Flirting with Finn

by Violet Vaughn

  “Right. And while I can push my old ways aside, I’m not so sure it’s wise to assume the best of Finn.”

  “You could ask him about his past relationships. Maybe he’ll tell you he was married for the past decade.”

  “And recently divorced?” I chuckle. “Is worrying about an ex-wife any better?”

  “Wow. You’ve got major negativity going on.” She lets out a big sigh. “Relationships are always a gamble, Meg. Yes, you may get hurt. But what if you’ve reconnected with the love of your life?” Lexi leans back and gazes up at the sky. “Maybe I’m too optimistic, but if you don’t give Finn a chance, you could be missing out on something really great.”

  “Or setting myself up for a huge fall.”

  Lexi glares at me as she hunches forward. “He was very polite with me yesterday. I didn’t get the player vibe at all.” That’s saying something, because Lexi is definitely hot. “And I find it hard to believe he would have spent so much time talking to you if he only wanted a fling. I’m a firm believer in giving people the benefit of the doubt. I think you should assume the best.”

  I recall my phone conversations with Finn. More often than not, I was the one who ended them to get back to work. Lexi is right. I’m being a pessimist right now, and that’s not who I am. I sigh because my logical side knows Finn deserves a chance. “Okay. I’ll give it a go.”

  “Good. And don’t be afraid to take things slow. You have every right to protect your heart until you feel comfortable, but do it from a place of caution, not fear.”

  “I will.” I smile at her as I stand up. “We should get back. Thanks for the advice.”

  We’re silent as we walk back to the kitchen. I think about how I learned to live my life feeling worthy. I used to hold back from doing things because I was worried about the consequences of not being thin enough, or smart enough, or funny enough. I assumed people were judging me. As I forced myself to let those doubts go, I discovered it was all in my head. For many years now, I’ve done a good job of enjoying each day as the person I am.

  A bird calls out from the treetops, and I glance up to see a blue jay flutter by.

  I think Lexi is right about me feeling like I used to in college. Finn may be a reminder of who I used to be, but that doesn’t mean I have to revert to it. It occurs to me that since I’ve changed and grown into a different person over the last decade, it is very possible Finn has too. He deserves for me to let the past stay where it belongs and forge ahead with an open mind.

  When I get back to the kitchen, I step out into the dining room to begin cleaning up from breakfast. I notice Finn is still here with a colleague. They’re at a table across the room, and he glances up to smile at me. I return it as I wave then turn away before my grin covers my face completely. I think my heart is on board with the plan to give Finn a chance.

  Chapter 5

  I nearly jump out of my skin when a knock sounds at the door of my cabin. I glance at myself in the mirror one last time in case I didn’t catch something the first few dozen times I looked. Camp life doesn’t lend itself to fancy clothes or makeup, so I’m wearing shorts, a tee shirt, and flip-flops. But I did take the time to blow dry my frizzy curls into soft waves and put on mascara. I grab my sweatshirt before I head to the door.

  I open it to find Finn holding a bouquet of wildflowers. “Hi,” he says, and his perfect teeth gleam in the light that hangs over my door.

  “Hi.”

  He holds out the flowers to me. “I picked these earlier for you.”

  “How sweet. Thank you.” The odor of earth wafts toward me as I take the colorful combination of flowers and step back. I pat myself on the back for cleaning up my usual disarray of a cabin before Finn arrived. “Come on in for a minute while I put them in water.”

  I let him into my one-room cabin with a small bathroom. I have a love seat, a chest that doubles as a coffee table, and a double bed. I also keep one of the cabin’s original twin beds against the wall with big pillows on it as an extra couch for when more than one person comes over to watch movies or hang out.

  “This is nice,” he says. While he is staying in something similar, my personal touches make my cabin appear more like a home.

  “It’s cozy,” I say as water rushes into a tall plastic cup I’m using for a vase. “And the simplicity of life here is nice.”

