Chapter 36
Vee
Iwoke to Fin’s lips peppering kisses on my shoulder, while his large hands roamed over my stomach and hips. “Morning,” I said sleepily, rolling toward him and palming his scruffy cheeks before giving him a kiss. “I could get used to this.”
“I could too.”
Sitting up, I looked at the clock on my dresser. “Six thirty. Do you always wake this early?”
“Only when I want to make the most of my time.”
Lying back on the pillow, I hummed. “What did you have in mind?”
Fin lifted his head to his fist, his elbow on the pillow. “You should come over to my place. I mean, it’s not as nice as here and about half the size.”
“You’re really selling it. Where is it?”
“The complex is called Fifteen 51. It’s north off of 64.”
“Those are nice. What made you decide to live there?” I asked.
“JD told me about it.” Fin rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling.
“I’ve been moving my whole life.” He turned his eyes, meeting mine.
“I’ve learned it’s easier to just rent everything, the apartment and the furniture.
There are companies that supply the rest, kitchen shit, towels, and bedding.
It makes it easier to pick up and move again. ”
The sheet and blanket moved as I lifted my head and laid my hand on Fin’s chest. As my fingers swirled his fine chest hair, I looked into his eyes, feeling a tug in my chest. “That must be difficult.”
He shrugged. “It’s part of the life I chose.”
“I don’t want to think about you moving away from here.”
His smile returned. “I suppose that’s up to you.”
“Dad, but I can try to influence him.” I arched my eyebrow. “Is that why you’re here in my bed? Are you here to influence me?”
I giggled as Fin rolled us, me landing on my back with him over me.
“Yes.” His lips came to mine, strong and possessive.
My whimper filled the air as his erection probed my leg. I pulled back toward the pillow, gasping for air as my cheeks rose. “It’s definitely working.”
Time got away from us as we came together. Morning sex with Fin was slower in a good way. Our hands roamed over one another as if claiming the other as our own. When we both found our release, we lay in bed.
With Fin’s arm around me, I laid my head on his hard shoulder. “I’m going to tell Dad about us,” I said.
“You’re ready for that?”
I nodded. “You were right. You should get to meet my dysfunctional family.”
“I’ve met a lot of them.”
“As a quarterback in business meetings. I’d like you to get to know them as people and them to know you as my significant other.”
Fin’s lips quirked. “Is that like a boyfriend?”
“Sorta, but you’re definitely not a boy and manfriend sounds funny.”
“Telling your dad makes us official.”
I sat up, looking at Fin’s handsome face. “If you don’t want me to tell him…”
Fin’s finger came to my lips. “Vee, I want to shout that you’re mine from the broadcast booth. I didn’t want to rush you.”
“Leigh and Lip know. Of course, they knew about you before. I told Leigh that you informed Jackson Blanch—”
“Only,” he interrupted, “for legal reasons.”
“I know. But it doesn’t seem right for Jackson to know about us and not my dad.”
His palm cupped my cheek. “If you’re good telling him, I’m good.” Lifting his head, Fin kissed my lips. “I should shower.”
“What a coincidence, I need to do the same.”
By the time my hair was dry, I was dressed, and my makeup was done. I walked out into the living room. Fin was dressed in workout clothes, his nylon shorts hanging from his hips, and standing in front of the stove.
“Are you cooking?”
“I found eggs,” he said, turning my way. “You’re out of bacon.”
A smile curled my lips. “I don’t eat bacon.”
“I do. You need to add it to your shopping list.”
“Okay,” I replied, getting close. The savory aroma came from chopped vegetables sautéing in one frying pan. There were freshly scrambled eggs in another and a bag of Swiss cheese on the counter. “Damn, that smells and looks delicious. I usually just have a cup of coffee.”
His sexy smile quirked. “Haven’t you heard, breakfast is the most important meal of the day?”
“I need to hurry. Dad said he’d be in by eight thirty. I want to talk to him before the executive meeting.”
Fin folded the vegetables into the scrambled eggs and sprinkled the mixture with Swiss cheese. “Grab two plates and breakfast is served.”
It was after eight by the time we made our way to the elevator.
We stole one last kiss. “See you tonight?” he asked.
“My place or yours?”
“I’ll text you the address. You don’t need a special card to access my apartment.”
My perpetual smile felt as though it couldn’t go away.
“See you, Ms. Hubbard,” Fin said as he exited the elevator on the first floor.
I continued down to the garage. Once I was on my way, I called Jen. She answered on the first ring.
“Hi,” I said, “are you at Maker’s Mark?”
“I am. Do you need anything?”
“I was checking to see if you needed me. I’m on my way, but I’m going to stop by my dad’s office before going to mine.”
“You have emails you probably want to see before the executive meeting,” she said. “Oh, and Mr. Darin Marsh called for you about five minutes ago. I told him you weren’t in yet.”
“Uncle Darin? I wonder what he wanted.”
“He didn’t say.”
“I’ll give him a call, and I’ll be in after I talk with Dad.”
“Sounds good,” Jen said.
I disconnected the line and spoke to my car. “Make phone call. Call Uncle Darin.”
“Calling Uncle Darin,” the car replied.
His line rang and rang. After the fourth or fifth ring, the call went to his voice mail. I spoke. “Uncle Darin, Jen said you called. I should be to Maker’s Mark in fifteen minutes or less.”
My GPS routed me through city streets, avoiding the major interstates. The rest of the drive, I spent rehearsing how I would tell Dad my news. I was wrestling with blurting it out or easing into it. By the time I walked into Maker’s Mark, I was pretty sure blurting was what would happen.
“Ms. Hubbard,” Tricia, one of the front receptionists, said.
“Good morning, Tricia.”
“Maeve, you’re wanted in Mr. Hubbard’s office.”
I stood straighter. “I was planning on going there.”
“They’re waiting for you.”
My forehead furrowed. “Who is?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know for sure.”
“Okay, I’m on my way.”
My heart thumped in my chest as I made my way to the complex of executive offices. All I could think was that whoever was waiting wanted to confront me about me and Fin.
Who knows?
Did Lip or Leigh let it slip?
Why were they making a big deal out of this?
I clenched my teeth at the sight of Grant. Of course, he’d make more out of me and Fin than necessary.
Stepping into Dad’s office suite, I was caught short by the sight of everyone on the executive committee. They all turned to me.
“Is this…” I began to say when I realized who was the only person missing.
“Vee,” Aunt Rachel said, with tears in her eyes.
“What’s going on?” I managed to say as a lump formed in my throat. “Where’s Dad?”
“Vee,” Uncle Darin said. His eyes were also red. “There was an accident this morning on 64.”
“An accident?” It wasn’t making sense.
“A semi-truck…” Grant said.
“Vee,” Aunt Rachel said, reaching for my hand. “Reid was pronounced dead at the scene.”
I shook my head. “No. No. There’s a mistake.”
“We need to talk,” Uncle Darin said. “Reid was in the middle of changing his will. He hadn’t completed the change yet, but he was going to.”
Gripping the back of a chair, I willed my knees to keep standing. The room was spinning, I couldn’t focus. “What are you saying?”
“Reid didn’t want the Coopers to go one hundred percent to you.”
My neck straightened. “My father is gone, and you’re talking about the Coopers?”
“As his will stands, you’re now the owner and CEO. What do you plan on doing?”
“I’m not doing anything until I see my dad.”
Thank you for reading INTERCEPTED.