Page 14 of A Hard Fit (Falling Hard #2)

Roommates

Finn had always known that he and Rory were a bad fit. That was, of course, why it took him so long to get his head out of his ass and make a move in the first place. But he had been completely wrong about why they were so incompatible. It was more than just that Rory was quiet and he was loud. Rory was sweet and thoughtful and he was a lumbering buffoon. So much more. It was down to the very fabric of their being—their upbringing, their family, their culture, all woven deep into their DNA. Second living rooms, housekeepers and folded napkins. Marble foyers, snowboards cluttering up the mudroom and champagne actually from Champagne.

How long would it take Rory to figure it out?

And when they did…should he fight, or let them go?

By the time they got home, Finn’s stomach was in knots. “I ate too much,” he muttered, wanting nothing more than to go hide under the covers.

“Yeah, Hadir really outdid himself with that meal.” Rory dropped their keys on the counter and stretched.

“Good old Hadir.”

Rory noticed the tone and turned to study Finn in the darkened kitchen. The tiny, old kitchen. “What’s wrong with Hadir?”

“Nothing.” Finn sighed. “Nothing at all. It’s…I had no idea. You’ve literally never mentioned your chef or your housekeeper before, or however many other servants.”

Rory’s eyes widened and they took a moment to reply. “They’re my parents’ employees , not mine. And I didn’t think it mattered if my parents had a chef.”

“Yeah.” Finn rubbed his face. “It doesn’t. I’m sorry, I think I need to go to bed.”

“Hey.” Rory put a hand on Finn’s arm. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.” Finn gave a weak smile. “Maybe too much champagne. Not used to drinking it.”

“Okay.” Rory relaxed. “I was going to”—they waved at their laptop on the kitchen table—“for a bit, but if you want me to—”

“No, it’s fine.” Finn kissed them. “You do your thing.”

He went through the motions brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed, but once he hit the mattress, his mind replayed every awkward moment from the evening over and over. It took him a long time to fall asleep, even with the soothing hum of Rory’s fingers on their keyboard coming from the living room.

* * * *

“Morning!” Rory chirped when Finn shuffled, bleary-eyed, into the kitchen. “Wow, you must have had a good sleep! I’ve been keeping some French toast warm for you.”

“Not really,” Finn replied, heading for the coffee maker. He had tossed and turned half the night. Rory wasn’t in bed the first time he’d woken up, but they had been there the second and third times. Then gone again, when, groggy and head pounding, Finn had finally cracked an eye open and found sunlight sneaking through the gaps in the curtains. He slumped at the table with his coffee. The French toast would have to wait.

“Hey, can we talk?” Rory asked, settling in the chair next to him.

Finn’s heart dropped into his stomach. Fuck. This is it. Rory knows it, too. I don’t fit with their family. We don’t fit. It’s over.

“There’s no easy way to say this, but…you really need to start your Christmas shopping,” Rory said.

Finn blinked, heart swooping back up in a sickening lurch. “I—What?”

Rory laughed. “I’m kidding, of course. I mean, you do need to start your Christmas shopping, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

The roller coaster plunged again. “Okay.”

“So.” They fiddled with their coffee mug. “I’ve been spending a lot of time here…”

And it’s too much. I need my space. I’m leaving. “Yeah?” It was a strangled noise.

“And I’m starting to miss—”

My freedom. Being single. Finn’s brain skittered through a hundred arguments at once. Make them stay. Let them go.

“—my computer.”

Your— His brain screeched to a halt. “Your computer ?”

“I know, I know.” Rory chuckled. “I’m a huge geek. But my laptop isn’t really cutting it anymore.”

“Your laptop?” Stop repeating everything, Finn.

“Last night, I was trying to integrate the app with Thrill’s database, but they have such bad data, I've been writing a bunch of extra code to handle their issues…” Rory took in the expression on Finn’s face. “What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing, I’m fine.” Finn cleared his throat. Not a drop of moisture left in his mouth. “A little hungover, maybe.”

“Been there. My mom’s champagne always goes down so easy.”

Finn got up to get some water. “Sorry, you were saying?”

“Right, well…” Rory turned to watch Finn fill his glass. “It would be easier with all my gear here. My desktop has so much more RAM, and you know how I love all my monitors. So, I was wondering if it would be okay if I…moved my computer over?”

Finn stopped so suddenly the water sloshed out of his glass. “You want to…move in?”

“Er.” Rory scratched their nose. “Not, like, officially move. Just my computer. For now. And maybe my plants.”

“Um…” Finn tried to tell his racing heart to slow down while his brain processed. Should I let them get more comfortable here? They’ll realize eventually… “Where would your computer go?” he asked. He’d been to Rory’s apartment a few times and had seen the extensive setup. It took up an entire room.

