He glances at his dad and then over at Levi before looking back at me. I swear when our eyes meet my heart is pounding so hard I’m tempted to look down and check to see whether it’s actually moving my shirt. He looks like he’s in pain, and I want to know: Is it me? Or did you actually hurt yourself fixing the boat?

“What are you doing here?” he asks, carefully putting the gear down on a broad railing. He uses the dirty rag to futilely wipe his hands clean.

“I’m working with Sal. I had a free night, and since you left without saying goodbye to me, I figured I would come do it for you.”

He closes his eyes, rubbing his forearm across his face as his dad lets out a low whistle, saying, “Didn’t tell me that bit, Finn.”

Finn’s eyes snap to his father. “Dad, come on.”

The eldest Mr. Roberts leans over, kisses my temple, and murmurs, “Keep at him, sweetheart.”

My hands are shaking, my pulse racing, and Finn walks along the deck to the narrow ladder leading to the dock. Turning, he climbs down and slowly approaches me as if I’m either going to vanish or punch him.

He seems even more massive in his heavy waders, his muscles bunched from hours of exertion. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I can imagine,” I say. “I didn’t expect you to leave so unexpectedly.”

“It wasn’t that unexpected, was it? You knew I was heading up soon.”

I wince, looking away, and he takes a step closer to me before stopping.

I want so much to reach forward and put my hands on his face and kiss him. I miss him, and despite how angry I am that he left the way he did, I love him. I feel awful for betraying him and talking to Salvatore alone.

“I heard about the show.”

He nods, pulling his cap off his head and scratching his scalp. “Yep.”

“You okay about it?” I ask. Because yeah, I’m still angry, and yeah, I still want to hit him with something that will leave his voice about two octaves higher but, fuck, I love him and I want him to be okay.

Shrugging, he murmurs, “I suppose. Everyone else felt pretty strongly in favor. Made the most sense.” He looks up at the boat and then back to me. “Had some news people out here earlier today.”

“That must have been wild.”

He lets a smile flicker across his lips. “Yeah.”

Seagulls call in the distance and the moment feels so eerily familiar though I know it’s never happened. I just feel calm here with him. I like seeing him like this: near his boat, filthy, probably hungry. I ache with how much I want to take care of him.