Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Finch
Frankie survived her first Sunday Funday Fondue Day surprisingly admirably. She threw in jokes at just the right time, knew how to prod the twins in just the right way, and expertly identified the giraffe poop on Wren's phone during a rousing game of "It's feces but what species."
As evening died down, Frankie said, “I should probably be going.” She patted her napkin to her lips one last time and gracefully stood. “Thank you so much for this delicious dinner."
"It was your garlic knots that really made it special," Mom said with a smile. A rowdy chorus of siblings agreed from all corners of the house. "Otherwise the meal would've been abundantly cheesy.”
"I can walk you home," I offered, hastily rising to a stand beside Frankie.
The twins had already disappeared somewhere in the house, probably playing video games, Hawk and Hannah were tackling the dishes, and Wren had gone for her post family dinner walk, which we all knew was to escape the post-dinner sibling chaos, the adorable introvert.
"You're coming back next time, right?" Hannah asked eagerly as she passed a plate into Hawk’s outstretched dish towel.
"I hope so," Dove called from where she lounged on the couch, texting on her phone.
"Why wouldn't she?" Mom asked, looking at me for confirmation. "You're Finch’s girlfriend. You’re always welcome here.”
"Of course," I said, snaking my arm around Frankie's side. "But sometimes I just want to keep her to myself and not throw her back in this lion's den."
Mom rolled her eyes. "Well, we'd love to see you at the next family dinner, Frankie, if you’d like to join us.”
“Thanks," Frankie said. "I'd love that."
I looked at her like she'd grown a second head. I was trying to give her an out, but clearly she didn't want to take it.
"I'll walk you back to the Salty Dog," I offered, and Frankie held up a hand.
"No, no, really, it's fine.” She checked her watch. "It's almost time for another bird feeding anyway.”
"I can do it!" Dove chimed in without looking up from her phone.
"Really, it's a short walk," Frankie said, patting my arm. "Get some rest."
"Rest? Finch?" Hawk guffawed. "She invented burning the candle at both ends."
I snickered at my brother as Frankie stepped away toward the door. Mom leaned in and whispered to me, "Aren't you going to kiss her good night?"
Frankie let out a surprised cough, clearly overhearing.
"Yes, but not in front of all of you leering hyenas," I muttered. I turned to Frankie and put my hand on the small of her back. "I'll walk you to the door at least."
She smiled and farewelled the raucous bunch one more time before we stepped out into the cool breeze. The days had been hot and humid, but the evening was still pleasantly cool. And the sky was so bright with glittering stars, not a single wisp of cloud blowing past.
"Well," I said when we got out of earshot of the others. "I tried to spare you from more of the fondue insanity, but you walked right into that one.”
"I really did have a good time," Frankie said, her smile pulling wide. "And I don't think any group has ever appreciated my garlic knots so much."
"Yeah, I think they're about ready to start a cult and make you their leader." I chuckled. "You know you're going to be expected to bring those every time now, don’t you?”
"I know," she said smugly. “I don’t mind. Those reactions are exactly why I became a chef. I love the way people can connect over food."
I had the sudden image of connecting her with some strawberries and chocolate sauce. I balled my hands into fists to force the vision away. That was not what she meant.
Frankie's eye caught something over my shoulder and her cheeks dimpled. "What?" I whirled just in time to see three heads ducking from Mom's kitchen window. “Didn’t realize the most watched animal in the zoo would be me.”
I rocked back and forth awkwardly on my feet.
"I suppose they'll be expecting us to kiss," Frankie said, tucking a stand of her hair behind her ear. "We could just angle our heads for a second and no one would know."
"Or I could just kiss you," I suggested. "If that's okay? Just a quick peck."
She nervously bit her lip. "Nothing we haven't done before," she added with an awkward chuckle.
I put my hand on her waist, heat radiating off her soft side. Something about this felt far more intimate than the other times we’d kissed in a crowded restaurant or yacht. I leaned a little closer and whispered, “You sure?”
"Uh-huh," she rasped.
I smiled and leaned down, brushing a gentle kiss to her lips. She lifted up on her toes and kissed me back, deepening the connection. My skin tingled with the contact. She tasted like the chocolate-covered macadamias Mom had passed around after dinner. I desperately wanted to taste her even more. My tongue swept out, licking her bottom lip, when a loud laugh sounded from the window and Frankie immediately dropped back to flat feet.
“Wild animals, the lot of them,” I muttered, glancing over my shoulder to the once again suspiciously vacant window.
"We are very convincing at this little ploy, I think,” Frankie said, brushing her windswept hair off her face.
Too convincing , I thought.
"Uh, see you tomorrow then,” Frankie said as she spun and dashed toward the back entrance of the zoo.
I laughed, folding my arms across my chest and watching her skitter off into the evening. I thought about staying there, trailing her figure with my eyes until she disappeared beyond the dip of the hill, the blonde hair like a beacon in the streetlight’s glow. I let out a long, wistful sigh. Maybe I needed to pretend I was in a relationship more often . . .
I turned back to Mom's house and saw the twins were now crammed in the window alongside Mom, Dove, and Hannah.
I threw up my arms. "Seriously, you guys?"
"I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes," Hawk teased from the doorway, holding a hand to his chest. "Finch is in love."
"We haven't gotten to the love stage yet,” I corrected. Did I have to start telling her I loved her in front of people? Kissing was one thing, but that felt like crossing some strange emotional line.
Hawk shook his head at me like I was clueless. "I see the way she looks at you and, more importantly, I see the way you look at her,” he said.
“I look at her with my eyes like a normal person.”
“Uh-huh.” He flashed another self-satisfied smile. “You're screwed, sis, sorry to break it to you."
Shoving him out of the doorway, I heaved a dramatic sigh. "I expected this from Mom, but you, Hawky Puck?”
Hawk shrugged. "It's cute."
"I am not cute . I am devilishly handsome," I corrected.
"And I'm sure Frankie would agree," he said with a mocking thumbs-up.
I wandered back inside to steal some clean socks from Mom's dryer before heading back to my apartment for the night. Hawk was wrong. I didn't look at Frankie like anything. He just had his love goggles on ever since he’d met Hannah. This was all just a very elaborate act and Frankie and I had successfully fooled him. She and I both were simply excellent actors.