“I know,” Rory said sheepishly. “That’s a good question. I only…I thought we could maybe figure something out.”

Finn sat and chugged his water. Of course, he couldn’t say no. He should, but he couldn’t. Not when he wanted to spend every possible second with Rory before they realized.

Rory watched him, brow furrowed. “Or not. If you don’t think it’ll work—”

“No—yes! Yes, it’ll work. I… I was just surprised. But of course. Yes.”

Rory smiled, relieved. “Great. I mean, no hurry—”

“Let’s do it today!”

“Today?”

“Sure! Why don’t you go pack it all up and I’ll clear out half my studio. There’s gotta be more room in the garage somewhere.” His laugh was slightly manic.

“Okay. Are you sure you’re feeling up to this today, love?”

“Yes! I’ll get started right now.” Finn stood so fast his chair screeched.

“All right.” Rory stood, chuckling, and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on Finn’s lips. “I’ll swing by the plant to grab some boxes and see if maybe Griffin or Jackson is around.”

“Sounds good.”

“Don’t forget your French toast,” Rory said, fingers already a blur over their phone.

“Right. French toast.”

* * * *

“Pick up, pick up, pick up…” Finn muttered as Luka’s phone rang. He paced back and forth on the narrow bare strip of floor in his studio.

“Finn?” Luka answered, confused and half-asleep. “Is everything okay?”

“No. I mean, yes. I’m fine, everyone’s fine, but…Rory’s parents are loaded.”

“Hang on.” Luka’s covers rustled. “Sorry, did you say Rory’s parents are loaded?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And…that’s it. They have a chef.”

“Sweet. How was the food?”

“Luka!”

“I say this genuinely… What?”

“You know what it was like for me growing up.”

“I don’t really, you haven’t told me that much.”

“Well, I didn’t have a fucking chef.”

“I’m sorry, but other than the impossible task of buying Rory’s parents a Christmas present, I don’t really see the problem. If anything, it’s good news.”

Finn screeched to a halt, blinking. “ I have to get them a Christmas present ?”

“Oh, Finn.” Luka sighed.

“And listen.” Finn resumed his pacing, raking a hand through his hair. “Rory has gone to pack up their computer. To move it over here.”

Luka let out a low whistle. “Well, that is serious.”

“I can’t tell if you’re mocking me or not.”

“I am, but only a little. Because you are freaking out right now, and I want you to know that it’s all okay. It’s great, actually.”

“But—”

“It’s great that Rory’s parents are rich, and it’s great that Rory wants their computer at your place. Aren’t they basically there all the time anyway?”

“Yeah.” Finn’s reply was muffled as he rubbed his beard. He stopped to stare out of the window. It was snowing again, in big fat uneven flakes that had already covered the grass and were now sticking to the sides of the road.

“So. This is your partner wanting to spend even more time with you.”

Finn nodded, then remembered Luka couldn’t see him. “Right. You’re right.”

“Do you love Rory?” Luka’s voice was clear as day now.

“Yes.”

“Do they love you?”

“Yes.” Goosebumps swept over Finn’s skin when he realized how quickly and certainly he could answer that question. He exhaled. “Thanks.”

“You are so welcome.”

Finn pressed his forehead to the window. “How’s your day going?”

“Well, I was sleeping until my friend called me complaining that his partner who loves him wants to move in. Otherwise, good.”

“Fuck you. How’s Thomas?” Thomas had been staying at Luka’s place for the week while the heating in his condo was fixed, a fact that delighted and amused Finn.

Luka sucked in a breath. “That’s fair. Thomas is…good. And unfairly, devastatingly, gut-wrenchingly attractive.”

Finn snickered. “So, you had a good week?”

“I saw him practically naked, Finn. In a towel. Do you know what that did to me? ”

“You’re yelling.”

“You’d yell too if you saw him.” Luka groaned. “Be honest, am I as pathetic as I sound?”

“Oh, Luka. So much worse.”

Luka sniffed. “You’re welcome for being an amazing best friend and even taking your call.”

Finn laughed. “All right, I gotta go. I have to make some room for Rory’s hard drives or whatever.”

“Yes, do that. And pretend I said something witty about hard drives. I don’t know, I just woke up.”

“Thanks, Luka.”

* * * *

Finn worked all day cleaning out his studio. Another stack of canvases had to go into the garage, encroaching on his workout space, and he reorganized his shelves and packed up the excess supplies strewn about the room. Those boxes teetered high on the existing piles near the freezer.

How’s it going? he texted Rory when he paused for some food around three.

Good! Griffin didn’t answer my messages but Jackson came over to help. We’re almost done. How’s it going for you?

For me? Good. For the garage? Not so much.

Lol. That poor garage. It’s stuffed full.

Maybe I’ll stuff you full later.

Promise?

