Charmer (Havenbrook #1)

Chapter 35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

FINN

Christ, it was hotter than Satan’s ballsac out here. My shirt was soaked to my chest, and from the looks of things, none of the others on my team were faring much better. We’d been playing for an hour already, the imbalance of aptitude between ours and Dick’s teams glaringly obvious in the disparaging lengths of time each group was up to bat.

Despite the ravaging heat, it’d been an absolute pleasure watching the mayor’s reaction as the game had progressed. When my team had scored the first run, Dick’s eyes had narrowed as if warning us with a glance to fall in line. I had merely saluted him—not the one-fingered salute I’d wanted to give, which, I thought, was damn kind of myself.

At the fourth run, Dick’s jaw had been tight, his fists clenching his handkerchief as he’d mopped sweat from his brow. By the eighth, he’d looked ready for murder. I would bet the check in my pocket the thought had crossed good ol’ Dick’s mind a time or twenty.

Regardless of being on the losing team, the other players seemed to be having fun. Especially Mac. She was their main force to be reckoned with, and she put everything she had into the game. Willow, though not as competitive as her younger sister, was smiling more often than not, our gazes locking more times than I could count.

Christ, I couldn’t wait until this stupid game was over. I’d corner Dick, give him back the money, and then I needed to find Willow. No more tiptoeing around the facts. I’d been afraid of damaging her and her daddy’s relationship, but I was more concerned about our relationship. That was my top priority. And now, after having seen father and daughter in action, seeing how the man belittled her, made her constantly feel less than, I wasn’t sure what I’d been trying to protect in the first place.

After I came clean about why I’d left and about the money, I’d tell her of our plans to stay. That everything was already in line, and we only had to make a quick trip back to finalize some things and then we’d be home. Back in Havenbrook for good.

“Finn, you’re up!” Ty called.

Time for our team’s last play. I slipped on a helmet and took a few practice swings. It’d been a long time since I’d played, but it was like riding a bike. Drew, the rest of our friends, and I had spent hours down here when we’d been younger. Trying like hell to stay out of trouble. Hadn’t always worked.

“Go easy, will you?” Nola said as she passed me, having just scored another run.

I smiled at her. “Now where’s the fun in that?”

With narrowed eyes, she said, “Dammit, Finn, I mean it. Knowing him, he’ll find a way to fuck up the opening.”

I couldn’t argue with that based on what Dick had tried already, but I also couldn’t say I gave a damn. Irresponsible when the bar hung on the line? Maybe. Probably. But this was about so much more than just a game. This was about me showing Mayor Haven that I wasn’t going to roll over for him anymore. That the jackass didn’t get to push people around, didn’t get to have his way simply because he ruled the town that was his namesake.

The bases were loaded, and Dick stood in the outfield, looking as pissed as ever. Since the Havens were considered the home team, they still had another inning, but unless Babe Ruth materialized to play for their team, they were going down. There was no way they could come back from an eight-run lead.

First pitch was a swing and a strike. I shook it off and looked over at Willow, who guarded first base. The side of her lips quirked up, and that was all I needed.

On the second pitch, my bat connected with the ball, sending it flying in Dick’s direction. I took off, sailing past Willow and straight to second, but not before brushing her hand with mine as I went.

One thing I hadn’t counted on was Mac’s dedication to covering her father’s shortcomings—at least, when it came to sports. She scrabbled for the ball as I rounded third and headed for home, and the crowd went wild. I pumped my legs harder, hoping she’d send it to the pitcher and buy me enough time to get home. Except the catcher stood right behind home plate, watching the sky as if awaiting a throw, and I did the only thing I could. I slid home, closing my eyes and praying I’d get there a millisecond before the ball.

I came to a stop as the mitt connected with my foot.

“ Safe !” the umpire yelled.

I didn’t even have time to enjoy the call before Dick was shuffling into the infield, his voice loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

“That’s a bullshit call, Vern, and you know it!” he shouted, his hands gesturing wildly toward where I stood, wiping sand from my pants.

“The only call I could make, Mayor. He was safe.”

“Bunch of horseshit. I saw it with my own eyes, and he was clearly out!”

“Saw it all the way back in left field, did ya?” I asked.

As if I hadn’t even spoken, Dick continued, “I thought you were on our side.”

“Can’t be on anyone’s side, I’m afraid. That’d be a conflict of interest as an ump.”

