Page 50 of Once Bitten

“I told you I hid out there for about a year after Dad died.” I saw a flash of pain flicker across his face, just for a second, then disappear, but I knew the sadness stayed with him every day.

“Yeah, I remember,” I said softly.

“I got to know all of the staff really well, I mean, when I say I only talked to about five people for the entire year, I mean it, and they were those five people, Devin and Cathleen Healy, the owners, and some of the other staff. That hotel and the staff there, they saved my life, Kara. They gave me a sense of family when I felt mine had been ripped away from me.”

I nodded silently, not wanting to interrupt his flow.

“So once I emerged back into the world, I still returned several times a year, each time, it felt like coming home. But a few years ago, Devin had a serious stroke and was left quite severely handicapped. Cathleen just couldn’t handle it on her own, as well as take care of Devin, obviously. I found out through the bellman that a large chain were wanting to acquire it as part of their boutique hotel range. I knew then and there that no matter what I did, I couldn’t let that happen. They would suck the soul out of that place, Kara.” He shook his head at the thought and stared out the window, as if telling the story as it was written in the stars.

“Any way, I flew home the next day, talked to the Brian, our trustee advisor, who said I could either withdraw my part of the inheritance left from Dad and then find some investors to help cough up the extra 30% I needed, or use the pooled family money to buy it. I didn’t want to risk any of mom’s or Heather’s inheritance, they had enough going on without worrying about dead beat Finn fucking everything up so bad they’d end up on the street. So I took out my share, turned on the charm on some deep pocketed old high school buddies, came back here and gave Devin and Cathleen an offer I hoped they couldn’t refuse. Been mine ever since.”He shrugged, as if it were nothing. “I spent about a year looking for a manager for the place before I found Patrick and Doris. They used to run a chain of BnB’s along the coast, knew the area in and out, but this was better for them, being settled in one spot, and frankly, they’re perfect. So passionate, so professional, if anyone loves that place more than me it would be them. It’s safe in their hands. I am so lucky to have found them.”

I was riveted to his story and the matter of fact way he told it. The previous three days had shown me that Finn had natural business acumen, and he was smart, eloquent, logical, thoughtful.

But this tale of him acquiring the hotel in Dublin was about his own passion, his own business, something that came from a personal need. I was so impressed by what he’d become.

“But sometimes...” He continued, there was something in his voice, a soft wavering, an uncertainty, “I don’t know. I’m onto my third hotel, and now I’m starting work with Paul’s company, but I can’t help but wonder if Dad is looking down on me and thinking, ‘geez, who does he think he is? He can’t even get up from bed on time, and he wants to run multi million, billion dollar entities? He’s going to fuck up for sure’.” Finn dropped his head a little, as if lost in his own fear.

I couldn’t believe what he was saying, that he would feel this way. I knew that his false bravado when we were growing up, was just that, false, a way to exude a sense of confidence to the world. But surely he could see what he’d grown into.

“Finn,” I reached out for his hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. “You are...amazing.” He looked up at me sharply, as if surprised at what I’d said. “You are, you just are. I mean, you’re your Dad’s son for sure. You have grown into such a poised, brilliant, amazing man. Businessman, yes, but just a wonderful man, in general. I might’ve been head over heels with that vampire douche 15 years ago? But he has nothing on you.

And your Dad is probably beaming down so freakin’ proud of you right now, that that blonde hair of his is just stickin’ right up, all over the place, like it used to do when he’d dry it with the towel after getting out of the pool.”

Finn let out a small laugh, “oh yeah, I forgot about that. So hilarious, drove no hair out of place Mom bloody bonkers.”

We giggled softly at the memory of the great man he was. Then I felt a soft squeeze of my hand.

“You really think he’d be proud?”

“Out of his fucking mind, proud, Finn. I promise you. About as proud of you as I am.” I stared into his eyes and hoped he could see that he was the centre of everything that mattered to me in that moment.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Want dessert?”

“Bloody time! I thought I was going to have to threaten to cut your tip.”

“A selection of French pâtisseries et viennoiseriesfor Mademoiselle Greedy Guts!”He laid out a giant try with more than 15 miniature versions of different French cakes, tarts and pastries on the bed in front of us, and handed me an espresso.

“Damn. I’m glad I didn’t die after the burger before, or else I would’ve missed this.” I stared out at the array of sweets in awe, not wanting to eat them, they were so beautiful.

“You won’t want to miss the next course either.”

“Oh my god, more?? What is it?”

Finn’s eyes sparkled as he scooped up a tuft of whipped cream off a cake and smeared it against my neck. “You,” he answered my question, before licking the cream off my neck, making me want to skip the cakes altogether.