The Handoff (Big Play #3) (17 page)

#27:

Mack’s Back

Layla

“We’ll be alright, okay?” Finn squeezes my hand. I squeeze back, not really believing him.

Casting my eyes over the waiting crowd loitering around the baggage claim, I fight a deep sense of dread as I watch loved ones come together again—hugs, kisses, smiles, brotherly slaps on the back.

Not sure if Finn or I will get any of those. I mean, we probably will, but they won’t mean the same thing because Finn and I are going to spend the whole time putting on a show so Mack doesn’t lose it in a public setting.

We decided to wait until we get in our front door before telling him we’re together. I still think it’s dumb that he even has a right to get pissed off about me hooking up with one of his friends. Finn’s the best guy in the world, but Mack’s stupidly protective when it comes to me.

Finn keeps shifting his weight from one foot to the other while we wait.

I look up at him, trying to give him a reassuring smile, but he only manages a fleeting grin. He’s exhausted after the night before. Derek hurting me affected Finn more than I expected. I’ve never seen him so incensed. I have to admit, it’s kind of sexy…and comforting. Is that weird?

I usually shy away from anger, but Finn was enraged on my behalf. And then he told me he loved me. It feels too sudden to begin admitting that kind of stuff, but our last two weeks have been intense. We basically lived together over spring break, and the shit storm Derek is making me endure has pulled us together, creating this airtight bond that I’m not interested in breaking.

My heart turns to gooey marshmallow as I think about the way Finn looked at me, his eyes flooding with pain as he tenderly held the icepack to my cheek.

I brush my bruised skin. Thankfully, when I woke up this morning the red mark was a pale pink blotch that I could easily hide with makeup.

“Still hurt?” Finn’s voice is soft, but his expression is hardening at the edges.

“I’m fine, Finn. It’s really not that bad.”

“Hmm,” he grunts, and I smile. He sounds like his mother when he does that.

I wonder what she’d think of all this. Finn promised not to tell her. As far as Mrs. Jones knows, things at home have cleared up and I’ve resolved whatever issue I had going on with my mother. She invited me over for dinner tonight, but I’ll be busy hanging out with Mack while Finn, Colt and Tyler go play
Mission: Impossible
.

I didn’t want to involve the
Porthos
element of Mack’s little crew, but having spent most of my life watching Mack and him hang out together, I know Tyler’s a solid guy. He’s got a big mouth and likes to come across like some horny sex god, but when things get serious, he’s the first to step up and be whatever you need him to be.

He was fuming when he heard what Derek did to me. I could hear him yelling through the phone at Finn, calling Derek every curse word under the sun and rattling off threats against the guy, each worse than the one before.

Finn rolled his eyes and put him on speaker so we could all hear his rant. It ended up giving Tori the nervous giggles, which then set me off and we were soon all laughing at Finn’s phone in this high-pitched, maniacal kind of way. Tyler hung up on us after that…then showed up at Colt’s place twenty minutes later to talk logistics.

I’m so nervous about their plans for tonight that I haven’t been able to eat.

I squeeze Finn’s hand, worrying my lip as we wait for Mack to appear. His flight landed ten minutes ago. It shouldn’t be long.

As if hearing my thoughts, Mack’s head bobs into view. He’s walking with purpose, his computer bag slung over his shoulder as he scans the crowd. As soon as he spots us, Finn drops my hand and puts on a casual smile.

I rub my fingers together and trail behind Finn, letting the guys do their bro-hug before ducking under Finn’s arm and wrapping my arms around Mack. He swings back, lifting me off my feet for a second.

“‘Sup, lil’ sis.” He lightly pinches my chin, trying for playful, but I can easily see behind his veneer. His dark eyes are telling me he’d rather be back on kiwi soil.

Ironic that I’m kind of wishing for the same thing.

Before he left, I wasn’t sure I’d cope with Mack being away for two whole weeks. Now I wish he’d stayed in New Zealand so I didn’t have to tell him what went down while he was gone.

