“I know.” Laurie sighed. “That’s why I can’t stay mad at him, even when I want to. And that’s why I can’t come to dinner tomorrow.”
“Actually, Finn’s not coming tomorrow.”
“He’s not?”
“No, Ellie wanted to be at dinner to see you, and we have to keep Finn and Ellie from contaminating each other. It really is dangerous. Finn agreed not to come, so you’re still on the hook.”
“That’s great. Honestly, I’ve missed you so much. And I have a lot more to tell you. My mom called, and there’s all kinds of drama.”
“Why don’t we have lunch? I could be there in thirty minutes—forty-five, tops.”
“You want lunch now? It’s only 10:00 in the morning.”
“It is? Huh! I’m conditioning my hair with mayo, and I smell like a sandwich. I guess it’s making me hungry.”
“I can’t go out to lunch anyway. Finn asked me to eat with him, and I told him I had so much work to do I was skipping lunch.”
“You never skip lunch.” Steph sounded worried. “You’re not getting anorexic, are you?”
“Ha! Far from it. I’m a stress-eater, you know. I ate my weight in potato chips last night.”
“Then you should be able to de-stress tomorrow night. Branson’s grilling steaks and we’re having sweet-potato casserole.”
“I’m looking forward to it. And afterwards I won’t be able to walk, so I’ll just roll my stress-free body out the door.”
“Yeah, but it’ll be worth it. See ya tomorrow.”
A tentative knock sounded on Laurie’s door, and Finn stepped halfway inside, like he couldn’t decide if he should stay or go.
“Hey, thought I’d let you know I brought lunch back so I could work up here. I…” His voice trailed off, and he looked at the floor. “I’ll be next door at the conference table, if you need me.”
Darn it. He looked so pitiful—like a little boy with no friends to play with.
I know I’m going to regret this. “Want me to come work in there while you eat?”
Like round bowls of sky, his eyes grew wide, a smile lighting his face.
Why does he have to have those amazing dimples? He looks so innocent when he smiles.
His shoulders scrunched together. “If you want to. I… uh… I brought you a sandwich, just in case.”
A loud gurgle from her traitorous stomach reverberated in the room, the pressure of her hands not helping to silence it. The crooked grin he hid behind his hand was adorable, which made her even more wary. But it was too late to turn back. “After that rousing chorus of approval from my stomach, I guess I’ll accept your offer.”
She snatched her laptop and followed him next door. For the next fifteen minutes, they ate and chatted about nothing of importance. Katie had sent a cute family photo, with the two older boys cradling their baby sister across their laps. His mother had arrived safe at home in Michigan. Then he mentioned he was flying to Colorado on Monday.
“I know it’s none of my business, but does this trip have anything to do with Jarrett?”
Finn’s smile vanished. “Actually, I’ve been tasked with telling you, but I’ve been putting it off. He’s having a biopsy done on Monday. He could have a recurrence of the cancer that took his leg. All three of us are going to Denver.”
Cancer. Even the word was so scary. She couldn’t imagine how Jarrett must feel.
“I’m so sorry. Jarrett is such a nice guy. I wish he was married, so he wouldn’t have to do this alone. But I’m glad he has you guys as friends.”
His brows pushed low over his eyes. “We’re always there for him—it’s not like he needs a wife.”
“Yeah, but you can’t do everything a wife would do for him.” She lifted her hand before he could make a smart comeback. “And I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about having someone by your side, no matter what. No matter what people say or think. No matter whether it’s convenient or not. No matter if your problem messes up their perfect plans. No matter if it spoils their reputation. You can’t shirk your responsibility and just pick the parts that suit you—disappear and then show up and expect to be received with open arms. Some people might forgive and forget, but I don’t. Especially not when you hurt someone I love.”
She took a breath and noticed Finn staring with huge eyes, his sandwich poised in mid-air.
“Was that about why Jarrett should get married? Because I think I got lost somewhere in the middle.”
Her face burned all the way to the roots of her hair. How had she gotten off on that tangent? That phone call she’d gotten from her mother must’ve screwed up her head more than she thought. She couldn’t believe her mother was willing to give her father another chance, after all the years of misery and rejection. The worst part was it sounded like her mother had already forgiven him. If she took him back, Laurie might never be able to see her mother again. At least her mother didn’t know she’d legally changed her name. Her dad wouldn’t be able to track her down, even if her mom gave in to him.
“Laurie? Are you okay?” His expression morphed from surprise to worry. “Is this about that guy? The one you said didn’t abuse you?”
“No. Well, sort of.”
“Is he bothering you?” The muscles on the outside of his jaw bulged as his eyes narrowed.
“No, because he doesn’t know where I am.”
His jaw jutted forward. “He’s trying to track you down? What if he finds you? We should call the police.”
“It’s not like that. He won’t hurt me. Not physically.” She stuck three potato chips in her mouth, despite having promised herself she would only sample half a chip, just to have a taste.
“You think he won’t hurt you, but what if you’re wrong?” Finn’s hand grabbed her arm, sending familiar tingles down her spine. “Please don’t take chances with him. I have two empty bedrooms besides the one Cole is sleeping in. You can stay at my place as long as you like.”
