Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
F inn walked back through the woods to his home and picked up the paint roller he’d left wrapped in foil.
He’d rather pick Rose up and kiss her senseless after her attempt to bribe him with pink lemonade. Not just any pink lemonade, but Tess’ own top secret recipe that she swore she’d never share with anyone.
Somehow Rose had it, and he wanted to know what made it so damn delicious.
She’d blushed during their conversation. Who knew she was capable of that?
Her dress felt soft beneath his fingers.
When he’d cut the rose stems, he'd found her legs distracting. Her toned calves and a hint of the same above her knees made it hard to focus. He’d wanted to run his palms over her calves, the backs of her knees then continue farther up.
Everything about her messed with his concentration.
In their teens, she’d spent summers in cut-offs and t-shirts.
How often had she sat on the hood of a nearby car at the garage, putting her legs at eye level as he worked?
He’d fantasized many times about pulling her to him, wrapping her legs around his waist and putting his mouth to hers like in the movies.
When Thorne suggested he take Rose to prom, he’d been tempted.
The thought of her in a dress, showing off her legs that he tried too hard not to stare at.
He couldn’t do it, so he refused and asked someone else.
He’d never known she’d overheard his long ago conversation with Thorne. It was something he couldn’t undo.
Six years ago, Finn arrived late to the annual Everson New Year’s Eve party because of a significant flight delay. Based off the cheers and sounds of glasses clinking, he’d missed Magnolia Everson-Brooks’ traditional toast.
He’d moved through the crowd, searching for Rose. He wanted a quiet moment with her, outside under the stars. It was time to share his feelings for her.
The sight of her had him rushing towards her, ready to sweep her into a hug. The glittering, oversized diamond on her finger stopped him. It was a sucker punch he hadn’t expected. He’d talked to her months ago. She hadn’t mentioned being engaged.
Rose spotted him though, and ran to him, full of excitement.
“Did you see it? The proposal? Can you believe it? I’m getting married!”
He felt lost; he hadn’t known she was seeing someone. Who was she marrying?
“I want you to be my man of honor,” Rose said.
He’d seen a man slip up behind her, pull her back against him, a familiar smirk in place. Caleb fucking Brentwood. The last asshole anyone he cared about should be with.
Finn lost it that night and reacted unforgivably.
He had a second chance now.
Rose hadn’t gone through with the wedding. She’d invited him to brunch. With her. And her family. He swept a hand through his hair. Her family. All of them.
The second coat went on so fast in Pa’s old room, speckles of white covered his arms. He pulled off his clothes and took a quick shower. He pulled a clean shirt from his duffel bag and slipped it on along with his paint splattered jeans.
Whistling, he retraced his steps toward Briar House.
Leaves crunched beneath his hiking boots.
A glance around him said there were more waiting to fall.
He’d spent recent hours covered head to toe, clearing the trail.
He noted the thorny vines and poison ivy farther into the trees that still needed taken care of.
When he exited the woods, he saw two dark-haired girls playing on a grassy area in front of the old house. Both girls picked red, orange, and yellow leaves from the ground. Broome stood nearby, supervising while holding a toddler in one arm.
The crunch of his boots on gravel gave him away.
Broome lifted a hand in welcome. “Rose mentioned you might come by. Everyone’s in the kitchen. I brought the kids out—minimizes the tantrums after the drive.”
The oldest straightened from where she crouched, a bouquet of multicolored leaves in one hand. Finn recognized her from the photo he’d seen in the house.
With a hint of a British accent, likely from her mother, she said, “Dad, I’m seven years old. I don’t throw tantrums.”
Broome’s expression changed to one of amusement. “That so?”
“Yes, tis so. I’m a little lady now. Mama said.” She flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder and went back to picking leaves off the ground.
“Your mama is never wrong.” Broome shook his head, then lowered his voice. “That one’s Aliya, too smart for her own good.”
Finn grinned. “I can see that.”
A feminine voice hollered from the main house’s porch.
“That’ll mean food’s ready,” said Broome. “Aliya, Mara, time to go in.”
The younger girl looked to be around three. She patted her stomach and said, “Cones go in my tummy.”
Aliya walked over and took her sister’s hand. “It’s scones, Mara. Auntie Rose made scones. Like a snake sound.”
