“Your email said your mother is back in your life. She wants to talk? To reconnect?”
“Molly came with me to meet her. I still haven’t decided what to do.”
“She’s a good friend.”
Finn’s non-committal hum triggered the Dr. to write something on his notebook. “What are you writing?”
“I wrote ‘Does he love her?’”
Finn sat upright. “Why?”
“It’s been a year since you last came to see me. And the first person you mention is Molly. I read through my notes from our previous sessions and her name came up in every one. It doesn’t matter what we start out talking about, Molly gets brought into the conversation.”
Finn’s fingers twitched to spin the globe on the edge of the desk. “And you think I love her?” His stomach flipped.
“Do you love her?”
He leaned forward planting his elbows on his thighs. “Her brother is my best friend.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Finn stood. “Her family is the only family I’ve known since Liam died.”
Dr. Hermannsen remained quiet. It was a commonly used technique by therapists – and cops. Fall silent, let the person you’re talking to fill it with whatever was making them feel guilty, or sad, or whatever else brought them through the door.
Finn started to pace. Four feet toward the window, four feet back toward the door. He raked his hands through his hair. He’d never admitted to anyone but himself how he felt about Molly. Once he said it aloud, there was no putting it back inside.
“Do you love her, Finn?”
Finn plopped back down onto the edge of the sofa and leaned his head back. “Only since forever.” The heavy weight that crushed his chest for years on end eased. “Yes. I love her. I tried not to. I tried to stop. I tried to pretend I didn’t, but I do. And I’m so fucking scared it’s going to ruin everything.”
“I can understand your reluctance. You don’t want to upset Will, you don’t want to upend the family dynamic and make waves… but what about what youdowant? What about the chance that things between you and Molly could work out?” Placing his pen on his notebook, he leaned back in his chair.
“What if she’s The One and you’re wasting all of this time and energy fighting your attraction to her?”
“Isn’t it selfish?” A flutter in Finn’s chest made him scratch at his shirt like he could chase it away.
“Being selfish isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, sometimes it’s necessary.”
***
After pushing food around his plate for an hour, mulling over what Dr. Hermannsen had said, Finn had left the hockey house with snacks and headed to Molly’s apartment. Cleo was leaving as he arrived.
“She home?” He scratched a hand over the back of his neck.
Cleo gave a knowing smile. “She is. She’s in her room.” She pushed the door open.
Finn took a step forward, then hesitated. Was he ready to potentially change everything? Was he ready to find out if she felt the same as he did? Blood pounded in his ears and there was no way the racing in his chest was normal.
Cleo placed her hand on his bicep. “Finn?”
He jumped. “Yeah?” He chuckled, cheeks burning.
“Go talk to her.”
He nodded. Maybe he shouldn’t talk at all. Maybe he should just grab her and kiss her until she thought it was a good idea, too.
The apartment was quiet as he dropped the snacks onto the dining table and made his way through to Molly’s room. He knocked quietly, but a sound from beyond the door gave him pause. Was that moaning?
