Chapter Ten #3
A breeze moved through the trailhead, relieving some of the heat of the day, but not the tension that had risen at this horrible meeting of the minds.
Finn was biting his lower lip, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Four people seriously arguing about Hamlet on a random trail? It was too good.
“Well, are you guys heading down the north trail toward the house?” he asked.
“To quote Hamlet, Act Three, Scene Three, line eighty-seven…” Flora paused, letting the silence sit, “‘no.’”
That did it.
Finn broke. He couldn’t stop himself from laughing.
“Alright, well—” Allison was breaking too— “enough Hamlet quotes for today. We’ll… see you guys later. Or not. Whatever.”
She grabbed Flora’s hand and they ran away as fast as they could. Flora was already opening Hamlet, pointing to the line she’d mentioned.
The rest of Holly and Finn’s walk was quiet.
“Well,” Holly said as they reached the hill leading back to the house. “I’m quite certain that was more than enough togetherness for one day.”
“You’re mad.”
Holly didn’t reply.
“Why?” he asked. “You can’t be mad at me. That was… that was—”
“Finn,” Holly cut him off, “that wasn’t funny. She was making fun of me, and you didn’t do a thing.”
“Holly, you really set yourself up on that one.”
“But you sided with her. Clearly. You favor her.”
“I’ve known her forever, Holly. She grew up here. She’s just a friend.”
“A friend you ran into a fire for, risking your own life.”
“You’d have preferred that I let her die?” Finn asked, incredulous.
“That’s not what I said. The look on your face that night was not some general do-gooder expression, Finn. You were petrified, shocked, desperate. You looked like you might die if she did.”
“I would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t react that way when their property is burning and the girl they grew up with is inside of the fire…” he replied. “Simple deduction.”
“Simple deduction is telling me that you like her, Finn. More than you like me. You favor her over everyone else. Very plainly.”
“And you’d pretend that it doesn’t make sense after your behavior just now? You’re twenty-seven, a soon-to-be graduate of Harvard Law, and you’re arguing with Flora—a girl you barely know—over Hamlet?”
Holly didn’t respond.
She set her eyes on her Range Rover and disappeared without another word. Finn didn’t care. He knew she’d be back for the party.
His mother was in his office when he climbed through the window. She looked shocked to see him sliding through and held a hand to her chest.
“Finley Maddock Woodhouse, what do you think you’re doing?!”
“What? I just saved five minutes walking around the entire building by coming in through here. Plus, it’s much more fun.”
***
The Fourth of July arrived.
Finn went to the studio apartment to invite Flora (and Allison) to the party. Instead, he was met with one of the houseworkers, cleaning the inside. No one was home.
“Oh, Mr. Woodhouse! Sir!” Julia jumped in surprise seeing him leaning against the doorframe.
“Hi, Julia. How is Max?”
“He’s doing better. Thanks for asking, sir. Are you looking for Fairchild?”
“Actually—Flora. Is she here?” Finn asked. “And no need to call me sir, Julia. You’ve known me since I was sixteen.”
Julia eyed him, a slight smiled crossed her face. “She’s not here. She just left with her friend. The blonde girl.”
“Oh… did she say where she was going?”
Julia shrugged. “Not sure.”
“Alright. Well. Thanks, Julia.”
“No problem, sir—I mean, Mr. Woodhouse.”
“Finn.”
“Finn,” she corrected.
Finn disappeared back toward the main house.
“Flora!” Allison whispered from the bushes, watching Finn walk away.
“I want to go to the party! Forget Angel Island! You know the Woodhouse Fourth parties go down in history and we’ve never been.
We’ve never even been close to one. We’re the people that don’t get invited to these sorts of things, and we finally are—and you’ve got us holed up these itchy bushes. ”
“I’m just forcing him to wait a bit. Finn gets what he wants all the time. I can’t be that easy.”
“Easy, Flora?!” Allison whispered harshly. “You’re hardly easy. Look where we are! Most girls would have been waiting at the door in a sundress to accept such an invitation, and you’re in overalls, crouched in the shrubbery, hiding from him!”
Flora snorted.
“Flora,” Allison whined, “I want to go!”
“Calm down, Allison! I’m not here to ruin your fun. But I can’t always be readily available the second he decides to show up. He needs to learn that I am a precious resource, not a plastic container.”
“I think he knows that!”
Once Finn was gone, they rolled out of the bushes and crawled back to the studio. Julia was waiting.
“What’d he say?” Flora asked.
“He asked for you.” Julia nodded. “Definitely was going to invite you to the party. Flora, you’ve managed to catch one of the boys. Finn, too. I can’t believe it.”
“Well, we’ll see,” Flora said, laughing. “Gosh, I never do this sort of thing. Kind of fun. I could write a book—How To: Con Finn Woodhouse.”
“Short read,” Allison grumbled. “All it would say is, ‘Hide in the bushes and force your pathetic friend to join you.’”
