“From the beginning is always good.”
We both chuckle at this, even though I’m still not buying it. It’s too messy. There’s too much stuff that is preventing this from happening.
“We need to finish this first,” I tell him. “We can’t fuck up.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“We can’t let her down,” I shake my head. “We need to do what we promised we would, and then, we can ask her…”
“There you go with the asking again,” Anderson is rolling in the aisles again. “That’s not how this works. You don’t just ask a girl, oh hey, you’re pretty good-looking and kinda sweet, how’s about you be the mother to our wolf shifter children?”
I’m listening to him laugh, and of course, when he puts it like that, it always sounds so ridiculous. I guess I’m just too old-fashioned sometimes. For fuck’s sake, I can’t even remember the last time I kissed a girl, let alone something else.
“You need to charm her, make her fall for you,” he explains.
“Sure, easy for you to do,” I snort.
Standing by his side, he makes me look like Victor Frankenstein’s hunchback assistant. Anderson’s got it all - looks and charm. Me - neither. If you like me, you like me for some really messed up reason probably you yourself aren’t even fully aware of. The thought makes me smile, however.
“So, you’ve calmed down a little?” he asks me.
“Mhm,” I nod. “It’s all good. But, we’re still not doing anything. And by we, I mean you.”
“Cross my heart,” he uses his index finger to actually make a cross over his heart. “You talked to the Chief?”
“Yeah,” I nod again. “Explained what happened. Didn’t tell him where we were though.”
“Did he ask?”
“Several times,” I nod. “But, I think we got a mole. No way they could have found us back there, unless someone at the station ratted us out.”
“That’s possible.”
“So, now we do it our way. The Chief can kiss my ass if he doesn’t like it, I don’t care. He can suspend me later on, if he wants to. But, I’m bringing this girl home safe and sound.”
“That’s the Fynn I know and love,” Anderson smiles, patting me on the shoulder.
“So, he eventually agreed to my plan, and just said to keep a low profile wherever we are.”
“The phone?”
“Used a burner,” I explain. “And, I got rid of it. I should be heading into town tomorrow, for some supplies, and to get another one.”
“Want me to go?” he offers.
“No,” I shake my head. “Stay with Maddie. She needs you. You can console her much better than I ever could.”
“That’s only because you never really tried.”
His words make me think. Feelings are not my strong suit. They never have been. I rely on my brains, never on a
gut feeling or whatever you wanna call it. And, girls are all feelings. Maddie obviously more so than others. No wonder she prefers Anderson’s presence to mine.
Not that it matters that much. I don’t question who I am, or how I act. I just am. You can’t change the nature of who you are. You can’t even soften it that much. If someone accepts you as you are, great. If not – well, then it was never meant to be.
I’m much too practical to dwell on such notions. I’ll just go do what needs to be done, and he can stay behind and be a shoulder to cry on. That’s what you call proper division of labor.
“But, you better keep your hands where I can see them. And, don’t let your guard down, even for a second,” I remind him.