Starry Night

her best friend would become a naysayer as well, and Carrie didn’t want to hear it.
    That evening Carrie was anxious to talk to Finn. She sat on the sofa with her legs tucked under her and the phone clenched tightly in her hand, ready to answer the instant he rang. Her thick, wild hair was tied at the base of her neck with a scrunchie.
    By the time he phoned, Carrie felt ready to weep. “I’m so glad you called,” she blurted out the minute she heard his voice.
    “What’s wrong?” He was immediately concerned.
    “Your mother. My mother.”
    “What’s going on? You talked to my mother?” He didn’t sound happy about it, either.
    “Oh, sure, get upset with me, too, that’s all I need.”
    “Carrie, take a deep breath and start at the beginning.”
    She inhaled deeply and then exhaled. “My mom and I spoke recently, and she warned me about falling for you … she said right now nothing seems impossible, but eventually we’re going to have to face our differences.”
    The line went silent as he seemed to take in her mother’s words of wisdom. “And my mother said the same thing,” he said gruffly, sounding annoyed.
    “More or less.”
    “And that worries you?”
    “Yes. I don’t want it to, but it does. It’s been nearly three weeks since I last saw you and it feels like an eternity. Is it really possible to feel this strongly about someone I’ve known only a short while?”
    “Do you want to call it quits now and save us both a lot of hassle and heartache?” he asked starkly.
    “No.” Her response was vehement and instant. “Are you saying that’s what you want?”
    “No way. I found myself whistling the other day. I haven’t whistled since I was a kid. I climbed into bed at the cabin the other night and I felt your presence from just that small amount of time you slept in my bed. I rested better than I have in years.”
    “Oh, Finn, you make me want to cry.” Carrie didn’t know why she’d thought this man couldn’t be romantic.
    “Sawyer just looks at me and shakes his head, as if he nolonger recognizes me. I’m not alone, either. Hennessey mopes around the cabin, looking lost and miserable.”
    “It’s the same with me. What’s happened to us? I think about you and then my insides get all mushy and I feel like I want to cry because I have no idea when I’ll see you again,” she whispered.
    She heard the sound of him exhaling. “We don’t have to make any decisions tonight, do we?”
    “No,” she agreed.
    “I can’t give you up yet, Carrie.”
    “Do you have to give me up at all?” she asked. “Do I have to give you up?”
    “Not now, and hopefully not for a very long time.”
    “Good,” she whispered, “because I don’t think I could bear it.”
    “Great,” he said with some enthusiasm. “Now that we have that settled, let’s talk about something else. Tell me about this hot date of yours.”
    “Oh, Finn, honestly, you have nothing to fear from Dave.”
    “Ah, so his name is Dave.”
    “He’s a nice guy, but he would never think to give a woman a toaster. He doesn’t have a heart nearly as big as yours.”
    “You realize I’m going to be worrying about you with this guy the entire time you’re out with him.”
    His words cheered her considerably. “I’m glad to hear it.”
    “You are?”
    “Well, sure. It will keep you on your toes. If this kind of competition continues, I could end up with a can opener that matches that toaster.”

Chapter Ten

    The night of her dinner date with Dave, Carrie hurried home from the office in order to change clothes. Cool, suave, sophisticated Dave. Finn had been suspiciously quiet all day. She hadn’t received a single text from him in nearly twenty-four hours, which was unusual. She knew he was concerned about her going to the theater, even with a friend, and seemed to view any man she saw as a potential threat. It was clear he didn’t have a clue how head-over-heels nuts she was over him.
    Perhaps she was living in a fool’s garden, not thinking about the future. Frankly, she didn’t care what chances anyone gave their relationship. Finn felt as much a part of her now as her arms and legs.
    She changed clothes but kept her cell phone handy, hoping to hear the ding that would tell her she had a text message.The earlier one she’d sent him remained unanswered. Perhaps he’d returned to the lake cabin, but it seemed he would have mentioned it, if that was the case.
    Once she refreshed her makeup, she