As though she was waiting for Theo’s cue, Louise takes a swing and strikes Finn across the face. Finn takes it like a champ, keeping whatever pain he’s feeling locked up tight and staring at her until she storms off.
“Ouch,” Theo comments.
“Meh. He had it coming.”
Part of me feels bad for poor Louise. The girl might not be a ray of sunshine, but no one deserves to have their feelings smashed into a thousand pieces. Finn marches out onto the patio the next minute, halting our gossiping in its tracks.
“Damn, dude, what’d you say to her?” Theo calls him out.
Finn pads all the way to the hammock and gestures for Theo to move with his chin. Theo arches an eyebrow but doesn’t budge, which results in Finn sitting on top of his buddy without a care.
Theo groans as Finn’s elbow plows straight into his abdomen. “Not sure you’re aware, Richards, but you’re no fucking lightweight.”
“No shit.” Finn makes it clear he’s here to stay, and Theo starts trying to push him off. They’re wrestling like kids before I know it, and I can’t help the smile forming on my lips.
Out of breath from laughing, Theo caves, hoisting himself off the hammock and flipping Finn off. Theo plops down on the sectional with me, and Finn lies back into the hammock, propping one of his arms under his head.
“I asked you a question, fuckface,” Theo reminds him. “What’d you say to her?”
“I told her what she already knows.” Finn shrugs, eyes fixated on the clear sky above his head. “That breakfast is a no-no, and I don’t want her ass around unless it’s sitting on my face.”
My stomach drops.
I sip on my coffee that’s growing colder by the second and cast a glance in his direction. I realize, when I see how unapologetic he is about what he just put Louise through, that I needed this reminder.
I needed him to bang some cheerleader after making me believe he had a heart somewhere in that ice cage…
Finn Richards isn’t capable of change.
And he never will be.