AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jack, Neil, and Gloria raised their hands along with Cole.
“It’s set, then.” Cole broke out in a smile.
“Wait. I haven’t voted,” Finn said. Foundation decisions needed to be unanimous.
Cole laughed and waved him off. “You always go with the flow, man.”
And didn’t that statement just anger the hell out of him. “Not this time.” He thinned his lips. “This is all happening too fast. We’re getting ourselves involved with other investors we don’t know. Remember how much planning went into the farm? It took years to get it off the ground. I’m not saying I will never say yes to this idea—it’s actually a great idea—just not yet. It’s too soon. We need to do a lot more research and strategic planning first.”
Cole stared at him incredulously. “What? Since when do you make waves?” His brother’s disgusted incredulity was an unfamiliar sight. “And why are you choosing today to do it?”
It was time for Finn to come clean. Time to ge
t his feeling of inadequacy off his chest. “You’re always thinking about yourselves.” He mimicked his brothers. “I want to do this. I want to do that.” Their mouths dropped open at his impression of them. “What about everyone else?”
He glanced back and forth between his brothers. He had rendered them speechless. Poor Gloria sat quietly in her corner.
“I understand. Believe me,” he forged on. “We spent so many years of our lives being overlooked. It’s not surprising you all thirst to be noticed by an adoring public. But in your attempts to do good deeds that appear great in press releases and on award plaques, you’re forgetting the real priority. The actual people we’re supposed to be helping.”
Neil pulled at the lapels of his suit jacket. “And you’re always thinking about others?”
“When have I ever done anything for myself?” Finn waited, eyeing each one of them. “Tell me.”
“What about Veronica?” Jack muttered.
Despite his argument with Mark being fairly contained, by now his brothers had to be aware of the relationship between him and Veronica. Former relationship.
“That’s none of your business, but yes. For the very first time I did something I wanted to do, consequences be damned.”
And he’d had a hell of a time doing it. But it was all over now. And he missed her more than he’d ever thought possible.
“I don’t need my name on a billboard,” he said sincerely. “Nothing splashy. I just want to be a man Vivian would have been proud of, a man worthy of a wife and children.”
But would the wife and kids ever come? He just didn’t know now.
“When you three fly off the handle, I’ve always been there to pick up the pieces and make sure they aren’t hurled at someone or something in a fit of rage. I’m always the one keeping the peace, and it’s exhausting. So, even though I’m going to be the cause of your anger, Cole, I can’t agree to this. Not yet.”
The sadness in Cole’s eyes was devastating. He had been defeated. At least for the time being. But Finn knew his fight wasn’t over.
“Fine.” Cole jumped up from his seat in the booth. “I don’t need your damn help. I have something else in place, anyway.” He picked up his red jacket from the table. “Forget I brought it up.” He pushed back his chair. It caught on the carpet and tumbled backward with a crash.
“Cole—”
But he was already gone, the back door banging behind him.
“That sound is becoming much too familiar,” Jack said as he played with the white gold band on his left ring finger.
“What’s the hell is going on with you, Finn?” Neil asked. “Screwing with Veronica? Going against the family?”
“I’m not screwing with her, we were screwing. And it was fantastic.” He’d had the time of his life with her. And he would give anything to have it again. ‘But it’s over.”
“Only if you let it be.” Jack’s eyes taunted him.
“Finn, honey…” Gloria leaned across the table and laid her hand on his arm. “Do you love this girl?”
He couldn’t lie, even though his first reaction was to push aside the truth. But he was so damn tired of hiding his true feelings about every damn thing in his life. So he nodded wearily. Even without looking up, he knew his brothers were exchanging shocked glances.
“What did you tell me last year?” Jack asked at length. “You’re the one who told me to get over myself and go after Sterling. You, with your heart on your sleeve, the only one of us who’s always believed in true love. And brother, if you’ve found it, you shouldn’t let it go.”
