Page 8 of Finley

“Pass the syrup, would you, Finn.”

He grabbed the maple syrup and handed it over, and after Katrina had poured a sickening amount of the sweet stuff over her pancakes, she cut into them, shoved them in her mouth, and then grinned full-cheeked at him.

“What?” she asked through a mouthful.

“That’s disgusting.”

She chewed, swallowed, and then stabbed at the next victims. “Let me guess. You’ve turned into a health nut who only eats salads and drinks protein shakes.”

He rolled his eyes and took another bite of his pancakes. He’d been trying to decide his next course of action since returning home, and, quite unexpectedly, his sister had given him an idea.

“Hey, don’t run out the door, okay? I need to give you something before you head to your exam this morning.”

Her blue eyes twinkled at him, and he had a feeling she knew that whatever he wanted to give her would be going to her punctual professor.Little shit.

As he kissed his mother’s cheek, she hugged him around the waist and looked between him and his sister.

“It really is great to have you home, Finn. It’s been too long.”

She was right. Hehadbeen gone a long time, but he was there now, and it was time to get what he had come for.

WITH A COFFEEin hand and exam papers in the other, Brantley shut the door to his office and headed toward his second class of the day. He’d had thirty minutes between scheduled exams, so if he didn’t take advantage and grab a coffee now, he’d be a zombie by lunch. He’d been sleeping like shit lately.

Muffling a yawn with his binder, he started in the direction of his room. He’d just turned into the west corridor, heading toward the far end, when he spotted Katrina Finley standing outside the classroom. As usual, she was wearing her bright pink headphones and was busy texting someone.

When he got closer, a smile split her lips and his heart ached a little at the reminder of Daniel. In so many ways, she was his complete opposite, but thatonething, her smile, brought to mind the face of the man he was trying to make himself forget.

Jesus, quit it already. He isn’t coming back.

As he stopped beside her, Katrina glanced up and pulled her headphones from her ears. The smile she’d had a minute ago widened, if that were possible, and she slid her phone into the pocket of her cardigan.

“Good morning, Katrina.”

“Hey, Professor Hayes.”

“Are you ready for the weekend?”

She ran her fingers through her hair and then nodded. “Sure am. There’s a party at our house tonight. You should come.”

He laughed, thinking she was joking, but when he turned to open the classroom door, a hand landed on his arm. Looking back at her, he released the handle and then tilted his head to the side when she gave him a folded piece of paper. He frowned down at it, confused.

“Really, you should be there tonight,” she said, and then she stepped around him to head into class.

His hand shook as he stared at the paper between his fingers.No, there’s no way this is from?—

He walked down the hall and slowly unfolded the paper, and what he saw there had his breath catching somewhere in the back of his throat.

Tonight. Eight o’clock, sharp. Don’t be late.

That handwriting was unmistakable.He’d read countless essays, exams, and reports written in the same scrawl.

Daniel had come home.

He’d really come home.

And he wanted to see him.Tonight.

He tried not to read too much into the note, but as he refolded it and slipped it into his pocket, he could barely wipe the grin from his face.