14. Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Tessa
W ho the hell was this woman? And why was she so… friendly?
Seriously, people didn’t act this way in L.A. At least not with me. Maybe this was a Montana thing? Or an Absolution thing? I filed the thought away to revisit when I was no longer being kidnapped by a tall, willowy redhead.
When Finn mentioned he asked a woman to come over, I was unsure what to expect. Now that she was here, I was even less confident.
Reagan walked straight through the door of my bedroom without needing directions. Hmmmm. She was certainly familiar with the layout of Finn’s home.
A cold dread seeped in my gut while unexpected jealousy wound its way through each and every cell in my body. Refusing to examine why the idea of this woman being more than a friend to Finn affected me so much, I managed to shove the emotion down far enough to see through the green haze momentarily clouding my vision. Even if Finn and Reagan were… familiar with each other, I had no claim on him. None whatsoever.
Yep, that was my story, and for the sake of my own sanity, I was sticking to it.
Forcing my thoughts back to my current situation, I noticed Reagan was holding several bags. She proceeded to dump the contents of said bags across the bed, scattering an array of fabric and plastic bottles on the comforter.
“I brought a little bit of everything. Finn couldn’t tell me what size you wore, so I grabbed a variety. We should be able to find a few things that will work for you until we can go shopping.”
She rifled through the clothing, oblivious to my imminent nervous breakdown.
“I’m sure you have your own hygiene product brands you prefer, but I only had time to grab the extras I had laying around. I promise we’ll get your usual stuff when we go shopping next week.”
Finally noticing I hadn’t moved from the closed bedroom door, she turned toward me. Her gaze did a full sweep from head to toe before whistling low under her breath.
“Yup, makes sense now,” she muttered to herself.
My brows furrowed in confusion. Finding my voice, I said, “I’m sorry, I’m not following. What exactly makes sense now?”
Reagan’s bright smile grew as she continued to assess me. “You honestly don’t know, do you?” she mused.
“Know what?” I demanded, my irritation at being the butt of her joke increasing.
She studied my expression for several long moments before changing the subject. “Finn mentioned you’re from out of town and your car ended up in the ditch right before the storm hit.”
Seemingly unfazed by my lack of response, she continued, “There’s not much out this way. What were you doing all the way out here, especially in that kind of weather?”
My temperature rose as a sudden case of cotton mouth made me wish I grabbed a bottle of water in the kitchen.
Deciding Finn would never have asked this woman here if she meant me harm, I did my best to squash the defensiveness beginning to slither its way beneath my skin. Looking across the pile of clothing, I noted not a single garment had a price tag on it.
She was lending her own belongings to a complete stranger.
Unsure how to react to her selflessness, I decided to give her what little I was comfortable sharing.
“I didn’t mean to end up all the way out here,” I confessed. “I was trying to make it to town before I stopped for the night.” I looked around the bedroom we currently stood in. “Clearly that didn’t happen.” I dropped my gaze as the final words fell from my lips.
God, I must sound like an idiot.
A soft “hmmmm” left Reagan’s lips while she continued to study me. “You’re lucky, you know.”
I slowly raised my gaze to hers. Lucky? The last word I’d choose to describe my life was lucky. But I had to admit I was incredibly fortunate when Finn saved my life, to say nothing of everything he did for me since then.
Seeing the question in my eyes, she clarified. “Finn is the town’s most eligible bachelor. Every single woman in town – and even a few who aren’t – have tried to land that man. Not a one has had a lick of luck, but you literally fall into his lap and he’s a goner.”
Muscles I hadn’t known were tense relaxed at her confession, and I felt the swift kiss of relief wash through me.
If every woman had tried their luck with Finn with no success, did that mean there was nothing between him and Reagan?
I mentally replayed what she said, only to snag on what she implied. I felt a flush work its way from my chest up toward my face before rushing to correct her. “N-no,” I stammered. “You’ve misread the situation. There’s nothing going on between Finn and me. He’s just a good guy who’s helping someone he feels sorry for.”
Reagan’s grin grew to Cheshire Cat proportions while she watched me flounder. “Aw, honey. You’ve got it as bad as he does, don’t you?”
My breathing increased, the ache in my ribs reminding me of exactly why I was in Finn’s house. I began to shake my head at her assertion when she raised her hand to stop me. “Look, Finn is one of the greatest guys I’ve ever met. That man would literally give a stranger the shirt off his back if they needed it. But the way he looks at you? Yeah, no, honey. This is so much more than Finn just being a ‘good guy’.”
