Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Finn Williams parked the car in front of the brightly painted candy shop, smiling when he heard Hadley gasp at their new inflatable Santa. He hoped he could cheer her up even if it was just a tiny bit. Fury rolled through him when he’d read Noelle’s messages. He’d always suspected she might have only befriended Hadley because of her financial status.
Hadley’s parents, both actors had been killed in a plane crash when Hadley was just eighteen. She’d inherited all of their assets and would be set for the rest of her life. People knew that and were jealous when they saw a twenty-three-year-old woman who didn’t blink when it came to finances. Noelle had wanted to grow her online platform and Finn was sure she’d hoped Hadley’s money and influence would do that for her.
He helped her out of the car and smiled when she obediently held his hand. She really was a good girl. She held her beloved baby doll under her arm.
“What kind of candy are we getting today, Peeps?”
He chuckled as she pulled him along. She tugged open the heavy door and beelined for the back wall where he knew her favorites were.
He took a plastic bag from the shelf and held it open while she scooped out the freeze-dried Skittles, smiling as she tried to mostly scoop the blue ones out. When she was done, she set the scoop back into the container and waited for him to tie the bag.
“Anything else?” he asked.
She tapped her chin as she thought. Brightening, she flipped through her cards and held up ice cream.
“I think we have time for ice cream.”
She grabbed his hand again and he allowed her to lead him over to the counter.
After pointing to her favorite, she looked back at him.
“In a cup or cone?”
She pointed to a chocolate-dipped cone.
“Oh, good choice,” the woman behind the counter complimented as she scooped up the blue ice cream.
Hadley tapped his stomach and he chuckled. “I’m going to get some too.”
She looked pleased with his answer. She did not look pleased when he paid the total. Frowning up at him, she tapped No.
Ignoring her for the moment, he took both their ice creams and walked over to the tables shaped like upside-down bowls. He sat down on a chair meant to resemble a cherry and waited for her to begrudgingly join him.
As soon as her butt hit her seat, she crossed her arms. He chuckled at her pout.
“I can’t hand you your ice cream if your arms are crossed like a grumpy monster.”
She unfolded her arms but flipped through her cards. No.
He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he couldn’t resist riling her up a little bit.
“No what, Peeps? No ice cream?”
Furrowing her brow, she tapped Money.
“Oh no, you don’t have any money? That’s terrible. I’ll help you out until you get back on your feet.”
If looks could kill, he’d be a dead man. Having mercy on her, he handed her the treat and sat back on the stool. “I know you’re upset that I paid for our goodies, but I wanted to, okay?”
She sighed as if he’d asked her to give him a kidney.
After his brother had passed, he’d struggled financially. They’d lived together after escaping their junkie parents, and when Josh had passed, the expenses to cover his funeral, plus pay the rent, simply hadn’t been possible for the then twenty-two year old Finn. He’d been evicted and honestly only continued going to grief counseling to see Hadley. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out what was going on. She’d asked him to move in with her; she’d won him over with a story of how scared she was in the house alone the first time she’d spoken more than “hello” to him. He wasn’t sure, even after all this time, if she was actually scared to be alone in the house. She’d been patient with him while he worked jobs that would hire someone with no college experience. She’d never asked for rent or hinted she wanted her space back. He’d been able to earn a degree from the local technical college and now he ran her online store, still working as her assistant. Hadley had saved him and given him a chance for a better future. Finn knew he would never be able to pay her back for all she’d done for him over the years, so he tried to show his gratitude by picking up their tab and buying her things for her Little, like their upcoming trip to Rawhide Ranch.
Why?
“Because I love you and want to do nice things for you. Do you want to deprive me of that?” he asked, making his own pouty face.
No.
“Then let me spoil you sometimes. Please? You took care of me for so long and I’m so grateful for your kindness. I know I’ll never be able to repay it, so let me do these little things for you.”
Okay. She didn’t look too happy about his request, but at least she had agreed.
“Thank you, Peeps. It means a lot to me.”
I love you.
“I love you too, Hadley. So much.”
She smiled and began to eat her rapidly melting ice cream. He watched her as she ate, wishing she could see herself like he did. She was so beautiful and kind. Thoughtful, so fucking thoughtful. Even after going through so much, she still saw the good in the world. Anger burned inside of him when he thought about how sad she’d been earlier. While he’d been holding her phone, he’d blocked Noelle’s number. Later tonight he’d block her on all Hadley’s social media. She wouldn’t be able to hurt his friend’s sensitive little soul anymore.
Good. Hadley tapped her card before looking at him in concern. He realized he wasn’t eating his ice cream.
“It is good, Peeps. I was just distracted.”
Her furrowed brow told him she wanted more of an explanation.
“I’m sorry Noelle hurt you with her unkind words. I want you to understand what she said isn’t true.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she nodded.
“You’re going to make lots of friends at Rawhide.”
Okay.
Finn smiled as he watched her match her facial expression to her card. Okay could mean a number of things, but she used her body language to match the word. He was always amazed, watching her communicate even when she wasn’t actually speaking.
“Are you excited for tomorrow?”
She nodded.
You.
“Yes, I am very excited. I think you’re going to have so much fun in the Caterpillars Room and I’m going to learn so much at my classes. Maybe I’ll even learn how to take care of a Little properly,” he teased.
She shot him a look that was so adorably ferocious, he couldn’t help but laugh.
He pretended he didn’t take care of her—that they were just friends who lived together. But it was bullshit. He did a lot for her—Big and Little—because he loved her and not in just a platonic sense. He was madly, deeply in love with her, but he’d made a vow years ago that he would never let her know his feelings. She’d been through so much and he was the only stable person in her life, the only one she considered family and he wasn’t selfish enough to take that from her. He knew that meant accepting she might find her forever Daddy at Rawhide during their two-week stay and even though the thought of her being with anyone else felt like a physical blow to his stomach, he knew he’d smile and pretend to be happy for her because that’s what a good caregiver really did, put the needs of their Little one first.