“So…” Finn slaps him on the shoulder and takes the computer bag out of Mack’s hands. “How were the flights?”

“Sucked,” he grumbled. “I left Kaija crying at the airport. Worst feeling in the world.”

Finn gives him a sympathetic smile, like he totally gets what Mack is going through. “Have you spoken to her since you left?”

“Yeah, I called her when I got to LA. She’s okay. I just miss her already.” He scratches the back of his head, looking kind of sheepish.

I nudge his arm with my shoulder. “That’s sweet. I’m glad it worked out for you guys.”

His arm comes around me and he hugs me to his side as we walk over to the baggage claim. “Thanks, Lay-lay.”

Mack’s bag appears pretty quickly, and as soon as he’s snatched it up we walk out of the terminal. We make it through the sliding doors before his eyes narrow at the corners and he gazes down at me, trying to look for something I don’t want him to see.

I turn away, keeping my head forward like I haven’t acted like a hooker with his greatest enemy and I haven’t gone and fallen for one of his best friends.

The car ride home isn’t as bad as I thought it might be. Finn keeps him talking with questions about New Zealand. He’s obviously in love with the place, and I have to bite my lip when he admits that he’s going to apply to Auckland University.

“I’ll try to get accepted for the second semester, but it’ll depend on my visa application. It’s kind of complicated, but I’m going to make it happen. I did a bunch of research while I was waiting for my flights.”

He glances over his shoulder, trying to glimpse my reaction. I put on a brave smile and nod. “Sounds amazing.”

Turning in his seat, he faces the back with this torn expression. “I know it’s a long way from here.”

“I’ll be fine, Mack.” I swallow. “I’m a big girl; I can take care of myself.”

The lie smells so potent it’s hard not to start crying. I’m useless at taking care of myself. All I do is cause trouble. If it weren’t for Finn watching my back, I’d be…

I blink and look out the window. Finn’s eyes are on me. He’s gazing into the rearview mirror, trying to make a connection, but I can’t right now. Crossing my arms, I squeeze them against my stomach to try and dull the guilt raging inside me.

He deserves better.

But I don’t want him to have better. I want him to have me!

Which means I have to start acting like I’m worth his time.

Finn stops the car at the lights and I stare directly at the rearview mirror until he’s looking my way. I’m not sure what my expression is doing when I mouth the words, “I’ll do it,” but Finn’s gaze warms with this look that’s so encompassing I want time to freeze. I soak in his pride and affection until a slow smile forms on my lips.

“Light’s green, man.” Mack kills the moment.

“Oh.” Finn’s eyes jerk back to the front and he accelerates forward while Mack’s brow wrinkles. He shoots me a curious frown, then fires one at Finn. It’s like he’s watching a game of tennis the way he keeps going back and forth between us.

Neither of us can make eye contact. Each time he looks in the back, I turn away as if I can’t feel his scrutiny.

Finally, as we pull into our street, he breeches the awkward silence with a demanding question that can’t be ignored. “What’s going on between you two?”

“What do you mean?” My voice is innocent, but my expression must be guilty as sin because all Mack can do is give me a dry glare that tells me I’m busted.

Finn pulls up to our house and parks the car. Turning with a serious sigh, he glances at me before looking at my brother. “Layla and I really connected over break. We’re kind of together now.”

“Kind of together?” Mack snaps. “What does that even mean? Did you sleep with my sister?”

“It’s not like that, man.” Finn’s voice is in soft contrast to Mack’s.

He gives us both a skeptical frown before muttering a few swear words and jumping out of the car. He yanks his bag out from the back before banging down the trunk so hard the whole car bounces.

“Hey!” Finn jumps out, slamming the door closed and stalking down the driveway after Mack. “It’s not like that! I really care about her.”

I slip out of the car but stand back, worrying my lip as I watch.

“I’ve been gone two weeks!” Mack spins. “I told you to look after her, not hook up with her! I thought you were waiting for the
one
.”

