by Lila Kane
“Probably. I might have to tip him, though.”
I laughed. “He probably deserves it after making all those animals for the kids. Do you have a bigger group this week?”
“Three more kids were signed up. But that’s a good thing.” Her voice became muffled and then she returned with a sigh. “Sorry, I have to go. There’s a marker crisis going on.”
With another laugh, I said goodbye and hung up the phone. Balloon guys and marker crises. Sounded a lot more eventful than my job. Though it was rewarding to add up the donations from the gala and receive emails from society members, offering to fund events in the future. Oasis was doing better than I could have ever hoped for.
Wanting to share the news with Finn, I walked from my office with my tablet in hand and paused at Leslie’s desk. “You recovered from the weekend?”
She straightened and then her eyes widened. “More than recovered.”
She held up her hand and the sparkle on her ring finger caught my attention immediately.
“Oh, my God. Leslie! Congratulations!”
She stood and accepted my hug. “I was going to wait until lunch to tell everyone but now I’m too excited. He asked me after the gala and I tried to find you to tell you but I couldn’t.”
I waved off her apology. “Details.”
“It was classic—Greg is actually pretty traditional. He got down on one knee. You know, the whole bit. But the great thing was that I wasn’t even expecting it. I’d thought he was going to do it last year when we went away for the weekend and then a few months later when his parents came to visit, and then on Valentine’s Day and…” She laughed. “So finally, I just stopped waiting for it and then it happened.”
“I’m really happy for you,” I said. “Do you have a date set?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Finn at his desk. He saw me and his lips curved but he stayed where he was. He was keeping his word and that made me love him even more. My heart squeezed tight in my chest, followed by a flush of heat all over my body. God, I hated not being able to walk in there and touch him. Let him touch me.
“Soon,” Leslie said. “I’d love help, if you’re willing.”
“Absolutely.”
The phone rang, and Leslie rolled her eyes. “Work and more work. I just want to celebrate.”
“We will soon,” I promised her.
And when she picked up the phone, I took Finn’s open door as an invitation and walked inside.
He had his hand on his jaw, deep in thought. When he glanced up and saw me, his hand dropped and he held up a finger indicating I wait.
“I can come back later,” I said, my voice hushed.
I felt guilty. He was probably just as busy as I’d been the last several days and now I was interrupting him. He was keeping his distance like I’d asked, and here I was, in his office.
Because I couldn’t stay away.
“Charlotte.”
He beat me to the door, around his desk and in front of me in a heartbeat. I let out a surprised laugh. “Finn.”
“Ah, ‘Finn’,” he repeated, eyes crinkling with a smile. “It’s nice to hear you say my name like that.”
“Like what?”
“With laughter. Instead of in warning.”
“I don’t—” I broke off, catching myself before arguing. He was right. I said his name like that a lot. It was also unprofessional. “Mr. Moore. What you say is true, and—”
“Nope.” He reached past me to close the door. “We’re not going back to Mr. Moore.”
I swiveled, reaching out. “But—”
“No.” He kept his hand on the doorknob until I sighed and faced him again. “Give me this moment.”
“I said a day.”
“You also said you’d negotiate at one point,” he murmured, voice low and close to my ear.
“That was when we were together,” I returned, and then immediately regretted it when his eyes flashed. “That’s not what I meant. I just meant—”
“What?”
I held my tablet close to my chest, a barrier between him and me. Otherwise, I might lean in. I might lift my chin and slide my lips on the underside of his jaw. Just to breathe him in. To feel him. “I had to do what I had to, which meant we couldn’t be together.”
He folded his arms, taking his cue from me. He’d discarded his jacket somewhere and I could see the muscles straining against his blue button-up shirt. “So, you lied to me?”
“I…” I chose my words carefully. He’d lied to me before, too, about being in love with me, and it had killed me. Now I’d done the same thing—under different circumstances, sure—but with the same result. I’d hurt him. “Yes, I lied to you. I’m sorry.”
He pulled in a deep breath, then ran a hand through his hair. “I forgive you.”
“That’s not all of it,” I told him.
He gestured to his desk. “I have a few minutes.”
“No, that’s not why I came in here. I was—I was excited about the results from the gala and then Leslie told me she was engaged and—”
Finn’s smile flashed. “I hadn’t heard. I’ll have to get her something. A congratulatory present.”
But even with the smile still lingering, Finn was distracted. He looked at a paper on his desk and then scratched his jaw before turning back to me. “Maybe you can work in here. Then I can still look at you while I’m getting this done.”
His words relaxed me some. He wasn’t angry. But he had something on his mind.
“You should do what you need to do,” I said.
“I am. I will.” He returned his attention to me, stepping forward again.
“Finn, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Is it about Oasis?”
His face went stony, a sure sign what I said was right. “Charlotte. You’ve got a lot on your plate, too. I can handle this.”
I started to argue, to tell him we were in this together. But I’d made it pretty clear we were on opposite sides.
I tried another tactic. “This is work. We’re partners. I don’t mind the stress or the responsibility that comes with this job and if I can help, I’d like to try.”
