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She looks back up atfor us as we speak” She holds the stone up “I’ to chip the rock with this—the bar part Better than doing nothing”

“Yeah, for sure”

She takes a long step back “Waiting to see how you’re swinging, so I can stay out of the line of fire,” she says softly

“Sure thing” I cringe at how eager I sound So about her voice…I don’t know She’s not the type that seeuess I want to, I realize as I swing the ha, and a moment later, I feel her behind me

“Back to back,” she says “I’ll work on the other side of the rim”

I inhale slowly, telling myself it’s okay for her to be behind ood, Fin”

Silence shifts between us When I look back at her, I see tears in her eyes

Eleven

Finley

“Not a word about it” I wipe ers

He turnslook

“I don’t like being stuck in caves And I well and truly hate to be called Fin, so never again, please I’m not a crier, only cry when very tired or in a fury”

He lifts his brows, his handsoentle and kind despite those too-shrewd eyes that always see too ht feel if one was stuck inside a cave and being called…you know?” He smiles

“That kind exactly” I breathe deeply, wiping

“Fin doesn’t feel right anyway,” he says as he turns back around “Think I’onna stick to Siren”