by Amy Reece
“Have you thought about looking into other relatives? Maybe there’s someone who isn’t happy with Mel getting the house, car, and all the money.”
Finn stared at his brother. “Maybe you should be a detective. Money and sex are nearly always the prime motivations. Yeah, I got a list from her, and I’ll be checking into it this afternoon. It won’t take long; there aren’t many relatives to speak of. It’s got to be someone who knows her and has a grudge, unless the message in the grass has nothing to do with the fire.”
“Awfully coincidental timing if they’re not connected,” Hugh mused.
“Exactly.” Finn knew it wasn’t simply coincidence; the message and the fire were undoubtedly connected. His job was to figure out how.
Chapter Eighteen
Mel
She finished washing and folding the last of her clothes by noon. Finally, no more smoke smell! She put a stack of underwear in the top dresser drawer, which Finn had emptied for her. He’d had told her to make herself at home, so she had spent a few hours arranging things to her satisfaction, but careful not to move any more of his things than she must. He had been so sweet to let her move in and she didn’t want to impose too much. Hugh had told her they could have her house repaired in a matter of a few months, including the addition he had proposed: a second floor with two additional bedrooms and a bathroom above a new two-car garage and a sunny little dining area off the kitchen. It would increase her square footage significantly and thus the resale value of the home. She wondered if Finn would consider selling his house so they could live in hers once it was finished. Then she realized she was thinking way too far ahead and firmly shut down those dreams. She had no idea whether he would be interested in continuing to live with her or not. She certainly hoped so, but she had no experience with knowing how a man felt about her. How could she tell? He said he loved her and told her so frequently, but did he have any hopes for a future with her? As he’d said the day before, they really knew very little about each other, especially about their hopes and dreams. She had no clue if he was interested in settling down at this point in his life. He was still pretty young, not yet thirty. He might want to be single for a few more years. Who knew? And how did she feel? Was she ready to settle down? She hadn’t given much thought to it before she met Finn. Her dating life had been nearly non-existent, so it hadn’t been on her radar. Her life had changed so much in such a short amount of time it was a wonder her head wasn’t spinning.
She had dropped Fluff at the groomer earlier and figured she had about an hour before he would need to be picked up, a perfect amount of time to answer email and send in some design work she’d completed the day before. She was trying to decide if she was hungry enough to make a sandwich when Cara called with a last-minute lunch invitation.
“Come out and play, Mel! My summer is speeding by, and before you know it, I’ll be back at work. Besides, a little birdie told me today is your birthday, so I want to take you to lunch.”
She hadn’t had anyone to make a fuss over her birthday in years, so she readily agreed. She called the groomer to see if she could leave Fluff a bit longer and was ready when Cara picked her up twenty minutes later.
“Izzy is meeting us there. I hope you like Thai food.” The women caught up on nonessentials for several minutes while Cara drove. “How are you doing, Mel? I mean really doing? This has been a rough couple of weeks for you.”
Mel thought for a moment; Cara’s question had been sincere and she wanted to give an honest answer. She was quiet for so long, Cara gave her a side-long glance. “I’m thinking.” She took a few more beats before answering. “I’m doing all right, all things considered. I’m still pretty freaked out and jumpy, but I’m dealing with it. It helps to not be alone all the time. It really helps. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your brother letting me stay with him.”
“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure he’s not suffering any. You’re good for him, Mel.”
“Am I? Why?”
Cara laughed as she pulled the car into an empty spot at Thai Basil. “I don’t know. Maybe because you’re the type of woman who would ask why instead of basking in the compliment. You’re real and I know you truly care about him.”
“I love him,” she said simply.
“I’m glad.” Cara ushered her inside the restaurant and Izzy waved at them from a nearby table.
“Happy birthday, Mel!” Izzy stood and hugged her.