Dick’s belly-aching had drawn a crowd, many of the onlookers shifting closer to be able to hear exactly what was going on. The rest of his team looked embarrassed, especially Willow. She’d taken a couple steps closer, but she still stood near first base, biting on one of her nails as she looked on.

“Conflict of interest?” Dick shouted. “I’ll tell you what a conflict of interest is. It’s him ”—he shoved a meaty finger in my direction—“playin’ this game like he’s part of Havenbrook. He’s not even a real member of this community. What’s he done anyway? You forget about the half-dozen times he egged your place, Vern? Or when he took out all those mailboxes on Main Street? Or when he got hauled in for spray-paintin’ the road signs?”

The ump shrugged. “Don’t really see how that’s got anything to do with baseball. Besides, he was just a kid then. You need to let the past lie. Lighten up, Richard.”

That settled it. Vern was getting a year’s worth of beer on my dime.

Vern’s casual dismissal of the mayor only seemed to enrage Dick more. His face reddened even further—which, to be honest, I hadn’t thought possible. His fists were clenched at his sides, and he kept darting his gaze to the bystanders, all of whom were now gawking at him.

He gestured wildly in my direction, his voice a barked command. “He’s not even a real member of this community. He might be bringin’ a business to the Square, but y’all’d do well to remember exactly what that business is. There’ll be drinkin’ and partyin’ goin’ on till all hours of the night, all thanks to him. Exactly what we fought for years to keep out of our quiet little town. Shouldn’t be a surprise, though, given where he came from. Where they all came from.” He glared at me and my team, who now stood behind me, supportive even in their silence. Dick looked me up and down, a sneer marring his face. “Just ’cause you were born here doesn’t mean you belong.”

Willow gasped, drawing my attention to her. In the time her daddy’d been throwing his tantrum, she’d walked closer and now stood just on the other side of her father. “Daddy!” she snapped. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

“I don’t have time for this nonsense from you, Will.”

Willow’s eyes narrowed the smallest bit. It was a tiny tell, really. One only I probably noticed, but I knew what it meant. I’d been on the receiving end of it enough times to know she’d reached her breaking point, and her daddy’d just shoved her over it.

She squared her shoulders and stepped up to her father, something I hadn’t ever see her do before. “Considering you’re the one who interrupted the game for this nonsense , I believe you do have the time.”

Dick’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth dropping open. “Excuse me, young lady? I’ll not have you talkin’ to me?—”

“And I’m not gonna stand by and listen to you disparage one of our own. Finn grew up here, same as me. Same as you.”

“He’s nothin’ like us! He’s?—”

“Opening a business that’ll help Havenbrook thrive. A business you might not be fond of, but one this town desperately needs. We are bleeding residents, and any new businesses that’ll help prevent that are a benefit to Havenbrook. He has as much right to be here as any one of us.” Willow crossed her arms and stared at her father. “Stop being such a sore loser about it all.”

Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd as a hurricane of emotions flooded me. My chest swelled with pride over Willow finally standing up to her father. And doing so for me ? Well, I didn’t want to pour gasoline on an already raging fire, but I desperately wanted to stride over to her, take her in my arms, and kiss the living daylights out of her. Right here, in front of everyone.

Except it turned out I didn’t need to walk to her at all. Instead, she took cautious steps toward me, her eyes full of a thousand questions. I hoped I answered them all as I watched her step up to me. She hooked her finger through mine, her lips quirking up at the side a moment before she pressed up on tiptoes to brush her lips across mine.

As the whole town watched on.

A few gasps went off, but I stopped hearing them after a moment. How could I pay attention to anything else when Willow’s mouth was on mine? I reached up and wrapped my fingers around her nape, bringing us closer. She might’ve started this kiss, but I sure as hell was going to finish it.

With my friends at my back, Willow in my arms, and the entire town paying witness to her very public declaration, Dick’s check burned a hole in my pocket. Where earlier I had been dead set on shoveling a heaping pile of humility into the mayor’s lap, now I just wanted to be with Willow. And as much as I loved this bit of PDA, what I really wanted to do to her wasn’t fit for public consumption.

I wanted to spend an hour kissing every freckle and birthmark on her body. Wanted to spend all night between her thighs, showing her over and over again how much I loved her. Wanted to tell her everything so we could finally start the rest of our lives together.

Tonight couldn’t get here fast enough.