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“I’m keeping my Hale House key for now, if it’s all the same to you,” he says, pressing on tonelessly. “Since I’m still listed as part-owner, I might need it someday.”
I nod, trying to knuckle the tears away discreetly. Finn stares hard out the window.
“Did you ever make it to therapy?”
“Yes.”
Finn nods, actually making eye contact in his surprise. “Good. That’s good. Going okay?”
“So far,” I say. Finn nods again. He looks around the kitchen, noting the extra coffee cups on the counter I hadn’t gotten around to putting in the dishwasher yet. “You’re still seeing them.”
“I am.” I take a deep breath, bracing for a fight, but Finn just nods again.
“Maybe, if things go well, you might think about moving them in here,” he says. My mouth falls open and the urge to cry vanishes. Finn shrugs. “It’s a big house. You shouldn’t be here alone, not if you don’t want to be.”
I don’t know what to say to that. It’s way too soon for us to talk about moving in together, though the idea had crossed my mind more than once. Still, to hear it come from Finn’s mouth is a shock. Before I can think of a response, Finn seems to pull himself together and zips his coat.
I say the first thing that comes to mind. “I’ll bring you some bread. At your new place. Housewarming gift.”
He meets my eyes. “I wish you wouldn’t, Cal.” Finn takes a deep breath. “Until a few weeks ago, I’d have told you Weston Thorpe was the best man I know. But it turns out I don’t know him at all.”
“He misses you,” I say quietly. Finn clenches his jaw.
“He lied to me, Callie,” he says. “Both of you did. You went out of your way to keep me from finding out about your relationship. And don’t get me started on the other guy.”
“Raleigh,” I say, my teeth clenching. “His name is Raleigh.”
Finn just looks at me flatly. “It doesn’t matter. You both lied to me, and I can’t stand liars, Cal. You know I can’t, and you damn well know why. You’re my sister; obviously nothing changes that. But we can’t go back to the way we were before because I’m not sure I know you at all either.”
Finn leaves without another word. The snow begins to fall in earnest.
West grips my hands in his later that night on the couch in my living room, squeezing lightly in a show of support as I tell him about Finn’s visit. When I get to the part about him hating liars, West’s eyes close. Raleigh stands up and walks over to the fireplace, holding his hands over his mouth. I finish the story as quickly as I can, knowing I’m hurting West just by repeating it, hoping to get it over with as fast as possible, like ripping off a bandage.
When I finish, Raleigh is still standing by the fireplace mantel, hands on his mouth. I elbow West and tilt my head at Raleigh so he notices, too. West snorts.
“What’s with you?” he asks Raleigh.
Raleigh looks over at us and drops his hands, sighing. “I have things to say about your brother.”
“Okay?” I say.
“They’re not very nice things, though, so I’m not actually going to say them.”
West laughs. “Come back over here.” When Raleigh gets close enough to reach, West drags him by the arm down on the couch next to me.
“He shouldn’t treat you that way,” says Raleigh. “I’m serious.”
“I know you are,” I say, sliding my arm around his waist and hugging him hard. “And I appreciate your defending us.”
“Me too,” says West, inching closer on the sofa.
“What does that mean, anyway?” asks Raleigh, still glaring at the fireplace. “That you know why he hates liars. I assume that means somebody lied to him.”
West pulls back, leaning over the couch to mess with his briefcase for something.
“You assume correctly,” says West. He doesn’t elaborate, and Raleigh winds his hand, encouraging him to continue.
“And?” Raleigh prompts.
