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I glance back at Finn, surprised. "Really? I had no idea you were dogsitting for work."
Finn shrugs. "Summer break means I'm not working much; mostly just coaching the local soccer team."
It feels like everyone is so woven in with the fabric of Fern Hollow...and I feel so isolated. Especially because Steven isn't here and hasn't made any effort to meet my friends, my family...
I love him.
I need to remind myself I love him and I'm just nostalgic right now because I'm back home.
But as the afternoon wears on, and I spend more time with Finn and the rest of the group, that nostalgia only grows stronger. Finn is still as charming and funny as he ever was, and spending time with him again feels like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes.
It's dangerous.
I need to focus on Steven and our future together. But every time I catch Finn's eyes on me, or laugh at one of his jokes, the future doesn't seem so clear.
As the day starts to wind down, I find myself standing next to Finn again, the puppy in his arms. He's scratching behind its ears while we watch Tasha and Chance chase their daughter around.
"It's good to have you back," he says suddenly, his eyes on me. "I missed you."
I feel my heart skip a beat. "I missed you too."
"I'm sorry we kind of fell off on communication," he murmurs. "Things got busy with school and work and you were always at the shelter..."
"It's hard to keep in touch as adults," I shrug. "But we can start again now."
I smile up at him, and it's like no time has passed at all. We're back in high school, grinning at each other like fools on the Fern Hollow High quad.
"I'm glad you're home," Finn whispers.
And my heart breaks a little as I say, "Me too."
Chapter four
Jenny
Ifinallygetahold of my fiancé that night.
I'm sitting in my childhood bedroom with my feet tucked under me, chewing on my lip as I stare at the screen. I text him a few times, and I'm shocked when I actually get a response.
Steven:Hey babe--sorry I haven't gotten back to you, it's been really hectic at the lab.
Right...because he's a genius with a very fancy internship.
I shouldn't be bitter. He's doing really important work, and I need to remind myself that I fell for him for a reason. For the fact that he's kind, and the smartest guy I've ever met, and he cares about people and animals and...
...yeah. I agreed to spend the rest of my life with him.
Which is why I'm here.
And I'm twenty-seven and I always wanted to be married by the time I was thirty.
I don't text him back; instead, I pick up the phone and call him. The phone rings four agonizing times, and I wonder if he's going to pick up...
...then the line crackles with static, and Steven's voice comes across.
"Jenny?"
"Hi!" I say, a little too excited. My heart flutters at the sound of his voice, and it occurs to me that I really have missed him. "I'm sorry I didn't ask if I could call--I hope I didn't wake you."