Julia and Flora laughed as Allison threw herself in a chair and brushed dirt off her shorts.
“Relax, Alli. I’ve got a plan.”
And she did.
About an hour later, they pulled out their one speeds, dressed for the beach with backpacks, swimsuits, and flip flops. It was a gorgeous day in Marin, and they were planning on biking to Muir Beach.
“Ladies!”
They both looked up to see Roman walking toward them.
“Where are you off to on this fine Fourth?”
Flora smiled. She knew he’d be out at this time. He always walked to the kitchen at this time to get breakfast. Rosa said he demanded cinnamon pancakes every morning at 10:30.
“Love the shirt, Roman. Ralph Lauren?”
“Always, dear Flora,” Roman joked. “Are you lovely ladies headed to the beach?”
“We are,” Flora said, smiling still. “We didn’t have plans, so we decided to spend the day at the beach.”
“Which beach?” Roman asked, brow furrowing.
“Muir,” Allison offered.
“A pub—a public beach on the Fourth of July?” he asked, eyes going wide. “A public beach at all?”
“Roman…” Flora said, rolling her eyes, “your privilege is showing.”
“Oh please.” He waved his hand. “Forget Muir Beach, Flora. Go down to Canyon Cove and come to the party tonight. I don’t like the idea of you at a public beach. There are weirdos there.”
Canyon Cove was the Woodhouse’s private beach.
“Roman… we really couldn’t intrude.”
“Oh, again with the please.” Roman waved his hand again.
“Flora, stop it. I want you to come to the party. Both of you. Our Fourth parties are the talk of everyone for months. You wouldn’t want to miss it.
I’m surprised Finn didn’t invite you. Gosh, he’s such a stick in the mud.
He’s been hanging around with you nonstop for two months and doesn’t bother to add you the guest list? Disgraceful.”
“Are you sure, Roman?” Flora asked.
“Of course I’m sure! I couldn’t be more sure of anything. You must come. Let me get the keys to the gate to Canyon Cove and, oh, I was on my way to the kitchen. Have you two had breakfast?”
“Not yet,” Allison said, eyeing Flora wondering if she’d somehow made this happen.
“Come with. We can have breakfast together. I’ve been demanding cinnamon pancakes with lemon curd whipped cream for weeks straight. I’m sure we can ask Rosa for three servings. Shall we?” he asked, extending both his arms to them.
“Well, I never turn down pancakes,” Flora said.
Off they went, arm in arm with Roman, who was telling them about the time the jet broke down at the Zurich airport, and they were forced to wait in the “regular people” lounge until it was fixed.
“Three sets of pancakes!” Roman announced as they walked in. “And three ginger shots to counteract the pancakes!”
Allison turned to Flora. “How did you—”
“Gamble. A big one.”
“Oh, Finn is going to be livid.”
“Good.”
Allison snorted.
They all laughed together over pancakes for an hour after, sharing old stories and memories.
“You two are fun,” he surmised. “Let’s get the keys to the gate. Party doesn’t start for a few hours, and I could use some sun. Been inside all summer.”
After retrieving the keys, and eyeing the massive DJ setup on the lawn, they headed for the path that led down to Canyon Cove.
Finn was in his office on the phone when he saw the three of them pass by the window. He did a double take, wondering if he was hallucinating.
Flora, Allison, Roman.
Horrible combination.
How had Roman managed to hijack both girls in under an hour? And where were they going? And where was Jane?
“Finn? Are you there?”
“Yes, James. Sorry. Can I call you back?”
“Everything alright?”
“Yes, just a slight… I’ll call you back.”
Finn slipped his phone into his pocket, grabbed a hat, and went to cut them off. He waved down Charles, who was on a golf cart.
“Charles! Charles! Hold on.”
Charles hit the brakes. “Sir?”
“Drop me off at the pool house. Quick.”
“Which one?”
“North. I mean… south. I—the one by the willow tree. And go around the back. Don’t take the main path.”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
Charles floored it and Finn felt his neck snap as they lurched forward, leaving tire marks on the lawn. His mother would have a heart attack.
A few minutes later, he stepped onto the path in front of the trio, acting as if he just happened to be at the pool house.
They all stopped.
“Oh,” Finn said, looking up from his phone nonchalantly. “What are you three up to?”
“Finn, I’ve heard the most alarming report,” Roman said immediately.
“Yes? What is it? Golden Goose run out of your size?”
“You didn’t invite either of these lovely young ladies to the party tonight. How could you?” he asked.
“Hmmm… did I not? Could have sworn I did. Or tried.”
He glanced at Flora, who was eyeing him blankly.
“You are the worst!” Roman replied, indignant. “You can’t remember the two most beautiful women on this side of the Atlantic, but you can remember how much money I spent at ALO.”
“I thought Jane was the most beautiful.”
“You know what I mean.”