I stared at her as the ramifications of what she was saying threatened to steal the breath from my lungs. Unwilling to entertain the disappointment that would envelop me when her hypothesis ultimately proved wrong, I decided to change the topic.
Walking toward the pile of clothing, I asked the question that sat on the tip of my tongue since the stunning redhead’s arrival. “So, how do you know Finn?” I let the question hang in the air while doing my best to appear unconcerned with the answer.
Mercifully allowing the topic change, Reagan sorted the clothing into piles.
“I’ve known Finn my entire life. Our dads worked together. Audrey and Jake are my godparents, so Finn’s like a second brother to me.”
My legs became unsteady as relief overwhelmed me.
Reagan continued sorting for several moments before turning toward me. Her gaze moved across the obvious injuries on my face before conceding. “Look, I don’t know what brought you here, but I’d put money on the fact it wasn’t something good.”
I opened my mouth to contradict her, knowing full well anything I said would be a lie, but stopped short when she raised her hand between us. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter. You’re talking to someone who literally gets paid to interpret the nuances in people’s voices daily. I hear everything you’re saying. And everything you are both leaving unsaid.”
My mouth snapped shut at being called out.
She sighed lightly. “Look, I get it. We just met, and you don’t know me from Eve. But I hope you know if you’re looking for a friend, I’m an option.”
Tears pricked the back of my eyes at her offer. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a true girlfriend. Even with Layla, I always held her at arm’s length, terrified anyone who got too close to me would become a target for Daniel’s wrath. The pressure in my eyes only increased when her voice softened. “And if you’re looking for a soft place to land, you couldn’t have found a better man.”
I turned my face from her as the first tear fell. Hastily wiping it away, I prayed she didn’t notice.
Reagan turned her focus back to the piles of clothing on the bed before lightly clapping her hands together. “Alright, let’s find you some clothes before I have to jet off to work.”
***
It had been three days since I agreed to stay in Absolution, and Finn and I had fallen into a routine. We made breakfast together in the mornings before Finn spent the rest of the morning working in his office. While he worked, I continued to read about Claire and Jamie’s journey until lunch time rolled around. As much as I loved the television show, I was enthralled by the author’s voice and thoroughly fascinated by the events that didn’t make it into the show.
By the time Finn wandered out of his office in search of lunch, I had sandwiches ready. After doing the dishes, Finn would disappear back into his office until dinner time, at which point we cooked together again before retiring to the living room to continue watching Outlander .
An entire week had passed since Finn saved my life. As we sat down to lunch, he cleared his throat. There was a tightness around his eyes I hadn’t seen before, and he kept rubbing the back of his neck.
Finn was quiet. Too quiet . While he tended to listen more than he spoke, something about his silence caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise.
My mind spun as worst-case scenarios raced through my imagination. Was there another storm coming? Did something happen with the job he lined up for me? I swallowed hard as something even worse occurred to me. Had he decided he didn’t want me to stay here anymore?
As my thoughts spiraled out of control, Finn spoke. “So, I talked to my mom today,” he hedged.
His words halted my momentary freak out. He talked to his mom? Why on earth would that make him look like he was facing a firing squad? Before I had time to contemplate further, he explained, “It seems she had a chat with Reagan.” He exhaled heavily before continuing, “Apparently Reagan mentioned something to her about the fact you’re now planning to stay in town.”
I blinked several times while the implications of what he was saying sunk in. Okay, well, that wasn’t the end of the world. Audrey seemed like a kind woman, one who raised a son that went out of his way to help others. While I imagined she would prefer I wasn’t living with her son for the time being, I couldn’t envision the sweet southern belle being angry about it.
Finn’s lips pressed together, the sound of stubble scraping against his hand as he rubbed his face pulling me out of my thoughts. “Look, I tried to explain to my mom that a Remington family dinner was probably not something you’d be up for at the moment, but she said if I didn’t bring you with to Sunday dinner then she’d bring family dinner to my house.”
My jaw slackened when I processed Finn’s statement. His mother wanted me to come to family dinner? A memory of the woman inviting me to the weekly gathering flickered across my memory, followed closely by the look of disappointment when Finn informed her I wasn’t staying in town.