Mara held onto her, wriggled her torso, and said, “Ssssss?—”
The way Aliya corralled her little sister was cute and bossy.
“Can you tell who runs the house?”
Finn laughed. “Yeah.”
“Let’s go inside. I need to change Freddy. You know where you can wash up.”
When he stepped into the kitchen behind Broome, Rose noticed him weaving through the others to greet him. She slipped her hands in his and pulled him farther in. Her voice came out in an excited whisper with a double squeeze. “I’m happy you’re here.”
She handed him a glass of pink lemonade with plenty of ice, then re-introduced him to everyone. Most, he knew well. Thorne and he played soccer together back in high school. Thorne slapped him on the back, near causing his drink to spill. “Didn’t know you’d be here. Good to see you.”
Willow sent him a gentle smile. “Welcome, Finn.”
Aspen nodded, her expression neutral as she pressed a hand over a prominent baby bump. Her husband, Gavin, was in the next room, on his phone.
Simi waved as she helped Mara wash her hands and told Aliya to do the same.
It wasn’t long before he sat down at the long wooden table in the kitchen beside Thorne, catty-corner to Rose, who sat on one end.
Across from him, Willow sat beside Aliya, who obviously adored her aunt based on the giggles and whispers exchanged between bites of food.
Broome sat at the head of the table, Simi near with the little one in a high chair and young Mara beside.
Aspen and Gavin sat farther down on the bench.
Once everyone had full plates, Broome stood. He held out his hand to his wife, who took it and smiled. “We have an announcement to make.”
Thorne’s mouth fell open. “Another baby?”
Simi pressed a hand to her heart and beamed. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Thorne said, “You two are creating your own personal army.”
Aspen scowled at her brother, the first sign of life from her since they’d all sat down. “Thorne, don’t be a di?—”
“—Diplodocus.” Aliya finished for her. “Uncle Thorne, don’t be a diplodocus. They have very mean tails.”
Simi covered her mouth even as her eyes lit with mirth. “Aliya, dear, it’s rude to interrupt.”
“But I like dinosaurs.”
Simi sent her daughter a look.
Aliya squirmed in her seat. “Sorry, Aunt Aspen, for interrupting you.”
Aspen reached over, put her hand over her niece’s, and squeezed. “Perhaps you can talk about your favorite dinosaur after we finish eating.”
Aliya nodded.
Across the table, Willow asked, “What about you, Aspen? Did you decide what shade of pink you’re using for the nursery?”
Before she could answer, Gavin leaned forward, authority in his voice. “Our son will not have a pink nursery.”
Finn wasn’t friends with Aspen, never knew her well, but even he caught the flinch after her husband’s words. He looked toward Rose. Her green eyes flashed, her fingers white knuckled around her fork.
Willow looked down, toyed with her napkin. “I thought…”
“Excuse me.” Aspen tossed her napkin on the table, stood, and left the room.
Simi rose too, touched Broome’s shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
No one spoke. Everyone seemed to focus on their plates, forking bites of quiche, scones, and fruit into their mouths. It was maddening. Meals with his parents had never been quiet. Perhaps he needed to break the silence. He thought of his trip to the bookstore.
“Rose, what sort of books do you write?”
A fork clattered to the table. All eyes turned to Finn.
Willow spoke first. “You mean you don’t know?”
“No.”
With a smirk, Thorne chimed in. “You going to tell him, baby sis?” He exaggerated the endearment.
Rose’s face flushed. Her voice stumbled when she said, “Adventure books—for kids.”
Her tone sounded pained. As if she’d confessed to writing erotica.
No one said a word after her answer. Kids’ stories. Cool. Yet everyone looked back and forth between them like spectators at a tennis match.
Aliya opened her mouth and said, “I love Auntie Rose’s books. The new one is my favorite. Papa promised he’d show me the tree where?—”
“—Anyone need more coffee?” Rose came out of her chair, walked toward the counter.
Aliya frowned. “Auntie Rose, you interrupted me. Mama said it’s not nice.”
When she came back with the coffeepot in hand, her face was flushed. “I’m sorry, pumpkin. I wasn’t thinking. What were you saying?”
“Apology accepted.” Aliya rubbed her nose. “I can’t remember.”