They were such a huggy family, but Mel didn’t mind. She might even learn to instigate a few hugs of her own, at least with them. Cara and Izzy treated her as a friend, something she’d never had many of. She enjoyed watching their relationship, sisters but also friends, the only two girls in a large family of boys. They spent a lot of leisure time together, although both had other friends. They didn’t always get along, having what Finn called frequent cat-fights, but they always made up quickly and moved on. Mel had no experience with that kind of easy relationship, and had been worried the first time she’d witnessed one of their spats. But they’d been laughing about it five minutes later and Mel had had to rethink everything she thought she knew about sisters.
They had their drinks and had placed their orders when Izzy reached under the table and pulled a slender pink gift bag out, handing it to Mel. “It’s from Mom, Cara, and me.”
“I didn’t expect gifts,” Mel objected, but she accepted the bag from Izzy.
“Birthdays only come once a year, so enjoy it,” Cara said. “There’s not nearly enough excuses for presents now that we’re adults.”
“Cara loves presents,” Izzy said with a smile.
“I’m not ashamed to admit it. I love unexpected presents the best. Open it!” She was nearly dancing in her chair.
Mel laughed and reached into the bag for the tissue paper, then lifted out a bottle of white wine, a Sauvignon Blanc with a beautiful blue-green label. “Ooh, this looks wonderful.”
“There’s more!” Cara urged her to continue.
Mel reached in again and found a small envelope with a gift card inside for Ten Thousand Waves Day Spa. The amount was fairly staggering, and Mel sputtered a thank-you, overcome by the thoughtfulness of Finn’s family.
“We thought you and Finn could go for a romantic couples’ massage. Mom and Dad have been and say it’s great. It’s out at the Tamaya Resort in Bernalillo,” Izzy explained.
“Or you can go by yourself when you’re sick of my brother,” Cara added.
“Wow. This is amazing. Thank you.” Mel was overcome and sniffed, feeling tears brim.
“Well, don’t cry, for heaven’s sake! You’ll get me started and my mascara will run, so knock it off!” Cara scolded her with a laugh.
“Sorry. You caught me by surprise.” Mel wondered whether they’d ever been so generous to any of Finn’s other girlfriends; she had a feeling they hadn’t, and wondered why she was different.
“Here, Mel. This isn’t a present, but I told Hugh I’d bring them since I was having lunch with you.” Izzy handed her a sample book. “It’s counter top and cabinet finishes. It’s nice that you at least get a kitchen update out of the fire. Do you think you and Finn will move into your house once it’s finished? Hugh said you like the idea of the addition he drew up.”
Mel had been wondering the same thing, but was shocked to hear it from Finn’s sister. “Oh, I don’t…I mean, I’m not…I have no idea.” She finished lamely and took a rather large gulp of her iced tea.
Izzy smiled and covered Mel’s hand with her own. “It’s okay, Mel. It’s all pretty new, huh? I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just nice to see Finn so crazy about a girl, especially one like you. You’re good for him.”
“That’s what Cara said earlier, but I don’t know why you both think that.”
“Well, it’s not just us,” Izzy explained patiently. “The rest of the family too. Finn has always had a regrettable tendency to choose women who were…well, not terribly gifted with kindness or compassion, let’
s say.”
“Seamus seems to have the same tendency. I do not care for that Sloane-woman he’s currently dating. She needs to go,” Cara said as their food was delivered.
Izzy waited until the waitress had departed. “I completely agree. What do you think, Mel?”
“Well, I’ve only met her the once,” she hedged.
“No excuses. Tell us what you think,” commanded Cara.
“She’s manipulative and a princess. I agree. She has to go.”
Cara and Izzy both looked at her in surprise, then laughed. “Brava, Mel.”
***
She fussed with her hair, wanting to look special for their date tonight. Finn had arrived home twenty minutes earlier and was in the shower. She gathered the top layer loosely with a sparkly hairclip, letting the remainder hang down her back. When Finn emerged from the bathroom, a towel slung low around his hips, she turned to watch, appreciating his male beauty. He had a wonderful physique, well worth gazing at, with powerful shoulders and a sculpted chest that tapered to a narrow waist and hips.
