CHAPTER TWELVE
Over the next two days Finn helped Willow with her deliveries while they discussed their exciting new directions in life. Finn had shared with her the different promotional techniques he'd used in the past for his videos, using YouTube and other video and social media platforms. It made her more excited about creating and implement marketing campaigns for the catering business.
Finn had told her he was going to send out feelers to see if anyone would be interested in hiring him to create promotional videos for their business. She'd helped him come up with a marketing campaign for his new business and they'd found a natural rhythm working together. She'd loved working with him and sensed he'd felt the same. They started making plans on how they could help each other out, which Willow was extremely excited about.
Tonight was their first catering event and after they'd got back to the house, Finn had left almost immediately to allow her and her mom to focus on the final preparations for the event.
When she and her mom had arrived at the venue, they'd set everything up in the kitchen and were ready to start plating the food, for the hired serving staff to give out. Her mom was getting frustrated with her broken arm, unable to do everything she normally could to help, but somehow she managed.
Once they'd finished all the preparation, Willow snuck along the corridor from the kitchen towards the room the event was taking place in. She wanted to report back to her mom how their food was going down. It was some kind of gun show, or no it was a shooting game they were promoting. Oh Finn would love this.
She listened to what the announcer was saying so she could report back to Finn. They were going on a three month worldwide trip to promote the game, leaving next week. She was glad Finn wasn't involved, she'd hate to lose him for three months. She looked around the room only to see Finn standing at the corner of the platform, shaking hands with the man who'd organized this event.
It suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks, this was Finn's sponsor. He'd lied to her. He was part of this tour and he was leaving, without telling her and they'd spent two days making all these future plans - together. She felt the tears starting to trickle down her face. Why had she put so much of her faith into him?
Wiping away any trace of her tears she made her way back to the kitchen. The sooner they were packed up the better. She also wanted to avoid bumping into Finn. Her mom had already started packing things away so she joined her, in silence. They'd almost finished packing things up when she received a text from Finn.
'Can't wait to see you, got some exciting news to share.'
Yeah I know what it is and I don't want to hear it.
She shoved her phone back in her back pocket, without replying. What was there still to say? He'd made his mind up without discussing it with her, at least now she knew where she stood with him ... nowhere.
"Honey, are you okay," asked her mom, her eyebrow raised in concern.
"Yeah, I'm just tired. It's been a long day and I can't wait to get into a hot tub and relax my aching bones," and my aching heart.
"If you want to take the van home, I can get a lift once everything is finished here. Most of our stuff is already packed up and you're up early tomorrow for your flight."
Her mom came over and pulled her into a hug, well as much as her broken arm would allow. She pulled back slightly, "Are you having second thoughts about moving here?" she asked.
"Oh no, definitely not. Mom, I can't wait to start working with you for real."
"And I'm sure having Finn here won't be such a hardship either," her mom teased.
"I don't think Finn is going to be around much," she admitted. She could feel her tears starting again and needed to get away so her mom wouldn't start asking any awkward questions.
"Why, what's happened? Willow, are you sure you're okay?"
"Nothing's happened. I'll be fine, I just need to get home and pack a few things for tomorrow. Is it okay if I leave now? I could really do with an early night."
"Of course, you head out and if I don't see you in the morning then I'll see you on Sunday when you get back. Do you want me to say anything to Finn when I see him about tomorrow?"
"No, I've said everything I want to say to him. Night mom."
She couldn't stop the tears from falling and hoped there wouldn't be much traffic on the way home. She just wanted to get away to clear her head. Maybe being in Boston would help.