by Lila Kane
“Me either,” I said, my lips curving when Finn shot me a smile from the kitchen where he and Jake were drinking beers and sorting through bags they’d had delivered for dinner.
“I wouldn’t let you,” he called.
I lifted my glass to him in a toast.
“What about you?” Paige asked me. “What’s your dream wedding?”
I noticed Finn listening again and shot him a smirk. “Maybe Maui?”
“She’s a liar, don’t believe anything she says!”
Laughing, I shrugged. “Seriously…I don’t know. Something small. Intimate.” I’d been planning the big wedding with Mark. It’s what he wanted. Now, all I wanted was to be with Finn and celebrate with my family and close friends. It was more about the commitment and less about the frills.
“But you still have to have the dress,” Leslie said. She slid over a magazine and pointed. “This is the one I want.”
I touched the page, my finger tracing the curve of the train. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yep. That’s where my money’s going. The fabulous dress. The rest is…just accessories.”
Finn walked up behind me and touched my shoulder. “Dinner,” he said, leaning down to kiss my cheek. “You up for that?”
“Sure.”
We cleared the table and spread the containers in the middle, going for family style and dishing up what we liked. The whole thing, the food, the company, the drinks, the laughter—all of it helped more than I could have ever hoped.
The only thing missing was my family and their blessing.
My sister hadn’t been happy about Finn and his decisions when we’d been together in college. I hoped now, after all these years, she could see past those mistakes and realize we were grown up and we’d learned from our mistakes. I also hoped she could see how much I loved Finn. How perfect he was for me.
Once dinner was finished and we’d exhausted ourselves with talk of toile and venues and vows, Leslie and Paige left, promising they’d see me soon.
Jake helped clean up our boxes and plates, catching me for a minute alone in the kitchen. “Maybe I should stay here a while.”
I smiled at him. “What? Like, in our apartment?”
He shrugged. “Okay, that was kind of rude inviting myself to stay. Maybe you and Finn could come to my place a bit. Or we could spend some time at Mom’s. She’d love that.”
“My sister and my mom are coming tomorrow. Jake, what are you talking about?”
Jake eyed Finn as he paced with his phone to his ear in front of the bank of windows. Then he caught my hand in his and stared at me earnestly. “I’m worried about you. We’d all feel better if you weren’t…” He dropped his chin and mumbled, “Here. In Oasis.”
“Did Finn ask you to say this?”
“No—or not just him. Paige is worried, and Mom won’t stop calling Finn.” He gestured. “That’s who he’s talking to right now. You’re going to be my sister-in-law. I have to do something.”
Moved by the sweetness of his words, I squeezed his hand. “Jake, that’s nice of you. And you’re going to be the best brother-in-law ever. But I can’t leave. I have my job here—”
“Which is almost finished. You could delegate. There are people who can do this.”
“Jake,” I said firmly. “I did this before with Mark. I…let him control my life. And then I ran away.”
He crossed his arms, looking petulant like Finn, but the steel was still in his eyes. “I’m not suggesting you run away.”
“I know.” I sighed, following Finn with my eyes for a moment before turning back to Jake. “But I have to stand up to him at some point. If I keep running away, or letting him interrupt my life, then I have no life. I want to marry Finn, I want to be a part of your family, and I can’t do that if I’m always worried about Mark.”
“We take care of our own. You could stay at Mom’s for a while. You could stay with me. I’m in between projects. It is living your life,” he insisted.
I smiled at him, and then caught him in a hug. He wrapped his arms around me, chin resting on my head.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he murmured.
“I know,” I said again. “And I love you for it. I’m going to be careful. But I need to show Mark that he’s not in charge of my life anymore.”
“He never was.”
I swallowed and nodded. “You’re right.”
“I’d feel better if you let me stay tonight. And maybe consider getting away next week.”
“Yes, stay the night. We’ve got enough room. I’ll think about the rest.”
“You do that.”
Finn finished his call and joined us in the kitchen. “Mom says hi.”
“What else did she say?” I asked.
His jaw shifted. “That we should come stay with her for a while. That might be a good idea, Charlotte.”
With a sigh, I said, “Jake and I already talked about this. He’s going to stay in our guest room tonight. But I’m tired, so…no more talking, okay?”
Finn and Jake shared a look over the top of my head. I said goodnight and gave them a moment to talk while I walked to my bedroom.
A text from my sister came in. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!
It made nerves shoot through my stomach. As much as I was looking forward to seeing her, I was terrified of how she’d take the news of me and Finn.
I didn’t want to be estranged from my family forever, and this was bound to be a sore spot.
Without energy for much more, I pulled on an oversized T-shirt, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed. The sheets were cool and comfortable, trying to lull me into sleep before Finn even came to the room.
When I heard his footsteps, I smiled but couldn’t open my eyes.
“No work tomorrow,” Finn said. “I think it’ll do you some good.”
“I’m too tired to argue with you, but you do realize how silly that sounds? If everything in life was good for us, how would we become the people we are?”
