“Why do you say that?”
“Thursday night, after you and Finn got back from the liquor run, which we all figured out was a sex escapade, you were different. Then yesterday on the raft and last night at dinner, he was even more protective of you, if that’s possible. There’s a glow about you, something I’ve never seen before.” She looks at me with squinted, prying eyes until I cave.
“I’m in love.” Saying it out loud has a formality to it. It feels great.
“Really? Have you told him?”
“Not yet, I haven’t had much alone time with him. Well, except for Thursday night.” I blush at the news our excuse to go to the store was transparent.
“This is great, Pres. I’m happy for you. If it helps boost your confidence, I’m positive he feels the same way.”
“I hope so.”
Mumbled voices fill the RV as the door closes. “We better get out there.”
“Hold on, I’m going use the bathroom again.”
I turn my back and wait, hoping Robbie explained we were in here. I’d hate to walk out on Raven pumping.
“Yes, it was fun. Did you see Declan’s face when Blake yanked him in the river with him? I wish I had a picture of that!” The sound of Raven’s cheery voice fills the space.
“I can see the headlines now, ‘Super Star Rocker almost dies in near death drowning’.” Charlie laughs.
“It’s been such a fun weekend so far,” Abbi gushes. “And I LOVE Presley and Reese. It’s been fun getting to know them. I know now what Jimi meant. Finn is totally gone for her. I wonder if there’s another wedding in our future.”
The air in the RV changes, and even through the closed door, I feel the energy shift. Reese washes her hands quietly and stands close.
“It’s ridiculous is what it is. Who is she? Does anyone know anything about her?” Raven’s high-pitched voice rings in my ears.
“You should get to know her, Raven. She’s genuinely special.” Ember’s tone is distressed.
“How special can she be…?”
Tears roll silently down my face as I listen to Raven tear me apart and shred the euphoria I’ve been feeling all weekend. Hearing her talk about her time with Finn and their relationship blindsides me. With every malicious word and comment, my heart splinters.
Reese growls under her breath and spins me toward her. She takes a hand towel and wipes my cheeks, then stares at me with an enraged expression, anger radiating off her body.
“Tell me what to do.”
“Get me out of here. Not just off this RV, but out of this campground. Away from all these people.”
“Can you hold it together for another fifteen minutes? I’ve got a plan, but you’ll have to be the strong one. I don’t know what that bitch’s end game is, but Finn won’t let you out of his sight if he thinks there’s something wrong. We’re going to pin it on me. Can you do that?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, suck in a deep breath. Square your shoulders. Don’t let them see your pain.”
I do as she says and mentally prepare to face Raven when we walk out. Reese flushes the toilet, and the other side of the door goes quiet.
“Raven, who’s in the bathroom?”
I open the door and step out with Reese on my heel. She’s got her hand on the small of my back in support.
“It’s me, Charlie,” I say flatly and avoid everyone’s glare except Raven’s. Her eyes bulge and then cloud with guilt.
“Robbie said we could use your bathroom. I apologize for the interruption.” There’s a collective gasp in the room, but I don’t dare stop walking.
“Okay, I’ll get us out of here. Trust me.” Reese leads me to the now-open public restroom.
“I trust you.” My heart breaks with every step I take.
Chapter 17
Finn
My gut twists uncomfortably when Presley’s phone goes to voicemail again. This is the fifth time I’ve called since she and Reese drove away this morning.
“Babe, it’s me again. I’m starting to get worried. If you’re still with Reese, text to let me know you’re okay.” I hang up and run my hands through my hair. Something isn’t right, and I regret not following them home. Even though Reese was the one feeling sick, it was Presley who was unusually pale.
I rack my brain, thinking back on this morning, and try to pinpoint when exactly things changed. The image of Presley walking out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes sent my heart racing. She looked around nervously and motioned for me to follow her. I replay every word and the sadness on her face.
“Babe, what’s wrong?”
“I hate to do this, but Reese is sick.”
“How sick?”
“She’s throwing up and sweating like crazy. I’m pretty sure she has a fever. There’s no way she can go on the rafts today, and I’m not leaving her alone.”
“No problem. We’ll stay with her. She can get back in the tent and take a nap. I’ll run to the store and get whatever you need.”
“Honey, she wants to go home. And I need to drive her.”
“Really?”
“Finn, she doesn’t want to lay on an air mattress in a tent. She wants her own bed and bathroom. It’s kinda gross to throw up in a communal toilet.”
I cringe at the thought. “Okay, give me a few minutes to get our stuff, and we’ll go.”
“No!” she says a little too quickly. “You have to stay. These are your friends. Everyone’s having a great time. Max has to go back to North Carolina on Monday. Spend this time with him.”
“Babe, I’m not sending you alone.”
Her back straightens, and she looks at me with determination. “You’re staying. Enjoy the day. Raft the full course and grill steaks tonight as planned. I’m taking Reese home and staying with her until she feels better. It’ll embarrass her to death if you leave.”
It’s in my heart to argue, but Reese comes out of the women’s bathroom looking a little green so I reluctantly agree. “I’ll help you two pack what you need. We’ll bring the rest home tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Finn. I’m sorry it turned out this way.” She squeezes my hand and walks to Reese, who’s in the tent packing her bag.
