, but that’s a different kind of love. There’s a difference between the kind of love you have for a best friend and romantic love. It’s a much bigger risk…one he’s never taken.”
“I do know that. He’s shared a little about how his parents treated him, and I have a feeling there’s a lot more to the story, but I promise, I want nothing more than to show him how amazing a relationshipcanbe. And that he’s worthy of it.” I took a deep breath and put it all out there. “I’m half in love with him already, and we’re only getting started. I have just as much to lose.”
“Maybe. But if it all falls apart, you still have people in your life to help you pick up the pieces. He just has me.”
“Jesus.” I scrubbed my hand over my face. “No pressure.”
She reached across and placed her hand over mine, offering me a smile. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m pulling for you. I want him to see just how beautiful love is, and I think you might be the one to show him. Just…be careful with him.”
I placed my hand over hers. “I’m glad he has a friend like you. Now,” I said as I picked up my coffee and leaned back in my chair, “got any embarrassing stories about him?”