“I was.” Finn points back to me. “I just didn’t realize she was in front of me the whole time!”

Mack’s face bunches with confusion while mine folds into this dreamy kind of smile. Pushing off the car, I walk down the driveway and slip my hand into his. Gazing down at our interlocking fingers, I can’t help falling in love with the contrast in color and size. I can’t imagine that holding any other guy’s hand will ever look this beautiful.

“You really meant what you said last night, about loving me?”

Finn turns so we’re facing each other. Tipping my chin, he rubs his thumb along my bottom lip and smiles. “I don’t know when it shifted. And yeah, it feels quick and unexpected, but I want to go with it.”

Mack groans. “I can’t watch this shit.” Gripping his bag, he stalks down the path to our front door.

“Hey, Mack, come on man.” Finn throws his arm wide. “I’m not playing. This is real for me.”

“And me,” I murmur.

Finn flashes me his tender, sweet smile. I want to melt right into it, but then he looks back up at the house, his expression crumpling with disappointment.

“He’ll come around.” I run my hand over Finn’s stomach and lean against him. “He’s just taken off guard…and probably pissed he had to leave his girlfriend. We get to be together while he has to leave Kaija behind.”

Finn nods, rubbing his hand down my back. “Plus he’s mad at me for crossing the line.”

I roll my eyes and step back. Why do guys have to have this unwritten code? Finn should be able to date the girl he wants to, and it’s not fair for Mack to get annoyed. This isn’t even about him!

“This isn’t going to end us, is it? I mean, I know you and Mack are close, but…”

“Of course not.” Finn pulls me back against him and kisses the top of my head. “I just want him to come around really quickly. We’re going to need him on our side with this whole Derek thing. Plus, I want to be able to spend time with you and not have to worry about pissing off your brother.”

I let out this breathy kind of chuckle, but it’s more nerves than anything. I feel confident that Mack will eventually come around to Finn and me together, but there’s no way in hell he’ll ever come around to the idea of Derek and me kissing.

“I have to tell him before Derek posts those photos. If I don’t say something before Monday, I might be too late. But I’m terrified. If he’s that pissed off about us being together, how’s he going to react to…?”

Finn crushes me against him, his arms trembling just a little as we cling to each other. “I’m not going to let him lose it with you. We just have to play it right. Hopefully, he’ll be so pissed at Derek he’ll forget you’re even there.”

I nod against Finn’s chest, fear scraping my insides raw. This is going to be a harrowing weekend. If everything goes to plan, Mom’s Sunday brunch is going to go down in history as the worst meal ever. But everyone who matters is going to be sitting at the table, and it’s my safest chance to dump Derek in it.

“It’s going to be okay, baby. I know you’re scared, but I’ll be there to back you up. I’ll stand by you no matter what, okay?”

“Okay,” I whisper, squeezing him a little tighter and willing myself to believe him.

With a heavy sigh, Finn steps back and gently touches my cheeks. “I better get going. I’m meeting the guys in an hour.”

“Be careful.”

“I will.” He nods. “This is going to be over soon, I promise. And then you…” He kisses my right cheek. “And me…” He kisses my left cheek. “Can pour all our attention into just being together.”

He presses his warm lips against my smile, chasing away the gnawing anxiety. I cling to him, deepening the kiss until he’s forced to move away. I watch him leave, hovering in the driveway until I can’t see his mom’s car anymore.

Running a hand through my hair, I spin for the house and stop short when I sense a set of eyes on me. I glance up at the window and spot Derek. His sneering smile and the dark glint in his eye make me shiver. My comments last night will not be forgotten in a hurry. He’s going to make me pay for pissing him off…I just hope he bides his time long enough that I can get the jump on him.

Oh, man, this better work or my life at Nelson High will be over. Finn says he’ll stand by me no matter what, but will he seriously want to stick around when people are hurling rotten tomatoes at me?