“You keep that up and we’ll miss our reservation.” He sounded amused as he removed the towel, treating her to an uninhibited view of his firm backside as he fished in his drawer for a pair of boxers.
She giggled and turned back to the mirror. “I’m just enjoying the view.”
“Well, it’s yours to enjoy.” He limped across the room to zip her dress, which had been hanging open, waiting for him. “I’m looking forward to unzipping this later,” he murmured and kissed the spot where the ends met. “You look gorgeous, Mel.”
“Thanks. I hope this dress is appropriate for where we’re going.” She’d bought it for an awards dinner her last year of college and hadn’t worn it since. She’d been relieved to find it had escaped the smoke, bagged in plastic as it had been.
“It’s perfect.”
The restaurant was classy and intimate, and her eyes bulged a bit at the prices.
“Shh. This is a special occasion. Order what you want, love.” He ordered a steak and a bottle of Pinot Noir for them to share. He waited for the sommelier to leave, then raised his glass. “Happy Birthday, Melanie. I love you,” he said simply, then leaned over to kiss her softly. He reached into his jacket and handed her a small, flat velvet box with a gold ribbon.
She smiled and bit her lip as she opened the box to reveal a simple gold heart with a single sparkling diamond on a gold chain. “Oh, Finn. It’s gorgeous and perfect.” She’d never cared for large, flashy pieces and knew she’d feel comfortable wearing this. She removed it from the box and handed it to him while she held up her hair. He fastened it, kissing the back of her neck as he fastened the clasp. “I love it. Thank you, Finn. I love you too.”
An amused ‘ahem’ broke them apart as the waiter placed their salads in front of them. The waiter redeemed himself by offering to take a picture of them with Mel’s phone, however.
“All right. My turn,” Finn announced when they were alone again.
“For what?”
“Tell me something about you that will surprise me.”
“Oh. Hmmm, let me think.” She took a sip of the delicious, rich wine while she thought. “Okay, how about this: I’ve never been out of the continental United States.”
“Would you like to? I mean, do you like to travel?”
“I don’t know. I like the thought of it. I have a passport and I’d love to get a stamp in it someday. Have you traveled outside the U.S.?”
He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, quite a bit, actually. One set of grandparents still live overseas, so we go see them every couple years. I haven’t been in a while.”
“That sounds amazing. You had a wonderful childhood, didn’t you?”
“I did. I never realized how wonderful, of course, until I grew up. My parents would sometimes send one or two of us at a time to visit the grands, probably to get us out of their hair.” He laughed as he remembered. “Hugh and I had a memorable summer in Ireland when I was fourteen and he was nineteen.”
“I’m betting it involved pretty Irish girls.”
“Let’s just say Hugh should never have been entrusted with my safety in a foreign country. It was like a smorgasbord of girls for him.”
“But not for you?” She raised her eyebrows, disbelieving.
“Well,” he shrugged. “I was pretty young.”
She decided to let it go, not wanting to delve too deeply into his youthful escapades. “How come Hugh isn’t married? Is there a tragic love story or something? Or does he not want to settle down?”
“No, there’s nothing terribly tragic; at least I don’t think so. He had a long-term girlfriend and we all thought they’d get married eventually, but they broke up about a year ago. I don’t know why, really. Hugh has never wanted to talk about it.” He turned his attention toward his salad for a few moments. “What about you, Mel? What do you think about marriage? What about kids?”
She set her wine glass on the table carefully. “I didn’t bring it up to force a conversation about marriage, Finn. I’m sorry.” She felt bad for making him think she wanted him to ask.