Finn grinned. He had an idea.

* * * *

A couple of hours later, he was ready. He had dusted, vacuumed and mopped the empty half of his studio, then laid down a thick plaid blanket and a few cushions and set up a romantic candlelit picnic. He didn’t have a ton of time to cook, but he whipped up some mini-quiches, and there was chocolate caramel ice cream in the freezer, Rory’s favorite. When he heard Rory pull into the driveway, he lit the candles. Then he flung open the back door and ran to help unload the boxes.

“Hey,” Finn said, pouncing on Rory the minute they climbed out of his truck.

“Hey—” Rory tried to say, but it was cut off by Finn’s lips pressing to theirs.

When Finn pulled away, Rory laughed. “I missed you too.”

Finn peered through the window. The computer was in the cab, and Rory’s desk in the truck bed. “Alright. Let’s get this bad boy inside.”

Rory handed him the heaviest box. “Here you go, muscles.”

Finn was bursting to show Rory the picnic. “I have a surprise for you,” he said as soon as they got in the back door.

“Do you now?” Rory followed Finn inside and plopped their box onto the kitchen table, then reached for their phone. Their face clouded over as they stared at the screen. “Shit. I have to go.”

“What?” Finn hefted his box onto the floor.

“I’m sorry.” Rory typed madly as they spoke. “It’s Griffin. He’s… He’s having some trouble. I need to go talk to him.”

Finn pinched his brows together. “Is he okay? Is he safe right now?”

“Yes, he’s at my parents’. He’s safe, but not really okay. He sometimes…shuts down.”

“I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but can’t your parents deal with this? Griffin is an adult.”

Rory shook their head, jaw tight. “Griffin responds better to me. I need to be there for him.”

“But I spent the whole day making room for you. The surprise…” Finn trailed off lamely.

“I know, Finn. But I have to go. You wouldn’t really understand.”

It was like a bucket of cold water. “I wouldn’t understand?”

“You never have to be there for your family—”

“What?”

Rory sighed. “I just mean—”

“No, what did you say? I’m never there for my family?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Sounded like it to me.”

“Well…you’re not, are you?”

Finn stared at Rory, wordless.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Finn.” Rory sagged. “I didn’t mean… I’m just worried about Griffin and—”

“Yeah. You’d better get going. Your brother needs you.”

“Finn, don’t—” Rory paused and studied him. “Do you want to come with me?”

“Do I want to come? Seriously?”

“Yeah. Seriously. You should. I’d like you to.”

Finn pictured the waiting picnic. He pictured sitting in his dark house, eating mini-quiches alone on the couch. There were two options here—pout, or step up for his partner. “Give me a second.” He ran to the studio, blew out the candles, grabbed the plate of quiches then hustled back to the kitchen where he dumped them into a Tupperware container. “Here, you can eat in the car. I’ll drive.”

* * * *

“Griffin?” Rory called. They were standing at the door to the main floor powder room in the Barretts’ house. Lainey and Jonathan didn’t look quite as put together as they had at dinner the night before. Lainey was in yoga pants, not a hint of makeup, and Jonathan’s ragged sweater had a hole on the elbow. They hadn’t been surprised to see Finn at all, and simply pointed them in the direction of the closed door.

There was no reply.

Rory tried again. “Are you okay, Griffin? Talk to me, please.” The lines on Rory’s face were drawn. They rested their palm on the door. “Please, Griff.”

Then they heard it. A low mutter. “I’m okay.”

Rory sighed with relief. “What’s up, Griffin? Tell me what’s going on.”

There was another long pause, then he spoke again. “Bryn broke up with me.”

“Shit. I’m so sorry.”

“I told her it would be different this time.”

“I know.”

“But I’m never different, am I? I’m always the same. I’m gonna be alone forever.” The last words were hard to hear, fading away into nothing.

“You’re not!” Rory said. “There’s no way.”

There was no response this time.

“Griffin, will you come out of there? Let’s grab some food and talk. Have you eaten anything today?”

Still nothing.

Finn stepped closer and cleared his throat. “I know how you feel,” he said to the door. “About being alone forever. You feel like you’re wrong somehow, like you’ll never fit. It’s so hard. I get it.”

Rory took Finn’s hand and leaned their head on his shoulder.

“And I wish I could tell you the right person will come along. And they might. But it doesn’t matter, you know? What matters is all the people who do love you. And I know Rory loves you so much…”

Rory blinked at Finn with welling eyes.

“…and so does the rest of your family. So much, Griffin. Can you come out so they can talk to you?”

The door cracked open.

* * * *

It was late when they got home, and they still had to unload Rory’s desk and the rest of their boxes and plants. Then Finn took Rory’s hand and showed them the picnic he had set up. Rory sniffled and buried themselves in Finn’s arms. They spent the night on the blanket.