I felt the bed shift with his weight, and his warm hand on my cheek. “You’re philosophical when you’re tired.”
“Realistic,” I mumbled. “But still, too tired to argue.”
“I’ll call in and check with Leslie and Tucker, make sure we’re not missing anything important.”
His weight moved away, and I heard him walk to the closet.
“You just want us to stay here because of Mark,” I mumbled.
It made sense. It was easier for Curtis and his team if we didn’t go anywhere else. There was less of a chance Mark would show up unexpectedly.
When Finn didn’t answer, I opened one eye. He stood with his hand propped on the door frame, his chin dropped so he was staring at his feet.
“Come to bed,” I said, reaching out for him.
He removed his shirt and his pants, flipping the light switch and getting under the covers with me in only his boxers.
I closed my eyes again and felt his arms wrap around me. “Yes, I want you to stay here because it’s safer. And you had a rough day. I have things I want to say to you, to talk about, and they’ll be better off if you’re relaxed here. At home. Without worrying when you’re going to run into Mark.”
“We can talk now,” I mumbled, but my words were slow.
“Later.”
I sighed instead of answering.
“Go to sleep,” Finn said.
“But…”
“But nothing. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”
“But,” I tried again, forcing the words to form in my mouth. “I figured it out.”
His finger stroked my cheek. “What did you figure out?”
“Where I want to have the wedding.”
When he shifted but didn’t say anything, I frowned. “That’s not good?”
“No, that’s great. I’m surprised. Where?”
“The cabin,” I said.
He didn’t answer again, and my eyelids fluttered. I tried to find his face
in the dark. “Are you mad?”
His voice sounded just by my ear, lips brushing my cheek and making me shiver. “No, I’m not mad. That’s where my parents got married.”
I nodded, already regretting saying anything. “I know. I thought…I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would be a sore spot. And your mom—”
“No, Charlotte. She’d love that. I’d love that. And if my dad were here, he’d love that too. He’d love you.”
I smiled and then felt his lips on mine.
“Close your eyes,” Finn murmured.
I did as he said, feeling him move over the top of me. He shifted the covers, hand grazing my hip, body pressing against mine. And I realized he was naked.
“You have no idea how happy you just made me,” he whispered, hooking a finger in my panties to pull them down my legs.
My whole body was liquid, floating at the edge of sleep. I could barely open my mouth to tell Finn how little energy I had, but he was already on top of me again, with his lips on mine.
“Lie there,” he said, voice deep. “Let me take you. Just be open.”
And I was. I spread for him, loving the weight of his body on mine. Moaning softly when he entered me, slow and smooth, filling me up and capturing my body, my heart, and my soul with everything he was.
“Charlotte,” he said, voice full of something like awe, “we’re meant for each other.”
He pumped his hips against mine, driving me to a slow climax until the world, still clouded in a haze of sleepiness, exploded around me and we fell together like ashes.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Keep your grip tight. Steady,” Finn said, voice close to my ear. “Good.”
His arms were around me, helping hold and aim the revolver as I pointed at the target that seemed impossibly far away.
“It’s going to jerk back. That’s fine,” he continued. “Follow through.”
“Show me.”
He took the revolver from me. Jake stood behind us, arms crossed. He nodded at me, encouragement I needed. Curtis and Shane were in the background somewhere, and I was thankful they weren’t watching. They’d laugh if they saw how bad I was at this.
Finn took a shot, and then another, making it look easy.
“Not bad,” Jake said. The target had five round holes in it, two close to the middle and three just around the edge.
Finn shrugged. The target was replaced, and he stood behind me again. “All right, ready?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Jake—”
“Stop stalling,” Finn said.
He set the gun in my hands. I adjusted to hold it tight, to make sure my hands were where they were supposed to go like Finn showed me.
“Steady,” he said, the word muted through the muffs covering my ears.
I aimed, squinted my eyes, and aimed again. Then I took a breath and squeezed the trigger. The noise startled me. So did the feel of the gun jerking in my hands.
“I missed,” I said.
“No, you didn’t. You were holding your breath. Exhale. Shoot. Keep going.”
I squeezed the trigger again, adjusted, and again. Then two more times, until I saw the rip in the paper. “I think…”
“You hit it,” Finn said. He brought the target to us and showed me. “The first one knicked the edge, but the other four hit.”
Jake grinned when I glanced at him. “Nice. Go again.”
Smiling, I turned back to Finn. He made me reload and we went again, until I didn’t flinch when the gun went off. Until the hold felt more natural. Until every single shot hit inside the rings.
Finn finally reached for the gun and put it away. I pulled off my ear muffs, but the world still sounded quiet around me.
“How does that feel?” Finn asked.
“Better.”
“Your target will probably be closer than that in reality.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to think about that. I just want to know that…I can handle myself. If necessary.”
Jake slung his arm over my shoulder. “You can. No one’s leaving you alone, though, so get used to that.”