He sighed, shoulders still tense. “It’s the security cameras. There are a few that are malfunctioning. We’re trying to track someone down to figure it out but it’s taking time.”
“What about John?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even. “Can’t he fix it?”
Finn shook his head. “He’s not in today. Must be sick or something.”
“Sick? He called in sick?”
“Probably. Regardless, it’s—”
“Wait.” And even though I was whispering, there must have been something in my tone that made Finn pay attention. “Did he call in or just…not show up?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
The room seemed to shrink around me. John wasn’t here today. He’d been in my apartment last night, though, and had seen my unusual behavior. What if he thought I’d say something? What if he knew I knew? That would make sense. That would be a reason for him not to show up to work.
“Charlotte,” Finn said. “What’s going on?”
“It’s…” I shook my head, unable to find words.
Finn took another step closer, eyes piercing blue, and locked on mine. “Don’t say it’s nothing. You don’t look well. You’re pale. Here, sit.”
“I don’t need to sit.” My stomach churned with possibilities—none of them good. I met Finn’s eyes, my voice calmer than I felt. “Please, I need to know if John called in or he didn’t show up. Did he say anything or—”
“I don’t know the details. Charlotte, what is it?”
My breathing grew shallow. I automatically looked around the office for cameras, even though Finn already said there weren’t any.
“He was in my apartment,” I whispered, the words tumbling out before I could even think them through.
I was supposed to wai
t for Curtis. I was supposed to wait until tonight. But I felt so alone in all this. And Finn was there, his hands reaching out to clasp mine, and I didn’t know what else to do but tell him the truth.
Even though his hands were gentle, Finn’s eyes grew hard. “Who was in your apartment?”
“John.”
“Today?”
“No, yesterday, after I got home from lunch. He said he was checking the cameras on the floor but I know he was in my apartment.”
Finn’s fingers flexed on mine, a range of emotions passing across his face. “You said one more day.”
“I don’t know if it can wait that long,” I said, meeting his eyes.
“Shit.” Finn released me and walked to his desk. “We’ll get Powell up here then. We’ll—”
“I’m supposed to meet him tonight.” I sank to the couch near the window, setting my tablet aside and squeezing my hands on my knees. I felt the familiar tightening in my chest and focused on breathing slowly. Deliberately. No way. I wasn’t going to let myself panic now. I was safe in Finn’s office. I had help.
And I wasn’t going to back down this time.
Finn sat on the table in front of me so he could see my face clearly. “I need answers here, Charlotte. You come in here and act like you’ve seen a ghost. You can’t—”
“You’re right. Answers. Good. I can do that.” He frowned at my response. Maybe because it didn’t sound like something I would normally say. Or it sounded too calm for the way I looked—the way I felt inside. “Like I said, I’m supposed to meet with Curtis tonight. He said Dustin would know the details and—”
“I’m sure Powell’s available now.”
“Okay.” I stood up, unwilling to let go of my resolve. I had made too much of a mess already. It was time to straighten it out.
“You don’t need to go anywhere,” Finn said, standing as well. “You can stay in my office. I’ll call him.”
I opened my mouth automatically to say no. No, I’d do some work in the meantime. Or we could still meet Curtis later. All of those words melted away when I saw the look on Finn’s face. There was nothing there but concern. Nothing there but love for me.
On an impulse, I leaned into him. “I’m so sorry.”
The surprise only lasted a minute before he wrapped his arms around me. He held tight, grip possessive and strong. It was almost like nothing had happened. Like we hadn’t broken up. Like I hadn’t broken his heart. Like we could do this as long as we were together. And we would. I knew it.
“You don’t need to apologize,” Finn murmured. He pulled back with a quick shake of his head as though he wanted to say more. And there was so much I needed to say to him, too. “Let’s get this taken care of.”
To his credit, Finn kept his cool when I told Curtis about Mark’s phone calls. And about the note and the rose in my house last night. He even stayed calm when I told him about suspecting John of being Mark’s accomplice. Maybe more had changed between us than I thought.
“That makes sense,” Curtis said in response to my admission about John. He stood at the head of the table in Finn’s office, hands on his hips.
“What makes sense?” Finn asked.
His fingers were linked tightly with mine and he wouldn’t let go. It was a step up from how he usually reacted—the way I was afraid he would react when I told him what was going on. I still worried he’d lose it or try to take matters into his own hands, but right now he was keeping it together and that was more than I could ask for.
“John didn’t show up this morning,” Curtis said. “No phone call, no explanation—he just didn’t show up. I’ve only worked with him for these last few months but it doesn’t seem like him. I doubt it’s coincidence—”
“Damn right it’s not,” Finn said. “Why the hell didn’t you do a background check or—”
“Finn, please.” I squeezed his hand. Calm. We had to stay calm. “Please. Let’s not fight about this. I want—” I blew out a slow breath, meeting Curtis’s eyes. “I want to get this taken care of. I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner. I didn’t have to be like this.”
“You thought you were doing the right thing,” Finn said softly.