  “I agree. I’m already more relaxed than I can remember being in a long time. This week is just what my team needed.”

  I place the flowers on my coffee table. “I’m glad to hear that. What did you do today?”

  “I spent an embarrassing amount of time showing off my poor archery and riflery skills.”

  We step outside into the cool night air, and I tie my sweatshirt around my waist as I ask, “More of a golf man?”

  “Definitely.” He lifts a backpack that was resting on the ground and puts it on. “I encouraged everyone to try new things and do activities that pushed past comfort zones, and that meant I had to do the same.”

  I think about the cooking classes I’m running and wonder if he’s signed up for one. As we walk toward the main lodge, I ask, “Where are we going?”

  “To the waterfront. I have a canoe reserved just for us.”

  “Wow. Flowers and a moonlight paddle under the stars?”

  Finn grabs my hand, and his fingers are warm on my cool ones. “What woman can resist that kind of romance?”

  I giggle. “I can’t think of one.” I glance up at him as we enter the clearing and begin to walk toward the water. “Wait. Do you know how to canoe?”

  He gives me a sly smile. “You’re about to find out.”

  We reach the beach, and both of us remove our sandals before we walk over to the canoe that has been left out for us. Finn’s backpack thuds on the floor of the boat when he sets it down, and he places himself at one end with his back to the water. I grab the other end of the boat, and we walk down to the lake.

  I let go of the canoe and go retrieve the paddles. The canoe rocks as we both get in, and I notice Finn does so with ease. I think he’s done this before. When he sits to face me and paddle backward, I roll my eyes at him. “Show off.”

  “Are you impressed?”

  I shrug. “Not yet, but the night is young. You’ve got time to show me your moves.”

  The muscles in my arms flex as I pull my paddle though the water, and I glance out over the lake. The moon is almost full and offers enough light for us to see.

  “I do have moves, but you won’t be getting all of them tonight.” The boat twirls in the water as he turns us so that he can see where we’re going and I’m facing backward. “I like to take my time and do things right the first time.”

  “That’s not the Finn I remember from school.”

  He tilts his head at me as if he’s confused. “What makes you say that? You barely knew me then.”

  I take a little solace in the fact that Finn doesn’t know how obsessed I was with him. “I knew you well enough to know you were popular with women and had many girlfriends.”

  “You were misinformed. I had two girlfriends in college.” He stops paddling and stares at me as I stop too. The boat continues to glide through the inky black water as he says, “The girl I was most interested in barely gave me the time of day.”

  My heart skips a beat as I wonder who she was. “That’s hard. I suffered the same way.”

  “Did you?” Finn’s brow knits as he resumes paddling. “Poor fool missed out with you.”

  I smile as I keep my college crush on him a secret. “I’m sure he managed just fine.”

  “How is it you’re still single?” asks Finn.

  “I could ask you the same thing.” He raises his eyebrows at my attempt to change the subject, so I say, “I haven’t found the right one yet.” The volume of my voice lowers for the last words, and I glance out over the lake.

  Finn speaks softly too. “Broken heart?”

  I think about Randal. “I should have known better. I da
ted a man who’d just gotten divorced, and he went back to his ex.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah.” I glance down at my feet. “I won’t make that mistake again.

  Finn’s brow knits, and I wonder if he’s remembering a similar pain. I shake off the memory and ask, “What about you? Why are you still single?”

  “I’ve had a couple of serious relationships.” He pauses for a moment before he says, “But none of them were meant to be forever.” What I think is pain flashes over his face, and he clears his throat. “Here we are,” he says.

  We’re approaching what’s known as Blueberry Island. I twist around in my seat so that I can help us land softly by grabbing a tree when we get close. Once we beach the canoe, I climb out.

  Finn follows with the backpack and turns on a flashlight. “I staked out this place earlier today. Come with me.”

  I’ve been to Blueberry Island a few times, and I know he’s leading me to the clearing in the middle of the small island that’s less than a quarter of an acre of land. Twigs snap as we push our way through the brush. Once we’re out of the trees, we can see again, and Finn turns off the flashlight before setting his backpack down.