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “Mel, sweetheart. I’m way too clueless to pick up on stuff like that. I didn’t even think of it. I just really want to know. We’re living together and I know it’s probably sooner than either of us was really ready for, but I like it. A lot. I’m not playing any games here. I’ll be honest and come right out and tell you I want to get married, settle down, and have a few kids. I want it to be with the right woman, of course, but I think I may be looking at her. I hope that’s okay, and doesn’t scare you.”
“It depends. How many is ‘a few’?” She raised her eyebrow as she asked.
He chuckled appreciatively. “I don’t know. Three or four maybe. Six is a bit much.”
“I’ll say. I don’t know how your parents managed.”
“You haven’t answered my question, Mel.”
“You’re right. Okay. It does scare me a little bit, but only because it seems like a dream I put away a long time ago. I guess I’m afraid to hope.” She couldn’t meet his gaze.
“Okay, I can work with that.”
***
“Finn, have you seen CJ?” Mel returned to their bedroom after escorting Fluff outside for his final potty call before bed. “She’s usually here long before this.”
He set aside the book he’d been reading and looked at her. “No. Last time I saw her was at breakfast. I’m sure she’ll turn up. She probably met a guy.”
Mel frowned, but slid into the bed next to him. “Probably. I’m a little worried, though.”
“Come here. I bet I can get your mind off the cat.”
Chapter Nineteen
Finn
“All right. This should do it. Let’s see how it feels.” Jon finished fastening the new walking boot around Finn’s ankle and stood.
Finn rose and stepped out—sans crutches. “It feels great.” He took a few turns around the therapy workout space, loving the freedom. “How long until I can ditch this boot?”
“One step at a time—literally.” Jon laughed at his own joke. “Six weeks should suffice, as long as you don’t overdo it. How’s that pretty girlfriend?”
“She’s amazing. She’s also in the waiting room, so behave. In fact, you don’t need to walk me out.”
Jon laughed again. “Fine, fine. I see how it is. You don’t want to take any chances she’ll throw you over for me. I get it.”
Finn rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that must be it. Hey, speaking of my girlfriend, am I cleared to…you know, what we talked about last time?”
“I have no idea what you mean.” Jon’s expression was pure innocence.
Finn punched him on the upper arm.
“Ow! I see you haven’t been neglecting your upper body workouts. Yes, you’re cleared to resume having all kinds of sex in any position you like. Pay attention to your body. If something hurts, don’t do it.”
“Go
od. Don’t bring this up to Mel,” he warned, seeing the therapist was walking him out anyway. “I don’t want you embarrassing her.”
Jon smirked, but didn’t say anything about sex to her. He simply told her to make sure Finn rested in the evenings after work and kept taking anti-inflammatories at bedtime.
On the way to the car, he took her hand, interlocking their fingers, and held it while they walked. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.”
She smiled up at him, that shy smile he loved and didn’t see often enough. “It’s nice.”
“Mel, let’s take a weekend away, just the two of us. We can stay in a bed-and-breakfast somewhere, maybe Colorado. How does that sound?” He wanted to find a way to erase the worry from her eyes, to help her relax and be at peace for a few days without the constant nag of the threats hanging over their heads.
“Sure. That sounds great.” She squeezed his hand lightly. “Do you have time for lunch or do you need to get back to the precinct?”
“I’ve got time for lunch.”
***
Chris was at her desk when Finn walked into the precinct an hour later. “Look at you! No more crutches, huh?”
“Finally! What are you working on?”
“I’m looking at your research for Mel’s case. Good job with her relatives; they look like a dead end, huh?” She passed him the papers from the file she’d been reading.
“Yeah. There’s not that many of them, and none even had a clue Karen had left her house and money to Mel. God, it must be a trip to not have a bunch of relatives. I’ve got more cousins than I can count.” He flipped through the pages, wishing something would pop out at him.
“What about the neighbors? Where’s the file?”
Finn sat at his desk, thankful for the new ease in maneuvering without his crutches, and reached into a bottom drawer. “Here. I didn’t find anything worth pursuing.”