Finn (Breakaway Hockey #4)

Chapter Sixteen

Finn

I sn’t it wild how sometimes the simplest of days ends up being one of your best?

That’s what today is.

Who knew hanging out at Sammie’s townhouse, helping her move a bookshelf and organize her books, then chowing down on some damn good pizza would make for one of the most fun times I’ve had with her yet?

But it has.

I think part of it has to do with how she is today. She’s unbothered, carefree, and lighthearted. Whatever sometimes haunts her isn’t in play.

Fuck, I hope it stays that way. This is how I like seeing Sammie—happy.

She deserves goodness in her life.

We finish our pizza and clean up, loading our plates and cups into the dishwasher and discarding our napkins and the box.

Once we’re back in the living room, Sammie stops and looks around.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, uh-huh.” She nods. “There’s just one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

Pointing to two floral upholstered reading chairs that are to the left of the bookshelf, she says, “We need to push those over to in front of the bookshelf, like how they were before.”

I reply, “Not a problem. I’m on it.”

I try to move both chairs, but Sammie insists on repositioning one.

When that task is complete, we plop down on the two plushy chairs, now slightly angled and facing the bookshelf, and admire our work.

“I love it,” she says. “This is exactly how I envisioned it.”

“Everything does look great.” I look over at her and add softly, “We make a good team, huh?”

She smiles at me as she agrees, “We do, Finn.”

It’s true that the things we do together are better than doing them alone, so I decide now is the perfect time to bring up Alaska.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Hey, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

She looks a little worried as she mumbles, “Okay.”

“It’s nothing bad,” I assure her with a smile. “It’s just that I was thinking… You know how our team has slipped in the division rankings.”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “I’ve noticed that. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s not your fault. We’ve lost too many games that we should have won, while the other teams have stepped it up.” I shrug. “It just is what it is at this point. We still have a slight chance of making the playoffs, sure, but if we don’t, then there’s something I’m going to do.”

“Really?” She peers over at me with curiosity. “What’s that?”

I don’t keep her waiting. With a big smile, I say, “I think I’m going to go up to my cabin in Alaska for a few weeks.”

Clearly surprised, she says, “You are?”

I nod. “Yep, I think so.” And then I amend, “No, there’s no thinking about it involved. I’m definitely going.”

Looking down and biting her lip—and damn if she doesn’t look sad—she murmurs, “I can see why you’d want to get away. I feel like that sometimes too.”

Fuck, this couldn’t be any more perfect.

Seizing the moment, I say, “Then you should come with me. That’s what I was going to ask you anyway. That’s why I brought the subject up.”

Her eyes light up as they meet mine, but then she looks away and sighs. “I don’t know, Finn. What about my jobs?”

I wave my hand. “Ah, come on. Can’t you take some time off? You work all the time. You get vacation days, right?”

She nods slowly. “I do, actually. I have vacation time I haven’t taken for both jobs. I usually never use those days, though.”

“Well, see,” I reply excitedly, “they owe you. Now is the time to take advantage of it.” I can tell she’s truly considering it, so I add softly, “Come with me, Sammie. I can show you my old haunts and some cool things around town. You know we’ll have a good time. We always do.”

“That’s true,” she agrees.

“Come on. What do you think?”

I can see the wheels turning in her head as she mulls it over. “It would be nice to get away,” she muses. “I’d also love to see where you grew up. Plus”—her eyes meet mine again—“I know we would have fun.”

“We will,” I confirm.

Say yes, Sammie, I think but don’t utter out loud.

I want her to make this decision on her own.

Finally, she blows out a breath, sits up straight in her chair, and says, “Yes, I’ll come with you.”

“You will?” I double-check. “You’re sure?”

“Uh-huh. I’m more than sure. Let’s do this, Finn.”

“Yeah, all right!” I cheer.

Man, I wish I could reach over and hold her hand right now.

Or even give her a hug.

But since I can’t do those things, I just smile and tell her, “Sammie, we are going to have the trip of a lifetime. I promise.”