“I’m fine,” she grumbled, still hobbling toward the trail.
“I know you are, but I’ll feel better if I know that wound’s clean.”
She dropped her backpack and sat on the nearest boulder. Finn accepted a squirt of hand sanitizer from Pippa and scrubbed his hands, then rinsed again with the unopened water bottle from his backpack. He knelt down in front of Haley and swept her hair out of her face again.
Haley bit down on her cheek as he rinsed the gash on her forehead, silencing a whimper before it escaped.
“I know, I’m so sorry,” he crooned. It would be easier if she’d cry out. Watching her blink away the tears, before they rolled down her cheeks, throttled him right in the Adam’s apple. He opened a package of steri-strips from the kit and closed the wound as best he could, then bandaged her up with gauze and tape.
He wrapped the ace bandage around her ankle, wishing she’d accept the offer of piggybacks down the hill, but the jostling wouldn’t help her concussion.
Sophie limped over and smiled. “You guys doing okay?”
Haley hoisted herself up from the boulder. She went to pick up her backpack, but Finn snatched it before she could. “I got it,” he said.
She nodded and started down the trail. She tried to hide the sprain, but he could see her favoring it. Sophie limped alongside her, the pair getting a head start. The others followed behind, conversation gradually moving from stunned comments to a hum of friendly banter again.
Finn stood back, uncertain now that the fear of the unknown had faded. Heading back down the trail, the others started the trek back. What a fucking cluster of a day. Finn slung his backpack over his shoulder with Haley’s and grimaced as he stepped down on a loose rock. Shrugging it off, he followed behind.
Grady hung back and hiked alongside him. “So,” he said.
“So?” Finn shrugged, playing dumb. He didn’t need the lecture right now. Deserved it, but didn’t have the energy for it.
“So. You and my sister?”
“It’s not like that.”
“She falls down a damn cliff, and you go diving after her before the rest of us can even figure out what happened? What is it not like, exactly?”
“She’s a friend. I… she’s just out of an epically terrible marriage, not looking for anything. My life’s been a damn cluster the last few months. We’re, well… we’re having a rebound thing.” Wow, there is no way he could explain it without sounding like a complete ass.
“A rebound thing? Like… like you’re sleeping with my sister with no intention of sticking around?” Grady’s voice kept quiet so the others wouldn’t hear, but he may as well have thrown things and shouted for the punch in the gut his words projected.
“No. I mean, yeah, but… You know what? Shove off.” Finn felt pissed-off steam bringing his blood to a boil. His knee about shattered underneath him, but he refused to slow. “Haley’s an intelligent adult. One that I like very much, and I would never do anything to hurt her. She wants nothing from me, especially promises, even if I were in any position to offer.”
Grady stopped short, but Finn hurt too damn bad to pause, or his leg would lock up and he’d be the one needing a lift down the trail. After pacing and griping to himself, Grady jogged to catch up. “Sorry, man. It’s entirely between the two of you. I’ve had enough lousy relationships in my life to recognize when sometimes you want to lie low and enjoy someone without any pressure. Of course Haley would want to feel normal and, well, maybe it’s weird to say about my sister but I know what that asshole did to her; it must feel reassuring for her to know she’s desirable.”
Responding with nothing more than a nod, Finn kept moving forward. Somehow, despite it all, Haley was pure confidence, willing to dive into trying new things. Like crossing the log. She’d been terrified, but she did it anyway. Fell down a damn cliff and didn’t even whimper. Taking that piece of shit old house and making it new and beautiful, making a business out of it. Made love with him like a goddess.
Hell, he was the one that needed to feel wanted. Haley was the rock. But he’d be damn sure she knew how amazing she was by the time she was done with him.
Grady paused to take a swig of water, hesitated, then caught up again. “You risked your life for her just moments ago. Are you sureyouare okay with this no-promises thing? Being a rebound?”
“Of course.” He shrugged. Why wouldn’t he be? He would have leapt over that cliff for any of his friends. Admittedly, not as quickly.
Asher hung back from the others and flanked Finn’s other side. “Okay, so I presume Grady’s been back here grilling you on all the necessary big brother shit about you messing with his sister? I’m familiar with the talk. I got the friend version from him about this time last year.”
“Yes. I have been properly admonished and apologized to. It’s a rebound thing. Nothing more.”
“Lucky. I didn’t get the apology for a few weeks.” Asher adjusted his and Sophie’s backpacks on his shoulder, looking down the trail, ensuring they were far enough back that the others wouldn’t hear. “Rebound, huh? Things almost got a little awkward for a few minutes back there, before the whole cliff collapse thing. You looked like you were about to pass out. I’ve got a question. Does she know you’re rebounding from her oldest friend?”
Shit. He was so fucked. If these guys didn’t kick his ass, he would later. Then find a way so she understood he would never have crossed that line if he’d had a clue it had existed. “I had no idea until she mentioned Trace at lunch.”
Grady paused again, shaking his head and catching up. “You going to say anything?”
“There is no good way to tell someone something like that. Especially Haley. Not when her ex had been nailing her friends behind her back. But I can’t lie to her.”
Asher shrugged. “How about, ‘What a coincidence? Your oldest friend happens to be my oldest friend and the reason I’m wanting commitment-free sex with you’.”
