by Anya Nowlan
Finn always thought they were people who faced things head-on, unafraid. He didn’t like the thought of that now being untrue.
“I want to face it,” he stated. “I don’t want to hide from the reality anymore.”
Hanna looked at them both, as serious as Finn had ever seen her.
“Then you need to go back,” she said.
Finn’s brain seemed to be having trouble processing that.
“Back where?” he asked.
“Back to Shifter Grove,” she replied.
It was just the answer he didn’t want to hear.
Fifteen
Hanna
The brothers were silent for a moment after Hanna’s suggestion about going back home. The fact that it made them so uncomfortable only reinforced her opinion that it was something they needed to do. Avoiding the memories and not really saying goodbye to their mother wasn’t helping them heal. Maybe returning to Shifter Grove would.
Foster was the first to speak.
“We do owe dad a visit,” he said, looking at Finn.
“That’s true,” Finn nodded, before turning to her. “Do you think it would do our father some good to see us?”
“I bet he’s eager to see his sons,” Hanna replied.
A smile suddenly spread across Foster’s face.
“You should come with us,” he said, making Hanna’s eyes widen.
“I knew you couldn’t possibly stay serious for the whole session,” she replied, glancing at the watch on her wrist. “But a whole thirty minutes is a new personal best for the both of you.”
“I’m completely serious,” Foster insisted.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Finn added.
“I don’t take trips with my patients,” Hanna replied, in a tone she hoped would convey this matter wasn’t up for discussion.
“It’s not a trip it’s a… therapeutic excursion,” Foster grinned at her.
Hanna felt overly warm just at the thought of being alone with the men outside of the professional setting of her office. Even here, they pushed the envelope on what was appropriate. She couldn’t even imagine being somewhere more private with either of them.
Or maybe the problem was she could imagine it all too well, and the imagery kept drifting toward R-rated material.
“You can word it however you want, it’s not happening,” she said, gripping the pen she was holding a little too tightly.
“You would love Shifter Grove,” Finn cajoled.
“I’m sure I would, but that doesn’t change anything. There are lines that I as a therapist cannot and will not cross,” she stated firmly.
There shouldn’t be any confusion about what kind of a relationship she had with the brothers, and travelling to Shifter Grove with them was sure to muddy those waters. Not to mention she was already plenty confused. They both kept flirting with her right in front of each other, which struck her as odd.
People as competitive as Finn and Foster didn’t just stand for someone moving in on a person they were interested in. Even if them hitting on her was just a way of deflecting from the real issues, they were still proud enough to call the other out. But aside from some playful jabs at each other, they seemed totally unfazed by the fact they were eyeing the same woman.
Now that has to be in violation of the ‘bro code’.
Yet she would be lying if she said she didn’t find the dual attention exciting in a way. Who would mind being pursued by two guys as hot as Finn and Foster? You’d have to be blind. And even then, sometimes their voices were enough to send butterflies flying through her stomach.
Hanna had never been attracted to two men at once, not on such a scale, at least. She was so hopelessly drawn to them both, while finding it impossible to prefer one to the other.
There was Foster, somewhat gloomy, but when he decided to smile… That sexy grin of his could melt glaciers, she was sure of it. He was bold, and forward, and everything she had promised herself she’d avoid in a man.
At the same time, he could be incredibly thoughtful and aware of himself, and she was sure there were even more insights hidden under that closed off veneer of his that he didn’t want to share.
And then there was Finn. Rash and impulsive, but with a deep sense of right and wrong. There was a certain code he operated under, and she’d just scratched the surface of it. He was the mischievous one, that was for sure.
Hanna couldn’t count how many times she’d had to bite her cheek or fake a cough to not laugh at his jokes, as stupid as they were. He had an air about him that managed to make almost everything he said charming.
And the fact that this was how she felt about them was just the reason she could never accompany them to Shifter Grove. Somewhere down the line, during this short time they’d spent together, they had become more than patients to her.
She couldn’t encourage that kind of thing within herself. Even when the way they looked at her made her want to be reckless, to throw reason aside and do what felt right.
These two are like temptation embodied, she mused, looking at the two impossibly fit, dangerously handsome men in front of her.
“If we go, we’re going to be gone for days,” Foster said. “Think of all the sessions we’re going to miss. That’s going to delay our getting back on the ice. But if you came with us, did some on-the-go therapizing…” the trailed off.
“That is most definitely not a word,” she sighed, seeing that the brothers weren’t going to let this go. “I am sorry about the missed sessions, but it’s important you do this.”
“That’s my point, we don’t have to miss any sessions. And you’d see where we spent our formative teenage years, get to meet our dad. Invaluable information for a therapist, wouldn’t you say?” Foster asked, raising a brow at her.
Hanna opened her mouth to object but snapped it shut.
Oh, he’s good, she thought to herself.
The arguments were all solid, enough for her to even consider it for a split second. But she caught herself on trying to justify this insanity.