Restless, I stood. “And look where it’s gotten me. And you. He was in my apartment. What if he went through my things?” I swiveled to face Curtis. “If I’d said something sooner, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Curtis wisely kept his mouth shut. He tucked his hands behind his back while Finn poured me a glass of water and passed it over. I drank it all in one gulp.
“I think that’s enough for now,” Finn said, his eyes dark. He shared a brief look with Curtis before smiling at me. “I know what you need.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Ice cream.”
He stood smoothly while I gaped at him.
“I think it’s time we talked to the police as well, so they know what we know,” Curtis said.
My stomach twisted but I nodded immediately. “I think you’re right.”
“A word, please,” Finn said to Curtis. He touched my arm. “Stay here a minute, would you? I’ll be right back.”
Just like Curtis, I wisely kept my mouth shut. Finn needed to what he could on his end to take care of this situation and I figured I owed it to him. They left the room and I almost panicked, thinking, Cameras! but then remembered there wasn’t anyone there to see the cameras. Not if John wasn’t around anymore.
Unless…unless Mark could see the feed somehow.
Pacing to the window, I tapped my finger against my lips, ready to go ask Curtis to check. I had no doubt he’d find someone to take over as soon as possible and that person could see who had access to the cameras, couldn’t they?
I started to the door, but Finn returned, his smile brighter than I expected. “Ready?”
Momentarily distracted, I shook my head. “Ready for what?”
“Ice cream.”
“It’s—I haven’t even had lunch yet,” I said, because it was the only thing that came to mind. “Finn—”
“Breathe.” Finn walked closer but stopped a few feet before he reached me. “I can see you going through it all in your head. Turning it over and over. Right now, that’s just going to make you more anxious.”
“You know me too well.”
And he did. He knew I would let the ramifications of this twist me inside out. He probably knew that I hadn’t been sleeping well, and no doubt he knew how torn up I was about our break—up. But he was still keeping his space. Offering support, yes, but other than the moment in the hall at the restaurant yesterday, he hadn’t tried to touch me in any more than a supportive way.
I was about to tell him. To apologize for everything and tell him how much I regretted breaking up with him. To plead with him to forgive me for that if that’s what it took. He needed to know how sorry I was. But then Finn was taking my hand gently and pulling me to the door.
“Lunch, then ice cream,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.
So I sealed my lips and let him lead the way. I’d tell him later, and I’d make him listen.
CHAPTER FIVE
We ate lunch on the pier, carrying hot dogs as we walked in the sunshine. I was so grateful to be out of Oasis and with Finn, I didn’t want to bring up Mark or John or the cameras. I didn’t want to bring up our break-up either. I knew how fast that would ruin the mood.
“Another one?” Finn asked as we neared a hot dog vendor. “Or a pretzel?”
I laughed and put my hand on my stomach. “I’m so full.”
“After one hot dog? You used to be able to eat more than that.”
A cool breeze blew, and I lifted my hair off my neck. “Is that an insult?”
“Not at all. Ice cream, then.”
My stomach twisted, and I shook my head. “Not yet. I’m just…” I flashed a smile at him and stopped at a bench. “Later.”
“Your stomach’s upset?”
“It’s nerves.” I gave him anot
her smile. “No big deal.”
“I’d appreciate if you didn’t brush it off. And I’m trying to feed you because I know you haven’t been eating much lately. You didn’t even touch your dinner at the gala.” He paused, tempered the snap in his tone, and rested his hands on the rail to stare out over the water. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
Pulling off my jacket, I let the sun heat my bare arms and leaned on the rail, mirroring Finn’s pose. Trying to let my heart still after hearing his words. Cautiously, I reached out to touch his arm. “I’m sorry. Yes, my stomach’s upset. I can’t—it’s hard to eat anything. I keep thinking about Mark and his calls, wondering when he’s going to show up.”
Someone bumped me from behind and I gasped, whipping around only to find a kid racing by on a skateboard. “Sorry!” he called behind him as he zoomed away.
Clutching my hand at my chest, I scanned the pier, searching for Dustin. I used to hate that I had to have someone follow me around. Now I felt security with his presence. I wished he wasn’t so good at blending in.
“He’s back there,” Finn said, gesturing to the hot dog vendor we just passed.
Shielding my eyes, I watched Dustin give a nod before turning my attention back to Finn. “What now?”
He straightened, meeting my eyes. Standing so close it was hard to keep my hands to myself. “What do you want to do?”
How was I supposed to answer that? I wanted to throw myself in in his arms and kiss him and forget all about this mess for a while. I wanted things to be how they used to be and I wanted them to be how they’d become but without all the drama. But he was standing a few feet away from me and we felt miles apart.
“I want to be with you,” I said honestly. “I know we have work and—”
“Work can be put on hold today.”
I searched his eyes, trying to find something that said he felt the same way he used to. I knew he still loved me but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a gap between us. And it was a gap I wasn’t sure how to breach.
Leaning up on my toes, I pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Yes. Work can be put on hold today.”
His fingers wrapped around mine and he pulled me away from the rail. “Good. Let’s go.”