  The zipper hums softly as he opens his pack, and he pulls out two blankets. He sets one on the ground before standing up to shake the other out and lay it down. I grab the edge and help him. “I have a late-night picnic for us that I scored from your kitchen.” He reaches in his bag again and holds up a bottle of my favorite champagne.

  “How did you—? Lexi?”

  He grins. “Yes.” The cork pops as he removes it, and he fills plastic wine glasses for us. “There’s more.” He hands me the drinks and removes more containers. “When I told her I wanted tonight to be something you’d find special, she gave me her chocolate sauce and cut fruit too.”

  “Wow, what did you bribe her with?”

  “My true intentions, Meg,” says Finn as he takes his glass from me. “I think we have something worth exploring, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to show you how serious I am.”

  “What makes you think I don’t believe you’re serious?”

  He raises his eyebrows at me. “We talked so easily on the phone before I got here, and I thought you did, but once I arrived, you accused me of wanting to be with Lexi.”

  I’m glad that it’s too dark for him to see the flush that heats my cheeks. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “It’s fine, but if you felt secure, you would have never made the assumption.” He reaches for my hand and holds it gently. “You seem hesitant around me, as if you don’t trust my intentions are sincere. I’m reminded of the shy girl I used to flirt with, trying to get her to open up.”

  “You flirted with me because that’s what you did with all the girls.”

  He lets out a sigh. “You’re the only one I’m flirting with now, Meg.” He releases my fingers and takes a sip of his champagne.

  I realize I’m not being the optimist Lexi suggested I be, and I squeeze my eyes shut as I chastise myself. I let out a sigh of my own. “I’m sorry. I’m a little gun shy. When Randall left me for his ex-wife, I was blindsided by it.”

  “Fair enough.” Finn reaches for the fruit, and the lid pops when he opens it. I grab the chocolate to do the same as he says, “I can’t force you to believe I’m not that guy, so I guess I have to let my actions show you instead.” I watch as he takes a blackberry and drags it through the rich sauce. Then he holds it up to me. “Take a chance on us, Meg.”

  “Finn.” I gaze at the man I’ve held in my fantasies for more than a decade. He finally wants me, and I’m being a fool for not believing in him. In myself.

  I lean forward and let him place the berry on my tongue. I let the sugary sweetness fill my mouth before I swallow. The moment it’s gone, I miss the flavor. I lick my lips to get a little more and give him my best attempt at a sexy smile. “Okay. I will.”

  Chapter 6

  Once I told Finn I would take a chance on us, I began to relax. As I sipped my second glass of champagne, I let the surge of alcohol help my inhibitions slip away. “Since you’ve told me archery and riflery aren’t your thing, I guess you never went to camp as a kid.”

  “I did actually, but it was always a sports camp. Lacrosse was my game.” I nod because I remember watching Finn play at every home game. He leans back on his elbows and gazes up at me. “What about you?”

  “Four summers in a row as a camper and then another four as a counselor at Girl Scout camp.”

  “Of course you were a Girl Scout. I bet you had a hundred badges on your sash too.”

  “Close.” I put on my sweatshirt, but the cool night air sends a chill through me, and I hug myself. “I filled the front and had started working on the back before I gave it up.”

  Finn sits up and reaches for the extra blanket he brought. “Come lie next to me and warm up,” he says.

  I move over to be next to him, and the heat of his body is comforting as he lays the soft fleece around us. Lying on my back, I stare up at the sky. “I loved camp. Except for swimming lessons.”

  “You don’t like the water?”

  “I do. But we had them at eight in the morning. We’d all stand around shivering as we waited for our turn to do something. And then there were the stupid color-coded bathing caps.” I let out a dry chuckle. “Can you imagine what it’s like to put all this hair up in one?”

