"You have to do something!"
I could do without Nyora barrelling in making demands. It's been a long day. Fin skipped work, without even saying anything, and I'm veering between anger and fear.
Did I push him too hard in some way? Is he just suddenly grossed out that he lowered his standards to me?
Yesterday had been so good. We'd had breakfast together and Fin had offered to come in with me, even though he didn't need to. I'd accepted because I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. I was getting more comfortable with him, and I think he was with me, too, until later in the afternoon, when Nielsen turned up again.
He'd had no purpose, seemingly. Just wanting to rile us up, demanding entrance again and being sent on his way, like before. Eyeing Fin up again, making sleazy comments. That had taken some of the shine off Fin, but it wasn't until he'd received a phone call that he'd been thrown off fully.
He just dropped, so I suggested he leave early, but then, today, he didn't come in, and I've heard nothing. It hurts more than I thought it would even if I knew there'd be an end date on us fooling around. I wasn't expecting it so soon. So, Nyora's sudden demands aren't helping.
"Where's Fin?" she asks, looking around.
"He didn't come in," I grunt, making what I hope will be the day's last cappuccino, passing it to the girl waiting, who smiles in a coy way that turns my stomach slightly. I feel bad when she walks away though.
"Oh god, I hope he's okay."
"Why wouldn't he be?"
She looks at me searchingly, which just serves to make me feel even sicker. "It's not my place to say," she says finally, pulling her phone out to send a message.
"He talks to you a lot though?"
"Yeah, he needed a friend. He doesn't know anyone here."
"So, he's told you stuff about his ex?"
"Oh, so he did tell you? I told him to - told him he could trust you. He was wary though - of everyone, not just you - so I wasn't sure if he would."
"Anyway," she says, slipping her phone back in her bag and coming behind the counter to make herself a drink, "you have to do something."
Now I'm confused. "About what?"
"About this place. Buy the building."
"You make it sound so easy."
"It is easy if you let it be. Your house as deposit. Awesome ideas to develop the business. You know there are three more floors up there?"
I do. It's nothing but empty boxes and spider webs right now.
"I spoke to my dad and he's looking to invest."
"Whoa! I'm not taking your dad's money. I wouldn't be able to look at him if it went wrong."
"My dad believes in you. Lots of people do. Stop acting like everyone's Lauren."
I wince. She's a sharpshooter and I have a target on my forehead.
"I mean, I know you aren't hung up on her, so, if I'm honest, I don't get why you still let her make you feel like shit. I watched her do it your whole relationship. God knows where you'd be without me to push how awesome you are. Fin told me she's still at it too, making comments about you being bi."
Ever since Lauren skipped out on our wedding day, I've been certain there was something wrong with me. That I bored her and that's why she turned to Gary. That I was crappy and unambitious like she'd always said, so I made a terrible partner for someone as dynamic as her. But her disgust with my sexuality - that's on her. And if she's so wrong about that, maybe she's wrong about some of the other stuff too.
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Inbetweener (Completed)
RomanceSingle and disillusioned, Callum was burned badly enough by his cruel ex that all he wants is to run his mediocre coffee shop and be left alone. Fin rolls into his life, looking for a new start, and Callum finds himself enraptured. Is it enough for...