by Lisa Worrall
“Finn! You son of a bi—”
“Kaylee, say hi to AJ,” Finn stopped the words as they flowed from AJ’s lips and Aiden couldn’t help smiling at the flush filling AJ’s cheeks as he realized he’d almost cursed in front of the five year old. On a guy that big, embarrassment seemed out of place somehow.
“Well hello there, Kaylee,” AJ said, his big booming voice lowering a decibel or two as he held out his hand to her, his hazel eyes crinkling at the corners, and mop of chestnut hair, just like Finn’s, falling in disarray around his face and curling over the neck of his T-Shirt.
Aiden watched Kaylee’s eyes widen and then search for his, obviously unsure what to do next and Aiden gave her a reassuring nod. Kaylee put her hand in AJ’s and her tiny fingers were engulfed by his as he shook them solemnly.
“Hello.”
Aiden’s heart was clasped by an iron fist. It was the first time he’d ever seen his daughter overwhelmed by another person. But then if he found AJ intimidating, she must be wondering where he’d parked his beanstalk.
Finn lifted Kaylee off his shoulders and put her down, ruffling her nut brown head before turning to AJ and throwing his arms around his brother. “Jesus, AJ,” Finn laughed. “You can’t keep sleeping in horse crap, dude. You’re too damn big.”
Aiden stared dumbstruck as AJ picked Finn up and threw him over his shoulder, twirling him around in a circle before setting him back on now wobbling legs. Finn merely mock-punched his brother in the stomach and hugged him again, before turning AJ’s attention on Aiden himself.
“And this,” Finn said, pride clear in his tone as he introduced him. “Is Aiden. Aiden, this is my dorky brother, AJ.”
“Nah, the dorky one’s Ben,” AJ replied, his gaze traveling over Aiden from head to toe, and every inch in between. Leaving Aiden feeling as though he’d been weighed and measured. “So you’re Aiden, huh?” AJ’s gaze narrowed and before Aiden could move, his hand had been clasped in between both of AJ’s. “You love my idiot brother?” Aiden opened his mouth to speak and AJ interrupted. “Don’t talk, just nod.” Aiden nodded. “You gonna treat him right?” Another frantic nod. “Do I need to tell you that you’ll have me to deal with if you don’t?” Aiden shook his head, glaring at an almost hysterical Finn, bent over, holding his stomach while he laughed. AJ guffawed and pulled Aiden into a bone-crunching bear hug. “That’s good enough for me. Welcome to the family, Aiden. May the force be with you. You’re gonna need it.”
Once released from AJ’s embrace, Aiden nudged Finn in the side with a not too gentle elbow. “May the force be with me?” he said derisively, taking Kaylee’s hand. “How much coaching did you give him?”
“Me? I certainly did not call him last night after you’d fallen asleep, and if he says otherwise, he’s lying,” Finn said, mock-affronted.
“I’m not the liar,” AJ complained, a pout settling around his mouth. “You said you wore the pants and, from what I’ve seen already, those pants are well and truly on fire. Should we call you Finnella from now on?”
“AJ.” Kaylee pulled on the fabric of AJ’s shorts and he crouched down to listen to her.
“What’s up?” He frowned a moment and then added, “Kaylee’s quite a mouthful, can I call you Lee? Then that’ll be my special name for you forever.”
Aiden watched as she considered this and then nodded. “But I don’t have a special name for you.”
“I tell you what,” AJ replied. “Why don’t you take the best seat in the house, which is on my shoulders while Daddy and Finn carry the cases, and you can think of one as we walk to the car. How does that sound?”
Kaylee nodded, her previous shyness obviously forgotten as AJ lifted her onto his shoulders and then stood up, all six feet eight of him. Aiden couldn’t help thinking he was right, she certainly did have the best seat in the house, her head way above everyone else’s.
Finn kissed him hard on the mouth and then handed him a suitcase, before taking his free hand and holding it tightly as they walked. Aiden chuckled when AJ asked Kaylee what she’d been going to say, and his daughter said sagely.
“That they’re boys, and boys wear pants.”
“See, I knew you were the smart one in the family. Knew it the moment I saw ya.”