Rose took her seat again. “Maybe it’ll come back.”
Simi returned. Aspen followed soon after, silent for the rest of the brunch. The meal ended. Rose and Simi waved Finn off when he offered to help clean up. Thorne took the girls outside. Finn followed. Gavin stood at the end of the drive, cell phone to his ear.
The girls ran toward the spiral herb garden, where the barn once stood. Finn walked beside his old teammate.
“You still like her,” said Thorne.
Finn glanced over at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Rose, dumbass. Do you think I never noticed the way you look at her?”
“We’re friends.” Ones that shared kisses.
Thorne gave him a shove, shook his head. “You were friends. I’m her brother. I shouldn’t interfere, but after Brentwood, I have to say it. I’ll come for you if you hurt her again.”
Finn looked at the trees ahead of them—the ones that outlined the property, the ones he’d spent hours in alongside Rose. “I’d sooner cut off my own arm.”
Broome’s girls ran the spiral through the herb garden, then back to the patch of grass in front of the house.
Thorne picked up Aliya. He spun her around and around on the grass in front of the house.
Mara came toward him and held her arms up. “Up, up.”
Finn picked her up. She was lighter than he expected.
She stared into his eyes like he was the most fascinating thing she’d seen.
Her small hand reached out and pressed against his cheek for a moment.
Then she wiggled while jumping within his arms. “Ing.” She arched.
He kept a firm hold, but wondered if it would be safer to set her down.
Thorne said, “She wants you to swing her around like Aliya.”
“Okay.” He held onto her even as she arched, hoping he wouldn’t drop her. Around and around they went. Squeals of happiness erupted from her. Her hands wiggled in the air.
When he stopped and held her upright, she was still for all of a few seconds before she bounced and said, “Again.”
He spun her again.
“Again.”
Once more. Then she wanted down. Broome joined them, Freddy in his arms.
Aliya, done swinging, danced in front of her father. “Papa, I would like some cookies, please.”
Broome shook his head. “I don’t have any cookies, Aliya. You’ll have to go ask your aunts.”
Aliya held out her hand. “Come on, Mara. Cookies.”
Thorne said, “I’ll keep an eye on them.” He followed the girls.
Broome set Freddy on the grass with some toddler toys. “Mack told me he texted you. About the cemetery. The incident at Cracked Egg.”
Finn looked back at the house, the side door where Rose worked inside with the other women. “He did. Mack remembered we hung out together as kids. I heard the guy who attacked Rose is in custody?”
Concern crossed his face. “He is. It’s George Hindley. He set the barn fire years ago.”
He hadn’t forgotten that night. Finn asked, “Isn’t he supposed to be in prison?”
“Yes, for life. I’m looking into the details of his release.”
“What’s the sheriff say?”
Broome said, “Sheriff Hutchins claims Hindley is harmless, that he’s rehabilitated. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been granted parole.”
“He hurt Rose. I’ve seen the bruises.”
Broome’s hands went into his pockets. “Reg sent me the pictures of her arm. We’re all concerned. George’s bail hearing’s in a few days.”
His hands became fists. “Bail hearing?”
Broome shook his head. “I know. His priors should make him ineligible.”
Finn said, “I don’t like this.”
“No one does. Reggie says strange things are happening around here. He’s trying to figure out who’s behind them.”
“Like what?”
Mara came back outside, her hand in Thorne’s till she got to the edge of the grass. She ran straight for Finn, crashing into his legs.
“Ing.”
Finn picked her up.
Broome said, “I’ll call you when I know more. We’re adding motion sensors where we can.”
Finn heard what he wasn’t saying. Briar House sat on a sizable portion of land, surrounded by woods, some of which were public land. Cameras and motion sensors wouldn’t cover everything. Knowing Rose’s initial reaction to his promise to protect her, she wouldn’t like the thought of being monitored.
Broome squatted down, removed something from his son’s mouth. “Freddy, don’t eat the leaves.”
The boy fussed. Broome picked him up and brushed more crumbs off. “This one’s about done.”
Mara held up her arms. “Ing!”
Broome motioned to Mara. “Go slow with her. Otherwise, she’ll toss cookies and lemonade on the way home.”
Finn was careful.