“Before you say anything,” Finn quickly chimed in. “Just sleep on it, see what you think tomorrow.”
They were both eyeing her now, with a gleam in their eyes that made her feel entirely too vulnerable. Something told her they knew exactly what effect the smiles they were throwing her way had on her. Who could think reasonably with these two grinning at you like they were about you eat you up?
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” she conceded, just to get away from this topic.
But there’s no way I’m agreeing to what you’re suggesting, she added in her mind.
Their session was pretty much over after that, and Hanna spent the rest of the day with her anger management group. After talking Jake off another ledge and congratulating everyone on the progress they had made, she retreated back to her office.
Finn and Foster crept back into her thoughts. That was becoming a theme, lately. Everyone else had already gone home, and she was alone again, with way too much free time to think about her two sexy patients. If she didn’t know better, she would even think it was actually fate that brought them to her.
Thinking back to that night at Rico’s, she could remember with alarming clarity what it felt like to be pressed against Finn’s chest. The way his hands rested on her body as he maneuvered her across the dance floor had sparked something inside her that night, as much as she had tried to suppress it.
She also recalled the way she bumped into Foster, and how shameless he had been in ogling her body. His words still echoed in her head, especially when she was home alone at night, tossing and turning in bed.
I know you’ll be thinking of me later on, he had said, and the way he’d said it still sent a shiver down her spine.
Hanna’s breathing hitched, and a throb began between her legs. As if moving on their own, her hands started to move from resting in her lap. Every dirty little innuendo that had ever come out of Finn’s or Foster’s mouth started playing
in her head as her fingers slid down between her thighs.
Thinking of how good it would feel to have their strong hands on her body as they whispered all sorts of naughty things into her ear, Hanna’s blood turned hot. Her fingers rubbed against the fabric of her pants, finding the sensitive nub at the apex of her thighs.
Imagining Foster kissing her neck while Finn knelt before her, she sighed, one of her hands trailing up to cup her breast. Seeing the twins, day in and day out, while she knew she could never give in to any of her desires had been more than frustrating, and right now, she was feeling like she might burst.
Unbuttoning her slacks, she slipped her fingers beneath the fabric, reaching for her wetness. Just her imagination had been enough to get her juices flowing, that’s the kind of effect Finn and Foster had on her.
She didn’t even care she was still in her office, or that a security guard might walk by and hear the soft moans now escaping her lips. Imagining the hand on her breast belonged to Foster, and that the fingers circling her clit were Finn’s, she pushed her hips forward and let her head fall back.
Eyes closed and skin on fire, Hanna slipped a finger inside her wet pussy, dying for release. All her pent-up desire floated to the surface as she worked her fingers in and out, reaching for that sensitive spot inside her.
She could only dream of what it would feel like to have Finn’s lips on hers, or how good Foster’s cock would feel inside her, but right now, the fantasy was enough. Riding her own fingers and squeezing her nipples with her free hand, she let her daydream carry her away.
When she finally came, the images of Finn and Foster were clear behind her closed eyelids, and the relief she felt was fleeting. In the end, it only made her wonder how good actually having the brothers’ hands on her would feel…
Seemed she was saved by the bell, though, as her phone started ringing in her purse. Almost jumping, she quickly glanced at her office door, realizing she hadn’t even bothered to lock it. Buttoning up her pants, she chided herself for becoming so reckless.
Fishing the phone out of her purse, she expected it to be her mom, checking in with her, but was taken somewhat aback to see another unknown number, like the other night, flashing on the screen.
Am I on some really shitty telemarketer’s list or what the hell is going on? she briefly wondered.
Clearing her throat and hoping she didn’t sound as flustered and needy as she felt, she answered the call.
“Hello?”
As she’d already anticipated, there was no response. Just a soft rustle.
“Hello? Do you know you’re calling someone?” she said more loudly.
The rustling suddenly stopped, replaced by what sounded like heavy breathing, or maybe even a chuckle? She couldn’t be sure. What she did know was, it thoroughly creeped her out. She quickly ended the call and dropped the phone on her desk, as if it was somehow the phone’s fault she was getting these weird calls.
It’s still probably someone’s grandma who doesn’t know how to use her new smartphone, butt-dialing me, she told herself, trying not to let paranoia take over.
She knew the call had shaken her more than she would have liked to admit, however, when she found herself thinking something she never thought she would.
Maybe going to Shifter Grove with Foster and Finn and getting away from Sioux Falls isn’t such a bad idea, after all.
Sixteen
Foster
Holding on to his seat as the plane bounced around in another pocket of turbulence, Foster could hardly believe what he was looking at. Opposite him, next to Finn, sat Hanna, white in the face and eyeing the small aircraft around them like she was afraid it was about to break apart at any moment.
She’s actually coming with us to Shifter Grove, he thought, for probably the tenth time that day.
From the way Finn was grinning at him, his brother was thinking the exact same thing.