The fifteen minute drive that had turned into thirty once they’d hit the Friday afternoon traffic still wasn’t quite long enough for Aiden. He swallowed against the sudden dryness of his mouth when AJ steered his SUV up the impressive driveway of the hacienda style home Finn had grown up in.
The house itself was a wide single story building with a sloping roof and a veranda that ran its entire length. It was beautiful. The outside had been painted a creamy yellow and there were well tended flowerbeds everywhere he looked. It was the picture perfect family home and, from the look of the outside, Finn’s parents were not short of a penny or two. His stomach flipped uncomfortably. Finn had never said he was from a wealthy family. Why would he hide it?
“Are you getting out, or staying there all weekend?”
Aiden stared blankly at Finn for a moment and then forced a smile onto his face. “Yeah, I thought you could bring me my meals out here, and a bucket in case I need to pee,” he said, mentally patting himself on the back for how normal his teasing sounded.
“If you like I could bring you some beef jerky and a spittoon, too.” Finn hit his tease right back to him. “I think Pops has got an old one in his inner sanctum.”
Aiden clambered out of the SUV behind Finn, wincing at Kaylee’s high pitched squeak as AJ threw her over his shoulder as he had Finn, and threatened to throw her in flowerbed. “Inner sanctum?”
“He’s got a shed at the bottom of the backyard,” Finn said, lowering his voice. “He says he’s down there making wine, but don’t you believe it. First one with photographic evidence of him lighting up a dooby gets a hundred dollars. If you catch Mom, too, it’s three hundred.”
“Your parents smoke pot?” Aiden was incredulous.
“Babe, you are wound way too tight over this weekend.” Finn pulled the cases out of the back of AJ’s car and then wrapped his arms around Aiden and stared at him, his gaze suddenly concerned. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” Aiden replied. “I’m fine.” He knew Finn wasn’t going to be satisfied with that answer, but it would have to do.
Finn grunted but didn’t push it, instead he pressed a quick kiss to Aiden’s forehead and said softly, “Okay. I don’t believe you, but okay. You’re going to have a great time, Aide, and don’t worry, the only weed my parents come into contact with are the ones the gardener sprays once a week.” He looked over Aiden’s head when fresh squeals could be heard coming from inside the house as the front door was thrown back on its hinges. “Relax and smile,” Finn urged, turning him around to face what looked like hoards of people coming down the veranda steps. “Just remember the wise words of our Lord and savior, Dr Pepper… what’s the worst that could happen?”
“Oh, you are so dead, Thomas,” Aiden hissed through his smile, ignoring Finn’s laughter as what looked like Finn’s entire family came hurtling toward him.
Aiden was more than happy to take a back seat and watch Finn being greeted, in fact, if he was honest, he was a little bit jealous. Finn had told him his family was very close knit, but he didn’t think he’d ever seen such unadulterated joy on so many faces at once. Finn was wrestled to the ground by a skinnier, shorter version of himself, same shaggy hair, same heart-shaped face. Aiden assumed he must be Ben, the youngest of the trio at seventeen.
“Ben, Benjamin Thomas, let him up.” Finn’s mother slapped at her son’s ass, until he let Finn go. Ben got to his feet then hauled Finn up, only to find himself on his ass again when his mother shoved him out of the way so she could get to Finn. Aiden chuckled softly at the display.
He was so busy watching Finn and his mother, Aiden wasn’t prepared for the strong arms that engulfed him from out of left field. He was pulled in tight to a not qui
te as firm as it may have once been chest, and his face pressed into a neck that smelled strongly, but not unpleasantly, of Old Spice and cigars.
“Jeez, Dad,” AJ drawled. “Put him down. They’re gay… not you.”
“Hush up, Godzilla,” Finn’s father rebounded without hesitation. He released Aiden and smiled up at him. Yep, you heard it right, up at him.
Aiden had expected Finn’s father to be tall, certainly going by the height of his sons, but he couldn’t have been more than five feet ten, if that. He gazed into the older man’s face and the smile that broke out on his own face felt natural for the first time that day.
“It’s so good to finally meet you, Aiden. I’m Dan Thomas. Welcome to our home.”
