Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“You’re such a dick,” I say, but Ace gives zero fucks. Instead, he just shrugs and takes another bite of his gross burger.
Only a brief moment of silence lasts while we eat before Ace is opening up his pie hole again, half-masticated bite and all. “All right, Finnley. I think it’s time you tell us why you wanted this little Sunday lunch. I mean, I don’t mind it one bit, but it’s not exactly within your God-given role as the group grumpy ass.”
Finn smiles despite the insult. “I have news.”
But he doesn’t give the news, and I know it’s on purpose because he loves teasing the hell out of Ace. Normally, I find it charming and amusing. Right now, I hate it. But I also hate the air, water, wind, and sea, despite their lack of sentiency, so my loathing isn’t an impugnment of my friends’ personalities, but rather, my own.
I’ve been little more than a miserable human being since Friday.
“And?” Ace questions, his eyes practically bugging out of his head. “Are you going to tell us the news, or do I gotta fucking guess, man?”
Finn’s responding smile is sly. “Do you want to guess?”
“No,” Ace snaps. “I want you to fucking tell me.”
“You sure you don’t want to guess, Acer?”
“For fuck’s sake, man. Just tell us.”
“Calm your tits.” Finn laughs. “I’ll tell you, but first, I want to finish eating my burger.”
“What the fuck?” Ace questions, and God, I wish my chest didn’t ache this badly so I could laugh.
“Okay. Okay.” Finn gestures a hand in the air. “You can untwist your panties, bro.”
Ace lets out an annoyed sigh, but to his benefit, Finn finally starts to explain.
“Scottie had her follow-up with Dr. Raines yesterday afternoon. And he thinks he has treatment options for her.”
The mere mention of Lexi’s dad is salt in an already painful wound, but I swallow the discomfort and focus on my friend. News of treatment options for my paralyzed friend trump any and all personal crises—quite frankly, it would change her entire life.
“Treatment options?” I ask. “What does that mean?”
“He wants her to do some kind of nerve graft surgery along with a course of medication that is supposed to help the damaged nerves of her spinal cord regenerate and heal,” Finn explains. “He’s been doing heavy research with these very treatments while he was in Germany and feels really confident about it. Though, there are some risks involved.”
“What would the treatment achieve?” Ace asks.
“He thinks he can fucking heal her. He thinks he can make Scottie walk again.”
Both Ace’s and my mouths gape widely, and I feel the first tingle of tears as they sting the backs of my eyes. It’s joy and pain and hope and despair all in one. The genius of Lexi’s paternal DNA is a brilliant, vibrant display for Scottie’s healing—and a brutal reminder of the remarkable woman who won’t admit she loves me back.
“What?” Ace shouts, so loudly that even Zip glances over at us in confusion. “He thinks he can make her walk again?”
“Yeah.” Finn nods, clearly understanding the dramatic reaction. I mean, holy fucking shit, I’m literally about to cry.
For Finn, though, there’s no “about to” about it. He wipes furiously at his face, and neither Ace nor I mentions it. “I know, man. It’s incredible.” His mouth curves up as he gets control of the tears. “Scottie…” He pauses. “She… It would have been okay, you know? Both of us have come to terms, and I love her no matter the state of her body. But to get this hope back…” He shakes his head. “It’s everything. She’s practically freaking sparkling, she’s so happy.”
Ace reaches out and clamps a hand on Finn’s shoulder, squeezing and shaking him slowly. The air is so charged around Finn right now, the whole diner can feel it.
“She’s happy. You’re happy. And I’m happy. In fact, I’m so fucking happy, I could kiss Nick motherfucking Raines on the mouth,” Ace says, and for the first time at this lunch, all three of us laugh.
Finn nods. “Lexi was there, and even her emotionless poker face slipped for a full thirty seconds.”
Emotionless poker face. Boy, do I know what he means by that.
But I also know why Lexi is the way she is and all the ways that makes her special. I know it. And yet…it’s the reason we’re not together anymore, too. And that fucking sucks.
“Is she going to do it?” Ace questions, and I make myself pay attention to the conversation, even though my mind just wants to loop on thoughts of Lexi and how much I fucking miss her.
“I don’t know.” Finn shrugs. “She’s talking it over with her dad and sister.”
“Do you want her to do it?” I ask.
“I don’t know that either,” Finn answers. “I mean, it’s ultimately up to her. I’ll support whatever she decides, but I can’t deny that the risks of the surgery are scary. I just want her to be safe, you know? I don’t know how I’d cope if anything happened to her.”