You Had Me All Along

You Had Me All Along - Chapter 9

It was well past dinner time by the time I got home, and I was feeling it. My mom was in the kitchen, and it smelled amazing.

"Pork chops and roasted potatoes," she said, motioning at the oven. "How was your day?

"Good. It smells awesome," I told her, putting my purse down on the table.

"Dalton and Trinity will be here in half an hour," she went on. "Dad's just washing up."

"Great," I smiled at her, running a hand through my hair.

"It will be good, Arden." She could tell that "great" didn't mean great.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'm just thrown off a bit. Kaden has a girl at his apartment right now."

"Oh, wow. That is something. You're not... jealous, are you?" she asked carefully.

"Oh god, no. Mom, we are not like that. It's just new. He has never.... it's just weird, that's all."

"I know. Both of you have sort of focused on Rylee and work..." She let her voice trail off. "How's Finn, anyway?"

I tried to keep a straight face. She knew that I hung out with Finn sometimes. She knew that he liked me. She wished I would give him a chance, too.

"He's good." I sucked in a breath, shutting my eyes for a second. "I'm actually going to see him tonight."

Her face lit up, sort of like one of our three Christmas trees. "Good! You know, he is such a sweet guy. You deserve to have that sort of connection with someone, Ard-"

"Mom, stop."

"Oh, honey. You can't keep doing this."

"I'm not doing anything."

"You are. Finn is great. You like him, he likes you. But you're afraid to commit because -"

"I'm not afraid," I told her, but I was. I was so afraid of getting my heart ripped out and stomped on again.

My mom sighed. "Well, tell Finn I said hello."

She'd only met him a few times. He had come to pick me up once, when my car wasn't starting. And she had stopped by the gym a few times to say hello, while I was working. She didn't interfere in my personal life often, but she sure wanted me to have a boyfriend these days.              

I ate that amazing meal, with my parents, and with Dalton and Trinity. Thankfully, the entire conversation was that of Dalton's school work, and how he had some wrestling matches coming up in January. Trinity talked about her thesis, which was boring beyond boring. They were only two years older than me, but we were in different worlds, it seemed. The food, though, was fantastic.

I headed upstairs once we were cleaned up from dinner, to shower and change. When I went to see Finn, I made myself hotter than I ever would for work, or for hanging with Kaden and Rylee. That right there should have been some indication that I liked him, or that I liked that he liked me. I pulled on my tightest dress, short and green, with thin straps at the shoulders. It wasn't super fancy but it was nice, and I knew it would just end up on the floor of Finn's bedroom, anyway. I did my make up and pinned back some of my hair, then went back downstairs.

My phone was ringing before I made it out to my car, so I stopped in the kitchen to answer it.

"Hey," Kaden said, already sounding embarrassed.

"Hey!" I tried to sound casual.

"That was weird, I'm sorry," he said right away.

"No, it was fine. I should call before coming over," I told him, letting out a breath.

"You've never had to before."

He was right. We had been best friends literally since the first day of sophomore year. Even before that, we were close. He was the one who talked to me that day, two weeks into ninth grade, when I had no friends. We knew practically everything about each other. I had cried to him more times than I can count. He had cried to me, those sleepless nights when Rylee was a baby. But things were different now.

"True, but still. You should have told me about her, then?" I teased him.

"Well, it's new. I've been into her for a while, but I finally asked her out. She came over first, which was when you came over, and then we went for dinner. I just got home," Kaden explained.

"Sorry for the interruption," I said, then let myself laugh.

"Well, we weren't..." He let his voice trail off. "So, what are you up to?"

I swallowed hard. "I'm just leaving, actually, to meet Finn."

"Ohh, I see. Get it, girl," he laughed, then added, "Or are you and him actually official now?"

"We are not," I said, without thinking.

"I don't know how he is okay with just being your fuck buddy." Kaden didn't say this with judgement, though it sort of sounded like it. "Since he's basically in love with you."

"Stop," I warned him, now slipping on my boots by the door. "We are co-workers."

"Yeah, but he's the only person who's seen you naked since high school-"

"Okay, okay. I have to go," I said, cutting him off.

He laughed, again. "Love ya, Missy. Hang tomorrow?"

"With Rylee?" I asked, heading out the door and down the driveway towards my car.

"I meant me, but yes, she'll be here," he pretended to be offended.

"I work til four. I'll come over after?" I offered.

"Sounds good. I should be done by three and then just have to get Ry from my mom's."

"See you then," I finished, plopping down into the driver's seat.

"Bye."