Tripp, Max, and I load her car, and I’m surprised she’s packed everything, even her cooler.
“Presley, I told you I’d get the rest of your stuff to you tomorrow.”
“That’s okay. I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone.” She walks away to say goodbye to the group. I watch Ember hug her tightly and swear Presley wipes her eyes before she waves and comes back to the car.
“I’m going to call you as soon as we get back to camp. If you need me, just say the word.”
“Thank you.” She rubs her hand along my jaw and then looks back over her shoulder. “Do me a favor.”
“Anything.”
“I think Raven has some things to say to you. It seems your heart to heart a few weeks ago didn’t go as well as we thought. She’s a beautiful woman, and I know why you love her like you do.”
Without another word, or even a kiss goodbye, she got in the car and drove away. I was left standing there with a sinking feeling and nothing but questions.
A flash goes off in my head, and my instincts kick in. I look around the campground and catch Ember, Abbi, Harper, and Charlie watching me closely. Robbie is sitting behind Ember looking into the woods, and Max and Tripp have blank faces as they drink their beers.
Cruz and Alex are sitting close, but no one is talking. Cruz looks away quickly when he meets my gaze.
It’s then Presley’s words come back to me. “I think Raven has some things to say to you. It seems your heart to heart a few weeks ago didn’t go as well as we thought. She’s a beautiful woman, and I know why you love her like you do.”
Fuck! Why didn’t I see it?
“Beautiful woman… love her like you do…”
The words ring in my ears as I stalk to
the picnic table. “What the fuck happened?” I demand to know.
My eyes go to Cruz first. “Reese wasn’t sick, was she?”
He shakes his head, confirming what I already suspected.
“We didn’t know she was there. It was unintentional. Swear!” Ember starts to cry. “But I saw the look of devastation on her face and knew she heard everything.”
Jimi and Gabe come up beside me in support. Jimi speaks first. “Abbi, someone needs to tell him.”
She nods and looks at me with tears in her own eyes. “Presley overheard Raven talking about your time in Paris this morning, along with some other stuff. We didn’t know Presley was in the bathroom in the camper.”
“Number one, Presley knows I was in Paris with Raven. Number two, the camper is a fucking bus, but there’s still only one-way in and one-way out. How’d you not know?”
“Man, calm down.” Jimi puts a hand on my arm. “Abbi’s not the enemy here.”
“Sorry.” I wave him off. “Tell me what else.”
“Finn, I think you should be asking me what happened. I’m the one who did this.” Raven’s broken voice comes from behind, and I turn to find her hanging on Declan, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“What did you do?”
“I was talking to the girls about how she was too good to be true and this was moving too fast. She’s practically a guardian of a five-year old girl. You’re so awesome, and I think she’s using you!”
I let her words sink in, the fury in me building. Max and Tripp move to my side.
“What else did you say?”
Raven looks tearfully at Declan, who tucks her to him and whispers something in her ear. She swallows hard and avoids meeting my eyes when she speaks. “It started out harmless. We were talking about how great the weekend was going. The conversation shifted to you and Presley. Abbi mentioned how in love you seem, and Ember agreed. When they asked me my opinion, I said she’d be lucky to be loved by a man like you. I told them I was fortunate to know how it feels to be loved by you, and if I wasn’t so lovesick over Declan, I’d have never let you go.
“Then, I said if she was still shacking up with you in a few weeks, she’d hear about our trip to Paris and how you loved me enough to send me back to Declan, even though I was unsure at the time where my relationship stood.”
Declan’s face is flat and void of emotion. I can tell how hard it is for him to stand by and relive this drama from a few years ago. Regardless of this, I don’t give a shit.
My knees go weak, and I stumble a bit as bells ring in my ears in horror. “YOU SAID WHAT?” I scream, the anguish on Presley’s face filling my mind. “How could you?”
“I didn’t know she was there!” Raven defends herself, but it falls on deaf ears.
I look around for the only woman I trust and find Ember. “Ember—“
“On it, Hero. I’ll pack your stuff now.” She shuffles away with Robbie.
I turn to Raven, the girl I’ve loved in different ways for most of my life, and swallow the disgust in my throat. For the first time ever, I’m filled with disappointment.
“Did you use the words ‘shacking up’?”
“I did.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I yell. “She’s not some two-bit whore I picked up on the side of the road. She’s an accomplished professional in her field. She’s a sister, a daughter, a loyal aunt to a little girl who lost her dad!”
Raven jerks.
“Yeah, Raven! Her brother, Simon, remember the name? We went to his funeral in June? That was her fucking brother, her big brother, who was raising a toddler on his own. She gave up everything to be at his side and give that little girl a good life when the mother stepped away. Then the unimaginable happened, and Presley found herself mourning her fucking big brother and helping raise a child. Not to mention, she lost her own mother when she was fifteen years old.”
Raven’s breath hitches, most likely thinking about the fact that Declan and his sisters lost their mom as teenagers.