  Finn chuckles too. “I love your hair. I was always tempted to pull out your elastic and see it loose.” He leans up on his elbow to gaze down at me, and he tugs on a curl. His voice is husky when he says, “It’s quite something when you wear it down.”

  I catch my breath at his compliment. “Thank you.”

  I reach up and push the locks of his dark hair off his forehead. They’re soft on my fingers. “You have great hair too. I—” I’m tempted to tell him how much I’ve longed to touch it, and I let out a small sigh. “I like how you have it cut.”

  His finger is now on my cheek, and he drags it slowly along my jaw line, causing a tingle to follow in its wake. He stops at my chin and rubs his thumb over my lower lip. “All day, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good you tasted last night.” Before I can say anything, he leans down and kisses me.

  As his tongue explores mine, we move closer together, and I press myself against the hard planes of his body. Finn slides his hand down my back and tugs me in so that I’m feeling more than his firm muscles. I let out a small moan as my insides heat up with my desire.

  Finn breaks away and lets out a small, low noise. “My God, Meg. Please tell me that feels as good for you as it does for me.”

  I place my hand on his cheek, and his light stubble is rough under my fingers as I whisper, “Definitely,” before I kiss him again. Finn keeps his hands in safe places, and while I wouldn’t stop him if he went further, part of me is grateful he doesn’t.

  When we break apart, he sits up and picks up his glass to take a drink. I take mine too, and after he swallows, he looks at his cup. “I think I’ve got a new favorite champagne. This is really good.”

  “One of the perks of being a chef. I’ve got knowledgeable friends who turn me on to the best.”

  “I never asked you. How did you decide to become a chef? Weren’t you a science girl?”

  I frown at him as I wonder how he knew. The conversations we had over the phone never touched much on our college days.

  “I was. I majored in biology.” I tuck my feet under me in a cross-legged position. “The summer after I graduated, I went to work at a private yacht club on the coast of Maine as a waitress. I wanted time to goof off before I started to pound the pavement for a real job. The first week, the chef quit and left without notice. One of his assistants took over, and I offered to help.”

  I recall how each night was a whirlwind as I learned to cook and tried to keep up with the orders. The nights flew by, and I was hooked on the adrenaline rush. As I got better, I thrived on the chaos that somehow became order
just in time for the dinners to go out to the dining room. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but I loved it. By the end of the summer, I knew I wasn’t ever going to work in a lab, and I went to culinary school instead.”

  “Isn’t it great when you find your passion?” asks Finn.

  I let the mouthful of champagne bubble on my tongue for a moment before I swallow it down. “Yes. Is that what selling real estate is like for you?”

  He nods. “I fell into it too. My parents were searching for a new place to live, and it was all they could talk about. They weren’t as savvy with the Internet as I was, so I helped them find homes to consider. I discovered I enjoyed it and became obsessed with helping them find what they wanted. At the time, I was working at an engineering firm as the low man on the totem pole.” He lets out a dry chuckle. “I hated that my college degree qualified me to get coffee and load the printer with paper. I’m not the best with authority and realized I’m meant to run the show. It occurred to me that maybe I should be in real estate instead.”

  I recall how I learned he was a success story. “I read the article about the top ten most successful entrepreneurs under thirty. I’m impressed you had your own agency by the time you were twenty-eight.”

  “Yeah. Sometimes I’m a little overzealous about getting what I want. I never want to feel the way I did when—” He stops and doesn’t seem to know what to do with his hands. He crosses his arms, uncrosses them, and finally shoves his hands into his pockets. There’s an awkward silence between us for a moment before he says, “Let me know if I’m moving too fast for you, Meg. I know it’s a fault of mine.”

  I wonder what he was about to say and think about how he didn’t try to do more than kiss me earlier. “You’re not rushing things.” A yawn comes over me, and I cover my mouth as I try to hide it.

  “It’s late,” says Finn as he brushes my hair out of my face. “I’m sure you have to get up early to cook breakfast. We should go.”

  “Yeah.” I step back. “I know you have an early morning too.”