Page 16 of The Neighborly Thing To Do
He sighs. “That wasn’t what I meant, but you’re welcome. Now. You said you have to work today?”
“Yeah. I’ll be gone until after dinner.” The Hearthstone Corner Market isn’t my dream job or anything. In fact, it’s often mind-numbingly boring. But it pays the bills, and jobs are a little hard to get in this small town, especially for the human who everyone thinks could go work in the human world, never mind the incomplete degree, unverifiable work history, and the child I needed to be scheduled around.
“Alright. What do you like for lunch?” he asks, walking over to the counter.
When I remember to bring one? Usually a peanut butter sandwich. “Finn, you don’t have to—”
“You’re eating, and I’m not. So therefore, I can make your lunch. What would you like?” he repeats, sounding impatient now.
I’m not going to get him to budge on this. “Peanut butter sandwich. Please.”
“Noproblem.” Then, with the comfort of someone who clearly went through my cabinets already, he unerringly locates everything he needs and sets to making a sandwich.
He even toasts the bread first, and cuts it into little triangles when he’s done. It’s overkill, but I don’t stop him, eating my eggs quietly.
They’re really fucking good.
“Want me to bring you to work?” he asks, putting the sandwich into a Tupperware, and then filling another Tupperware with a sliced apple.
“Like… fly me there?” I ask, hoping that’s what he means. Because, yes, I might quibble that he’s doing too much, but I won’t argue if he wants to fly me anywhere. I want to experience that again.
It was beautiful to see the town like that. Everything was so small, crisp and perfect in a way I can’t quite describe. And if I looked out, I could see for miles in any direction.
I’m sure G would take me flying with her if she was capable of lifting anything heavier than a couple pounds when she’s in her owl form. But Finn gave it to me, and I can’t fully say how grateful I am.
“If that’s what you want.”
“I want,” I say fervently.
“Good.” He plops my lunch down in front of me, giving me another smile as he does. He needs to stop doing that; every single one makes my stomach swoop. “Finish your eggs, then, and we can go.”
Chapter 10
Finn
I’m waiting for her outside the market when her shift ends.
I dropped her off this morning and then flew home, determined to put in some time in my workshop. But while I’d usually let myself get lost in the work and emerge whenever I get around to it, today, I set an alarm in my phone so I’d be out on time. I’m growing more understanding of why my father holds so strictly to his four p.m. quitting time.
It’s not just me anymore, after all. I can’t act like it is.
She startles when she walks out of the store and sees me. “You’re here.”
“Of course. How else were you going to get home?” It’d be a hell of a walk.
She frowns, clearly not having thought of that yet. “Good point. Did I interrupt anything?”
She’s too preoccupied with this idea that she shouldn’t bother me at all, and I hate it even more every time I hear it. Maybe it’s not my place—as she keeps reminding me, our relationship isn’t real—but I want to take some of that burden off her shoulders.
“I thought we could maybe get dinner here?” I suggest, stepping forward and looping her hand through my arm. It’ll serve a double purpose; neither of us will have to cook, and we can sell our story to the town a little more. I need to tell every single one of them that Cassidy is here to stay.
“I like the idea,” she agrees, squeezing my arm as we take off walking. We don’t need to discuss where to go; there aren’t a lot of options in a town the size of Hearthstone.
Donnel is a wolf shifter who’s run the pub in town since before I was born. Cassidy worked here for a while, if I remember correctly. It’s the only place to get a bite to eat except for the ice cream parlor.
It’s relatively informal here, so we seat ourselves at a high-top in the corner. I can feel eyes on us from the minute we walk in, sending cold shivers down my spine, and I have to fight the urge to hide both of us behind my wings. I don’t like them staring, and I don’t like being the center of attention. But half the point of us even being here is so theydosee us, so I suck it up.
“What’s Finn Delaney’s go-to Donnel’s order, anyway?” she asks, a teasing smile on her face.