“She has a terrific Dad and brother, but she still had to navigate through life without her mom’s advice and influence. Then another tragedy hit, and she is now taking on the responsibility of helping with Winnie. She works, she volunteers, she carpools and plans princess parties.
“More than that, though, she has the ability to brighten my day with one glance. One brush of her hand against mine, or one small smile, and my heart swells.”
I suck in a breath, trying to calm my temper and look around to see tears running down each girl’s cheeks. Even Charlie is crying openly.
“Why the hell would you even talk about the shit in the past? She doesn’t need to know the dirty details. Paris was ours, Raven. OURS! No one else’s. I know everyone has questions and theories of what happened, but I’ve never discussed it because there’s nothing to discuss.” I throw out my arms and point to our friends, who are watching with wide eyes and open mouths. Only a few people know exactly what happened: Declan, Robbie, Raven, and me.
At the time, it hurt because I do love Raven. But I didn’t have a clue what being ‘in love’ felt like, until Presley.
“And since now you’ve brought our business into the open, let’s clear the air. Declan fucking hurt you repeatedly as you figured your shit out. I was there every step of the way. Who knows what would have happened if I didn’t send you home to him. But I can honestly tell you, I’ve never given it a second thought. You were happy, and that’s all that mattered! I put your needs and love above my own. How could you do this to me? The woman I’m crazy about left here over seven hours ago because of you!
“You think she’s using me? For what exactly? Why couldn’t you be happy for me? I’d never in a million years expect this from you. I thought you wanted me to be happy. I told you to give her a chance. She’s an amazing person. She’s perfect for me! You know what that’s like! How could you?”
She starts to bawl, and Declan gives me a harsh look before tucking her to his chest. But I’m not done, snapping my head to the audience.
“You all knew? All day? We spent hours on that fucking river. What is wrong with y’all?”
“Man, we just heard. Tripp and I are with you. Let’s head back to Nashville.” Max tries to pull me away as my phone rings. Presley’s name flashes on the screen, and I move quickly out of reach.
“Baby, let me explain.”
“I wish I could.” Reese’s tone is flat. “I’m letting you know we’re okay. I figure by now you know what happened.”
“I found out about five minutes ago.”
“I’m not sure what to tell you, but we’re safe. Presley is hurt, extremely hurt. It’s not my place to say, but she’s crazy about you. Hearing how much you loved Raven did something. Finn, I think it’s best you stay away until you get that handled. Being in love with a woman you call your best friend is something every girl dreads. Presley is fragile…”
“Reese, I’m coming to her now. It’s not what you think. This is a misunderstanding.”
“Don’t come tonight. I’ve got her in bed, sedated with tequila.”
“It’s only seven.”
“Don’t judge us, Finn Black! She’s hurting, and that means I’m hurting. You’re a prick.” She slurs her words.
“I’ll be there soon, Reese. Tell her I’m coming for her.”
“Finn, you don’t get it. We’re not at home. I’m giving you a courtesy call, letting you know we’re fine. When I hang up, her phone’s going off. It’s up to her if she ever talks to you again.”
The line goes dead, and I drop my head. I have no way to trace her out here. By the time I get to a secure wi-fi, it’ll be useless.
“Ready?” Max brings my bag.
“No. She didn’t go home. I have to think this through. Raven did damage.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” I glance back and see all eyes on us. “On another thought, you up for a r
ide? Maybe we can—”
“On it, brother. I’ll stow some stuff on our bikes and we’re out of here.” He walks away.
Robbie, Gabe, Jimi, and Tripp come to me.
“Ember is in fucking knots. She’s called Presley several times,” Robbie tells me. “I’m the one who suggested Presley use that bathroom this morning, and I forgot to mention it to anyone. I don’t know what to say, except everyone, including Raven, feels horrible. Declan wasn’t happy with your rant, but he took your side. Raven isn’t herself.”
“Appreciate it, brother, but I’m gone.”
“Finn, don’t leave. This was a mistake.”
“Robbie, if Ember was in this situation, what would you do? She doubted your love, your devotion, your commitment, and it was all because of us, the people you trust more than anything. Everyone out here is family, and yet, my girlfriend was treated like a piece of shit.”
“I’d fucking go ballistic.”
“That’s about how I feel.”
“Can you give it ‘til daylight? I’ll go with you, but I’m not leaving Ember alone tonight.”
“No, I’m out.”
“Wait!” Raven comes running toward me with her hair flowing and her blue eyes shining. I am so pissed, it’s hard to stay still.
“What do you need?” I ask impassively.
“I’m so sorry, Finn. I had no idea how much she meant to you. You’ve never been serious before.”
“RJ, you may have fucked up the best thing in my life. I’m done. If she gives me another chance, I’ll be lucky.”
“I’m—”
“You’re sorry, I know… heard it already.”
I rev the bike, drowning out any of her protests. She looks at me with hurt and confusion, but it doesn’t stop me from riding away, Tripp and Max close by.
I know exactly where we’re headed. After today’s revelations, I’m getting drunk.
Chapter 18
Presley
From the window, I watch my last neighbor drive away and crank up the music, trying to drown out my thoughts.
Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know...
Finn Page 15