“I feel bad I’m asking this of you, especially since you’re still recovering, but is there any chance you would consider coming to dinner tomorrow? My mother’s a fantastic cook, so the food will be excellent. But my mom wasn’t joking when she said she’d host family dinner here. She’ll really do it.”
I considered the logistics my attendance would require and mentally sorted through all the clothing Reagan left with me. We managed to cobble together a couple outfits that miraculously flattered my curves instead of giving the impression I was stuffed into them.
The swelling of my nose had gone down considerably over the past week, and with the makeup Reagan left with me, I was confident I could cover up the bruising that remained. If I styled my hair with some of the products she left in my bathroom, I would likely be able to hide the stiches, too.
While I had no idea what to expect from the family gathering, I knew it would be incredibly rude to decline Audrey’s invite. Besides, if they were going to show up here regardless, I’d be participating either way.
Studying the man across from me, I realized this was the first time I could recall seeing Finn nervous. A small smile crept across my face in amusement at the idea a woman as petite as Audrey was able to instill such fear into a someone who literally made a career out of hunting terrorists.
Knowing I made my decision the second he asked, I put him out of his misery.
“Sure, dinner sounds lovely.”
A deep breath escaped Finn’s chest. “Thank you,” he said, the relief evident in his tone. Finn wiped his mouth before he continued. “I should probably give you some back story on my family.”
I nodded. Knowing a bit about his family would help keep me from sticking my foot in my mouth at dinner. “Do you have any siblings?”
“Yes, three,” he said. “I’m the oldest, Knox is two years younger than me, and Beau is a year younger than him. Our sister, Sienna, is the baby of the family and lives out of state.”
I conjured an image of three small boys with hair the color of mahogany while a little girl with matching curls trailed after them.
Finn continued speaking and the vision faded. “Beau retired from professional hockey around the same time I left the military. While he was in college, he earned his degree in architecture. He’s a freelance architect now.”
My understanding of professional sports was nonexistent, and my knowledge of architecture wasn’t any better. Hoping we’d find common ground to talk about, I nodded, encouraging Finn to continue.
“Knox works as a firefighter at the same station my dad did before his retirement. He’s been there for about ten years now and made Lieutenant last year.”
I possessed some knowledge of rank structure from my father’s time in the military, but didn’t know what obtaining that rank in civilian life entailed. However, the way Finn spoke about it made it seem like an achievement. While I tucked away the details Finn was sharing with me, I couldn’t shake the feeling there was something he wasn’t telling me.
As if he could read my mind, Finn inhaled deeply before confessing, “The reason I’m telling you about them ahead of time is because sometimes their personalities can be a bit… much for people who aren’t used to them.”
My breathing grew shallow at Finn’s statement. Seeing the alarm on my face, Finn rushed to reassure me. “I promise, they’re not mean or anything,” he clarified. “Beau’s the family joker, and while Knox is a moody asshole most of the time, he’ll be nothing but civilized at dinner. But when you throw all of us together, our family dynamic can take a little getting used to for anyone who isn’t familiar with it.”
Curiosity wound its way through me as my initial alarm dissipated. I reflected on the different family dynamics I witnessed during my time in foster care. Several of the kids I lived with had biological siblings they were separated from. When they talked about missing them and needing to find a way to make sure they were alright, I ached for someone to feel that way about me.
Thinking about Sunday dinner, I realized I had another problem.
“If I’m coming to dinner, then I need to contribute something. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Uh…” Finn said while his gaze flicked toward the stove, no doubt reliving the grease fire I nearly burned his kitchen down with. “You don’t have to bring anything, Tessa. You’re a guest.”
I nodded. “Yes, and as a guest, I should bring a gift.” My mind wandered to the small wad of cash I had tucked away in my room. While I was more than willing to spend a portion of the money on a gift for Audrey, I always preferred to give gifts that were homemade.
I mentally flipped through all of the things I could make that were least likely to end with another kitchen disaster. A memory of my mother with flour on her cheek after baking my dad’s birthday cake flickered across my mind, the sound of her voice as she sang along to the radio warming something deep in my chest.
“Does your mother like carrot cake?”
Finn frowned at me as his forehead wrinkled. “Yes,” he said, clearly suspicious of where I was going with the question.
I nodded to myself. “Okay, I can make my mother’s carrot cake recipe.”
“Um…” Finn said, drawing out the syllable while he likely tried to find a nice way to tell me no.
