Molly:In fact, I kinda want more cuddle time.
Finn:And sexy time.
Molly:That too.
Molly:You know I’m not good at this, right?
She pinched the bridge of her nose. Understatement of the year. Not good? Considering the only relationship she’d ever had ended badly – she pretty much sucked at relationships.
Finn:Can you breathe please? You’re good at being you. Great at it in fact. You don’t need to change, or do anything different. This isn’t going to get weird unless you want it to.
Finn:I mean, part of me is kinda sorta hoping we get weird – but not awkward weird. Like freaky weird.
She laughed. Maybe she could do it. Maybe she could let go of her fear enough to let Finn into her heart. Maybe he could be the warmth she needed to breathe life back into it. Maybe if she gave him her heart, he could even be trusted enough not to break it.
Chapter 24
Molly
“I’m so fucking proud of you.” Molly smoothed the shoulders of Finn’s dress shirt in her parents’ living room. Tears welled in her eyes as she traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. “You’re going to do great things, Finnegan O’Brien.”
“I already have.” He pecked her on the forehead and her heart exploded.
It had been almost a month since they’d first gotten together, and so far, so good. Lying to damn near everyone she knew about her relationship with her brother’s best friend got a little easier each day. She had no words to say back to his sweet statement, but she held his gaze, hoping he could see her swirling emotions instead of her making a mess of trying to voice them.
Dad cleared his throat behind her as he came into the room, and she jumped back from Finn. “You kids ready to go?”
“Can someone help me with this damned tie?” Will appeared through the doorway Dad had just walked through. By clearing his throat, Dad had unknowingly saved her ass from being busted by her brother.
The muscles in her shoulders and neck tightened. Both Finn and Will had made their dreams come true by getting drafted by the Wild, Minnesota’s local NHL team; they’d start in the fall. And while they talked about sharing a house together, they’d ultimately decided on getting apartments in the same building instead – thank fuck.
“C’mere, Willy. Let me help.” She couldn’t meet his eyes as she fixed his tie and straightened it. Would he see the guilt that suffocated her every day? Did he sense the near miss?
Hands clapped together behind her. “Oh, my! Look at you three.”
“Three? Mom, you know I’m not graduating yet, right?” Molly gestured at her knee-length blue dress and four inch sunshine yellow sandals.
“I do.” Mom sniffed. “But you’re all grown up. The three of you look so… so…” She waved the tissue clutched in her hand.
“I think your mom’s trying to say you’re not fifteen years old anymore, Bug.” Dad gave her a pointed look. “You’re all grown up and heading out into the big bad world, making all kinds of decisions for yourselves.”
Dad flicked his gaze to Finn before shifting it back to Molly. Did he know? Her chest constricted. Surely not. They’d been so careful. Molly nodded, still not breathing.
“Everything’s going to be okay, Molly.” Dad stroked her upper arm, and the taut cords inside her almost snapped.
“I need to pee.” She hurried past Mom toward the bathroom.
“Didn’t you just go?”
“Must be nerves.” Dad’s voice carried something she couldn’t identify.
“It’s not even her graduation.” Will’s irritation prickled under her skin.
“Maybe she’s scared you’re going to trip on your gown and fall on the stage.”
She smirked at Finn’s comeback.
“Why? Why would you even put that out into the universe, man?”