“Thank you, Mr Thomas, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Aiden replied then beckoned Kaylee to his side, hoping she could manage to drag herself away from AJ who had been re-christened Grizzly in the car. “This is my daughter, Kaylee.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Sweetie, this is Mr Thomas.”
Dan mock-shuddered and then crouched down in front of Kaylee. “Mr Thomas is my dad, call me Dan, sweetie.” He shook Kaylee’s hand much the same as his son had done at the airport. “We’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Kaylee. Finn talks about you all the time.”
“He does?” Kaylee’s eyes widened and her gaze flitted to Finn, who stood with his arm around his mother, watching on with a fond smile on his face.
“Absolutely.” Dan held out his hand to her and led her across the lawn to the veranda steps. He turned his head and nodded to Aiden to follow. “Every time he calls it’s Kaylee did this, Kaylee did that. I think he kinda likes you.”
“He gave me the window seat,” Kaylee replied, climbing the steps with Dan as if she’d been doing it all her life.
“I did not,” Finn huffed walking up the steps behind Aiden. “You stole it. You used the girl card.”
Everyone chuckled at Finn’s indignant complaint and Aiden heard the front door close behind them. So far, so good. He’d made it through the front door relatively unscathed; but he had yet to be introduced to Finn’s mother. From what he’d seen and heard, her opinion was the one that carried the most weight around here.
“Finn.” Aiden swallowed at the melodic sound of Mrs Thomas’ voice. “Why don’t you and Aiden come into the kitchen and help me with the coffee. Then I can meet Aiden properly without this rabble making enough noise to wake the dead.” He watched as she dropped down to her haunches in front of Kaylee. “Hi, Kaylee, I’m Molly and I can’t tell you how glad I am you’re here, honey. I need another girl around here; it gets lonely surrounded by all these boys.”
Kaylee nodded, her expression sympathetic. “I know. In class there are four boys and two girls on our table. They get so loud it hurts my ears.”
“I hear ya.” Molly held up a hand for Kaylee to slap a high five onto her palm in a show of what Aiden assumed was female solidarity, then stood up and indicated he and Finn should follow her to the kitchen. “Sit down, Aiden, please,” Molly said with a gentle smile. “Findlay can help make the coffee while you and I get acquainted.”
Molly’s Texan drawl was like the whisper of a summer breeze through the trees, and Aiden reveled in the sound as it washed over him. “Findlay?” He quirked an eyebrow at Finn’s groan as he opened and closed cupboards.
“I was hoping you didn’t hear that.”
“Hush,” Molly said, shaking her head at Aiden in sympathy. “Is he this much of a baby when he’s in California? Or does he save all his whining for when he comes home?”
“Oh, he complains in California, too. Between you and me,” Aiden replied, adding in a stage whisper. “I don’t think the location is a factor.”
“Tell me about it,” Molly chuckled, reaching across the kitchen table to clasp Aiden’s fingers. “He perfected the art when he was little. I even caught him once, pulling faces in the bathroom mirror so he could get his hangdog expression just right. Half the time he walked around looking like Droopy.”
“I can hear you, you know that, right?”
“Just keep working,” Molly admonished. “We’re talking about you, not to you.”
“Charming. Tell me to come home. Put me to work the moment I get here. Steal my boyfriend and then start spilling my deepest, darkest secrets.” Finn sighed dramatically. “I think I’ll go check out Pop’s shed.”
“Pfft,” Molly snorted in a most unladylike manner. “If by shed you mean that old shack in the garden where he keeps his Oreos and dirty magazines, I’m gonna set fire to that damn thing one day. Make him buy a proper summer house where we can both sit and enjoy the quiet evenings. Ever since I told him your grandmother was coming to stay for a few weeks, that man’s been shut away in there like the Unabomber.” She waved her hands at Finn, indicating for him to continue with his task. “Where were we, Aiden, before we were so rudely interrupted?”
“Um.” Aiden pretended to think. “Finn looked like Droopy.”
“Ah, yes.” Molly grinned widely. “He had that face down pat, with big ole sad eyes and downturned mouth. I had to shut myself in the bathroom one time to stop myself from laughing in his face. Does he still do that?”