“Don’t worry, we’re going to be fine,” Foster called out to Hanna, raising his voice to be heard over the sound of the engine. “Slate is a great pilot.”
“It’s not the pilot I’m worried about,” he could hear Hanna mutter to herself.
She only looked more and more panicked as they started to descend for landing. Unbuckling his seatbelt, Foster pushed forward and sat in the empty seat next to Hanna.
“We’ve flown in this exact plane many times. I promise, we are going to be okay,” he assured her.
“If you say so,” she replied, not sounding entirely convinced.
“Trust us,” Finn added from the other side of her.
Hanna let out a small yelp when the nose of the plane dipped, her hands shooting out to grab onto both Foster and Finn. Her fingers squeezed theirs for a good couple of seconds before she realized what she was doing and quickly pulled her hands away and tucked them into her lap.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, giving them both nervous smiles.
“No need to apologize,” Foster smiled back.
The plane hit the ground with a jolt soon after that, with Foster still thinking about Hanna’s skin against his. When the doors opened with a small hiss, they all climbed down the rickety ladder onto the small strip of asphalt that served as a runway in Shifter Grove.
The air smelled of mountains, clear and crisp, and Foster’s bear let out a satisfied rumble. He had also grabbed Hanna’s suitcase, and was carrying it toward the small hangar up ahead.
There was a familiar truck parked next to it, and he knew his dad was already there, waiting. He smiled at the thought of seeing him again, but was also hesitant to see the sadness in his eyes he could be sure was still there.
Hanna fell into step between him and Finn, following his eyes to the truck.
“Is that your dad?” she asked, her voice a little higher than usual.
She looked different outside of the counseling center. Short hair pulled back into a ponytail, fresh-faced, and wearing probably the only pair of flat shoes she owned, she looked relaxed and casual, despite the nervousness in her tone.
“Wait, what did you even tell your dad? About who I am and why I’m here with you?” Hanna asked.
“We told him you’re our new girlfriend and we’ve brought you here to meet him,” Finn replied matter-of-factly.
Hanna skidded to a halt, eyes wide as saucers, looking almost cartoonish in her shock. She sputtered out some sounds that didn’t quite pass for words before she got what she wanted to say out.
“You what?” she demanded, looking from Finn to Foster. “Our girlfriend?” she added after a second’s thought, going red in the face.
Foster couldn’t help but burst out laughing. There was no way he was going to able to play along with Finn, not with Hanna looking like she was about to have a coronary, or at least burst a vessel in her forehead.
“Relax,” he got out in between laughing. “We told him you were our team-appointed therapist and that you’re here for support and observation.”
“Oh,” Hanna replied, smoothing a hand over her hair. “Thank god,” she added, squaring her shoulders and continuing walking toward the truck.
“Hey, we’re not that bad of a catch,” Finn replied, taking a couple of longer steps to catch up with her.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Hanna rolled her eyes.
As they reached the car, the driver’s seat door swung open and Garret Caldwell stepped out, wearing a flannel shirt and faded jeans. Foster thought he still looked just like when he and Finn were kids, except for a few gray hairs here and there. The man himself didn’t agree, calling himself a geezer every chance he got.
“There you are,” Garret said, stepping closer to give everyone hugs.
Hanna stood there awkwardly at first, letting her arms hang at her sides when Garret wrapped her into his huge embrace.
“You must be Hanna,” he said, holding her at arm’s length. “I hope these boys aren’t giving you too much trouble. I did my best, but they can still be real pains in the ass sometimes. Ca
n’t win them all,” he shrugged.
“Gee, thanks, dad,” Finn commented.
“I did have to put them in their place once or twice,” Hanna admitted with a small grin.
“That’s my girl! I can share my tips and tricks with you. I was stuck with them for eighteen years,” Garret replied, already moving to open the passenger door for her. “You two can sit in the back,” he said to Foster and Finn over his shoulder.
“What is happening right now?” Finn asked, throwing his hands up in the air.
“Dad finally has someone to conspire with,” Foster sighed.
That made Finn’s eyes widen.
“What? Why?” he asked.
“Remember that time we almost got expelled and dad had to pay to get that wall in the high school repainted?”
“Yeah?”
“And that time you left your skateboard out and he tripped on it and pulled his back?”
“Yeah?” Finn asked again, more hesitant this time.
“And that time I took his truck without asking permission and knocked over that stop sign?” Foster continued on, making a face that said Finn should be getting the picture by now.
“Oh, damn,” his brother replied, the realization sinking in. “Is dad… Is dad planning on getting us back for all the shit we pulled when we were kids?”
“When we were kids?” Foster scoffed. “Remember last Christmas when you opened that old bottle of scotch he’d been saving and…”
“I get it, I get it,” Finn interrupted. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all,” he said, glancing over at their dad and Hanna, laughing about something in the cab like old buddies.
“You two gonna stand there all day?” Garret called out, before continuing on with whatever embarrassing tale he had been telling.
“You’re telling me,” Foster replied.
This is going to be one long visit.