“I’ll check in at the desk,” Finn said. He kissed my cheek. “Be right back.”
“Except for tonight,” I told Jake when we were alone. When he angled his head at me, I glanced up. “Tonight, you and Finn can’t be there because my mom and my sister are coming.”
“I don’t really think Finn is going to go for that.”
I eased out from under his arm. “Just a few hours until I explain to them what’s going on.”
“They don’t know about the engagement yet,” he surmised. “Yeah, I figured. But—”
“It’s not just that.”
Someone else started shooting a few booths down from ours and we stepped out the door. Shane stood off to the side, hands folded behind his back, waiting patiently while we talked.
“What else?” Jake asked, propping a shoulder against the wall.
“They don’t know about Finn at all.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I haven’t told them I’m back together with Finn. They know I’m here now, where I work, so they could probably put two and two together, but…I don’t think they have. Or they wouldn’t think that Finn and I would be a couple again. Not after…what happened before.”
“Shit.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “So they’re still remembering…old Finn? Everything that happened before?”
I nodded, feeling guilty. “I mean, I didn’t tell them everything before. My mom just thought we broke up, but I told my sister almost all of it. She let me stay with her after everything happened. I was…”
“Heartbroken.” He sighed and put his arm around me again. “Yeah. And your sister helped you get through all that. I can see why you might need to talk to them alone.”
“Right. So, can you stay with Finn?” I glanced at Shane, including him. “The whole time. Because I don’t want him, you know…looking for trouble.”
Jake’s eyebrows furrowed, and then he nodded. “I see. Because of Mark. Well, I can’t really blame him. I mean, after what’s gone down, I sort of want to go looking for trouble, too.”
“Jake. You can’t. Don’t even—”
“No, I get it. Don’t worry. I’d love to teach the guy a lesson, but I understand it’ll cause more trouble in the long run. I’ll keep an eye on Finn.”
“I don’t want him to be alone either,” I said.
Shane gave me a nod. “Someone will be with him, Ms. Evans. As for the rest, I’ll relay the message.”
My shoulders relaxed. “Thank you. It’s just a few hours.”
Finn returned and took my hand. “What’s just a few hours?”
I bit my lip. I hadn’t explained this part to Finn yet. “I need a few hours to talk to my mom and my sister. Alone.”
He glanced at Jake. “Makes sense. I’ll stay in the other room.”
“Nah.” Jake grinned. “We’ll hang. Come to my place.”
Finn shook his head, squeezing my hand. “I can’t leave Charlotte.”
Shane cleared his throat. “It might be best to discuss this back at Oasis.”
Relieved to have a temporary out, I nodded and pulled on Finn’s hand. “Come on, let’s get home.”
“Nice of you to spring this on me a few hours before your family gets here,” Finn said, pacing the living room.
“It’s not the whole night. Just long enough for me to explain.”
“I get that. Completely. But I’m going to have to talk with them eventually. I want them to hear my side of it, too.”
I swallowed, trying to sit calmly on the couch because I was nervous about my mom and sister, nervous about Finn not being here—and then Finn being here later—and nervous about my family in the same building as Mark.
“Give me three hours,” I said. “Get something to eat with Jake. Go to his hotel. Relax. Or go visit your mom. You can come back tonight and we’ll talk.”
Finn
stopped with his arms crossed. “I don’t like this.”
“Compromise.”
“I’ll stay in the other room.”
I sighed and stood. “I can meet them somewhere else if that works better. We could have dinner and come back here afterward to—”
“No. It’s safer to stay here.”
“Finn.” I rubbed my hands over my face. “You’re not giving me much to work with here. This is a big deal. If I can’t tell them about us, how’s that going to work?”
“I’m not asking you not to tell them, I’m asking to be here. Not because I want to intrude, but because I’m worried about leaving you.”
“Curtis will be here. We won’t go anywhere. We’ll stay in the apartment.”
Finn walked over and pulled my hands down from my face. “Okay. Compromise.”
“Three hours.”
“Two.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, but finally nodded. “Fine. I can work with two. You go to Jake’s apartment—”
“I’m not leaving Oasis. I need to be close by.”
“Finn.”
“Nonnegotiable.”
I gritted my teeth. “Fine. You have Jake with you the whole time. And Shane or Dustin. Don’t go anywhere else.”
His lips curved. “You sound like me.”
“I sound like someone who’s worried about you. And I definitely don’t want you to get into trouble any other way.”
His smile faded some. “You mean going to find Mark.”
“I know you’re mad he’s here.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“If you’re going to look out for me, I’m going to look out for you. That’s how this works.”
“You don’t trust me,” Finn said.
“I understand wanting to get a situation dealt with, and I think that’s where you are right now. Wanting this to be over. But we have to be careful.”
Finn’s jaw shifted. “He’s got to get what’s coming to him someday.”
“It’s not your place to give it to him.”
“Who says?”
I shook my head. “The law.”
He frowned. “We don’t have anything against him.”