Page 51 of Devil's Kiss

“Yeah, they are. You’re also here, Derek. Though God knows what the hell you’ve been doing these past few months or where you’ve been.”

Derek tried to think of an appropriate response, but since he’d been lying to his friend, he really had nothing to say in his own defense.

“You know what,” Finn said. “Just forget it. I didn’t come here to fight with you. You have your own life, and it’s clearly time I went and got one of my fucking own.”

Totally shocked by the turn of events and the angry stranger Finn had morphed into, Derek lowered his voice and asked, “Is the professor going with you?”

Finn’s eyes went flat at the mention of his boyfriend, and his jaw ticked.

Fuck, okay. That’s answer enough.Obviously something had gone down there. Deciding the least he could do was act the supportive friend, Derek tapped his certificate on his hand and asked, “So. Chicago, huh?”

Finn nodded, but he looked like he wanted to vomit.

“When do you think you’ll be back?”

His buddy shrugged and then said, “When the program is over, I guess. Two years. That’s what he said, anyway.”

“Hayes?”

This time Finn nodded. “Yeah. Fucking Hayes.”

“You don’t have to go, you know.”

“Yeah, but now I kinda want to. Honestly, I never want to see his face again.”

“But—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, okay? I just wanted to say goodbye and see you before I left.”

“And when’s that?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Are you serious?” When Finn nodded, Derek took his cap off and ran a hand through his hair. “Jesus. Well, thanks for stopping by.”

“You don’t have to be a dick about it.”

But he did. Because if he wasn’t being a dick he might break down and tell Finn that he didn’t want him to go, and, more importantly, that he was sorry he’d let their friendship fall the fuck apart.

He didn’t tell Finn any of that, though. Instead, he held his hand out and, when Finn took it, pulled him into a hug that made Derek’s heart break a little.

“Well, don’t be a stranger, Danny boy.”

“Ha. You keep saying that to me. And I won’t. There’s email and text, you know.”

“Yeah…I know.”

“Hey? Mom wanted to be here today, but she had to work. She told me to give you this.”

Finn held a box out, and when Derek opened it there was a wooden plaque withThe people who stand out as special in your life are usually put in your path for a reasoncarved into it. He traced his fingers over them, and when he looked up, Finn shrugged. “She’s sappy—what can I say?”

“Nah, you’re lucky to have her.”

“Yeah, I know. Okay, well, I’m gonna head out. Congratulations, man. I hope you get that gym by the beach you talked about.”

Derek laughed and shut the lid on the box. “Me too. Good luck in Chicago.”

Finn kicked a stone on the ground and didn’t respond. He merely gave a tight smile and then turned and walked away.