Knowing I had a limited window before he shut the idea down entirely, I rushed to reassure him. “No really, I can make carrot cake. I know I’m a disaster when it comes to cooking, but I used to bake all the time with my mother as a child.” I looked around his kitchen and mentally ran through what I would need to make it. “Although you might not have everything I need for ingredients.” I added, my shoulders drooping as I deflated at the possibility I might not be able to pull it off.
Finn studied me for several long moments before conceding. “What ingredients do you need?”
I rattled off a list from memory while Finn walked around the kitchen and set ingredients on the counter. By the time he was done, everything I needed sat on the kitchen counter.
“Perfect,” I said. “I’ll make it this afternoon while you work so it has time to cool.”
“Okay,” Finn said, uncertainty still heavy in his tone. “You’re sure you don’t need any help?”
I squared my shoulders as I looked at the small pile of ingredients. “Nope, I got this.”
Finn eyes bounced around the kitchen. “Alright, well I’m going to work from the living room with my laptop for the afternoon, so feel free to holler if you need anything.”
For the next hour, I worked diligently on making the cake. Every so often I noticed Finn’s head leaning backward on the couch to check on me. A tingling sensation zipped down my spine at the idea he couldn’t keep his eyes off me, until I rationalized he was likely making sure I didn’t destroy his kitchen.
I mentally patted myself on the back after successfully hunting a few rogue eggshells from the batter when I moved to turn the mixer on. A large puff of flour exploded from the mixing bowl, causing me to yelp and squeeze my eyes shut. When I opened my eyes, a shower of fine white powder rained down around Finn’s normally pristine kitchen.
“What’s wrong?” Finn asked from the doorway, worry heavy in his voice. I closed my eyes, my cheeks heating with mortification. Turning toward him, I found his fist was clenched and pressed tight against his lips while he struggled not to laugh.
I looked around the kitchen. Shame suffocated me upon discovering I single-handedly managed to coat every surface in a six-foot radius with a fine layer of flour. Tears stung my eyes, the knowledge I messed up again made infinitely worse by the fact I promised him I could handle this.
Despite the emotional toll the situation was taking on me, one thought broke through the fog. Why the hell wasn’t he pissed I destroyed his kitchen?
“Are you alright?” Finn asked, obviously choking back laughter.
A tight smile stretched across my lips. “Yep. I’m just fine. I promise I’ll clean all of this up when I’m done.”
An amused smile lit Finn’s face. “Tessa, I’m not worried about my kitchen’s cleanliness. Believe me, I’ve cleaned up messes way worse than this. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”
A warm sensation unfurled in my chest at his words. I knew I needed to stop comparing Daniel to Finn, but my mind refused to ignore that if this happened in another kitchen, with another man, the outcome would be drastically different.
“I’m okay, Finn,” I murmured, surprised I actually meant those words for the first time in years.
Finn walked toward the sink and washed his hands before turning toward me. “Alright, chef. Put me to work.”
I looked at the ingredients around me. “There’s not much left to do really. The flour was the last thing I needed to mix in. I need to add a bit more to replace the flour that’s now covering your counters, and then it should be good to go in the oven.”
Finn nodded before moving to where I stood. I added flour to the mixture while Finn got the baking pan out of the cupboard. After beating the mixture for several minutes, Finn poured the batter into the pan and slid it into the oven.
Surveying the kitchen, I tried to figure out what to clean first.
Finn bent below the sink and set several cleaning products on the counter. He lifted his chin in the direction of the hallway. “Why don’t you go take a shower and get cleaned up? I’ll handle everything in here.”
I balked at the offer. “That’s very kind of you, Finn. But I made the mess, and I should be the one to clean it up.”
“Tessa,” Finn said, drawing my attention back to him. His eyes traveled from my head down to the floor. I looked down at myself, a flush rising through my body when I realized what he was trying to tell me.
Every inch of my clothing was covered in the same layer of white dust sitting on the surfaces of his kitchen.
“While I really appreciate the thought, if you don’t go clean yourself up first, you’ll just continue to spread the flour around while you clean the kitchen. But if it will make you feel better, I promise you can help clean up once you’ve changed.”
I nodded reluctantly, knowing he was right. I turned toward the hallway, only to turn back for a second glance at the man who continued to surprise me.
A small smile spread across his lips as he took in the mess I made of his kitchen. He truly wasn’t angry , I thought to myself before making my way to the bedroom.
As I stripped my soiled clothes in the bathroom, I couldn’t help but wonder how different my life would be if I met Finn first.