STEPHANIE. ARCHER

The Queen's Cove Book Four

FINN RHODES FOREVER

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For most of my life, I’d been madly, stupidly in love with her. It wasn’t going away, and I needed to fix the mess I made twelve years ago.

Leaving was the biggest mistake of my life.

The last thing Olivia needs is a guy like you dragging her down

, her mom had said to me after Liv and I got in trouble for skipping class.

She had been right, and I knew she was right. That’s why I left. That’s why I said the things I did on the front porch when I got home on graduation night. 

I’m bored with this town. Bored with you.

It was only a matter of time until Liv figured out she was too good for me. Her mom saw right through me.

My stomach sank even lower. Fuck. No wonder Liv didn’t trust me. My entire life, I’d shown her that I couldn’t be trusted, and then I bailed on her the same night I told her I loved her.

She breezed past behind the bar, tray in hand, and my gaze stuck to her like glue. My heart twisted, sharp and sweet, and I swallowed past a tight throat.

Because it was Liv. Because I had never been able to keep secrets from her. She made me say everything in my head. Around her, I got dumb.

“Been in a lot of relationships, have you?”

He stopped walking and caught my hand, pulling me to stand in front of him. His smile dimmed but his eyes were soft. “Nope. You ruined me, but I’m not mad about it.”

Please tell me you’re not going to propose.”

I huffed a laugh. I knew how that would go. She’d toss the ring off a cliff.

“To you? I’d get married this afternoon,” I said without thinking. “Would have done it twelve years ago if I was smart enough.”

When he left, I’d have nothing holding me together. I’d fall apart for real this time, and harder. Smaller pieces were harder to put back together.

Her eyes were puffy with sleep, hair all messy. I wanted to keep her like this forever. We could spend the rest of our days out here in the woods, wandering through the trees and staring at the stars together.

“That list earlier, your bucket list?” I whispered.

“I want it all. I want to be all your firsts. Everything. I want those things with you.”

I tilted my face up and gave him a lazy smile. He stared down at me like I was everything to him.

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