As my cheeks filled with heat, I wandered back to my room, content with the friendship they’d formed. Finn clearly loved his company.
Over the next few hours, I lay on my bed, reading, while listening to Adam and Finn laugh, shout, and cheer as they played their silly games. It wasn’t until they grew silent that I crept closer to Adam’s door.
“So, you like her, huh?” Adam asked while wrestling with his controller.
“Yeah…I guess…but so do Josh and Evan.”
“Don’t worry about those guys. Just walk straight up to her and ask her out.”
Finn burst out laughing. “I can’t do that.”
“Of course you can. You’re sporty, good looking, have great manners…what more could she want?”
I could sense my son’s eyes rolling from across the hall.
“There’s not much point now. We’re moving back to LA soon.”
“I heard.”
“Mom says we might be able to afford a place with a backyard now! I can’t wait. I’ll miss my Pa, though, and Aunty Amy and Reed, but they said they’ll visit for the holidays.”
“Have you got family in LA?” Concern laced Adam’s voice.
“My dad’s sister, Tash, lives there with Uncle Bryce and my cousin, Tristan.”
“You must miss them.”
“Yeah. Not as much as my mom, though. Aunty Tash is her best friend.”
“She doesn’t have friends in New York?”
“Not really. She works too much.”
“Well, she’s lucky to have you.”
Finn chortled. “That’s what Mom always says. Mostly after Dad died.”
My breath caught. Finn rarely spoke about his father.
“That must’ve been hard,” Adam said after a moment of silence.
“I don’t really remember him all too well, except for him being sick all the time. Do you think that’s bad?”
My shoulders slumped against the wall at the despair in his voice.
“Dude, you were, what…four when he got sick?” Adam said without hesitation. “You know what I remember from when I was four?”
“What?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
Finn’s belly filled with laughter. “You’re funny. I can see why my mom likes you.”
I almost choked on air as I hid in the hallway.
“She does?”
“You should ask her out.”