Aiden caught Finn’s eye where he was glaring a warning at him from where he stood at the sink, and nodded. “Absolutely.”
“You’re gonna be sleeping in Pop’s shed if you keep this up, Reid.”
“At least I wouldn’t freeze half the night after you steal the covers,” Aiden bit back without even thinking, then froze at the realization of what he’d said. Of course Molly knew they slept in the same bed, but he’d just alluded to it right in front of her—crap. Things had been going so well, too. “I’m sorry, Mrs Thomas,” he mumbled, lowering his gaze and his hands to his lap, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. How could he have been so stupid?
“Sorry for what?” Molly’s tone was inquisitive, but she didn’t press him, merely waited for him to decide whether he was going to answer or not.
At least that’s what her gaze said to Aiden, although he was too worried he’d fucked up to tell her. Not that he had to, she was everything he’d always imagined a real mother should be, and she somehow instinctively knew.
“We need to get one thing straight here, Aiden.”
Fuck! I wonder how long it’ll take to get a flight home.
“Since Finn met you and your daughter, albeit it not in the most conventional of ways, he’s had this stupid-assed tone in his voice over the phone, and today he’s got a stupid-assed look on his face to match. You did that, Aiden. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as happy as he is with you. So as far as I’m concerned, you and Kaylee are part of this family now, and you don’t have to think about what you say or how you behave. The only thing you’ll be judged on in this house is what’s inside your heart, and that won’t change—ever. Okay?”
Aiden looked into her soft brown eyes and felt his stupid anxieties dissipate as she gazed back at him. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and said firmly, “Okay.”
III
“I like them, Daddy.”
Aiden tucked the pink covered duvet around Kaylee and leaned down to rub his nose against hers. “Me, too.” He cast a glance around the room. Molly had gone to town on the guest bedroom, turning it into a little girl’s dream full of fluffy clouds and pink pillows. Kaylee’s jaw had dropped when Molly showed her where she was to sleep, indicating it was her very own room for when she came to stay. He’d been touched and he could see Molly had been, too, when Kaylee threw her arms around her waist and thanked her over and over. “This really is a beautiful room, honey.” He tickled her under the chin, making her squeal in delight. “I thought we’d already bought every pink thing in the world and put it in your room at home.”
“Molly said she got it from the pink shop.”
“There’s a pink shop?” Aiden played along, enjoying that Molly and Kaylee had already slipped into an easy banter.
“Yep. Molly sai
d the servers even wear pink dresses.”
“Wow,” he stage-whispered. “What will they think of next?”
“I don’t know,” Kaylee shrugged. Aiden tried to swallow his chuckle as she gave it serious thought. “I’m a bit tired. Can I think about it tomorrow?”
“Of course you can, Cupcake.” Aiden kissed her goodnight and crossed the room, pausing in the doorway. “I’m going to leave this lamp on for you and don’t forget, Finn and I are just across the hall. Unless you want me to sleep in here with you tonight?” What if she woke in the night and she couldn’t find him?
“Daddy.” Kaylee shook her head, her tone derisive. “I’m five.”
Put firmly in his place, Aiden apologized for the oversight and closed the door behind him. God, she was growing way too fast. He padded across the hall in his bare feet and opened the door to Finn’s bedroom, nudging the door shut with his ass. Finn was already in bed, his arms folded behind his head, his tanned skin almost glistening in the muted light from the tiny football shaped lamp on the nightstand.
“Come into my parlor,” Finn drawled in a low husky voice.
“Said the spider to the fly,” Aiden said with a chuckle. “Nice analogy. Have you had much success with that one?” He wandered over to the chair in the corner where Finn had put his suitcase and opened it. All of Kaylee’s belongings had been put in her room earlier, but he couldn’t be bothered to unpack right now. He was too deliciously content. Full, tired and just—what was that word—happy. Pulling some sweatpants out of the case, Aiden stripped out of his clothes and tugged them on. He grabbed his wash bag and headed into the generous en suite to get ready for bed. Aiden used the toilet then flushed before washing his hands and drying them on the towel hanging on the back of the door. Searching in his full to bursting wash bag, he finally found his toothbrush and toothpaste and proceeded to clean his teeth.