AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finn picked my hand back up, and he stared down at where we were connected. “Romero came to my room to check on me after they left and to make sure I was okay. I don’t know why or how it happened, but he… sort of kissed me. I told him it couldn’t happen again because of you, but he tried to assure me that you wouldn’t be upset. I’ve been trying to call you ever since so I could let you know. I didn’t want you to think—”
I placed my fingers over Finn’s mouth, and he finally stopped talking.
“Finn, honestly,” I assured him, “I don’t care that Romero kissed you. Hopefully one day soon he’ll kiss me too, and then we can compare notes. Relax and take a deep breath. I’m not mad, I swear. You and I are perfectly fine.”
His body sagged as exhaustion appeared to overtake him. I noticed the dark smudges beneath his eyes, and that was when all of his words hit me, and I was finally able to make sense of all of them.
“Geez, Finn. You didn’t sleep at all last night, did you? You stayed up all night worrying about this. You poor thing. Here, why don’t we get our boots off, and you can lie down in my bed to sleep for a little while.”
He didn’t argue with me as I unlaced one of his boots while he worked on the other. He toed off his boots and slipped under the messy sheet and comforter.
“You might not give a shit about what that slutty ginger bastard’s doing, but I sure as hell do,” Rain snapped as I tucked the covers in tightly around Finn.
I hadn’t got to see Finn the last time he’d been in my bed. Witnessing it now made me quite happy. He looked like he belonged there.
I brushed the hair off his forehead and kissed him sweetly on it. His eyes slid closed, and I stepped away from him.
I ignored Rain’s jealousy entirely as I picked up my coffee and sipped from it. It was perfectly sweet and warm enough to spread heat throughout my belly.
Finn was the sweetest, and he was quickly worming his way into the icy depths of my heart.
“Goddamn it, Isobel. We need to talk about—”
I loved Rain. Really, I did. But I’d be damned if I was going to stand here and listen to this crap from him. He’d just recently sorted his own feelings out, though he had yet to share them with me, and now he wanted to boss me around and tell me how to feel about something?
Yeah, how about not?
“Shut up, Rain. Finn isn’t going to be able to sleep with your nagging, and you’re going to give me a raging headache. And while you’re at it, you need to get your jealousy under control. It’s very unbecoming, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that you’ve known Romero and I have both been in love with you from the moment we both entered your life, and you’ve thus far chosen to do absolutely nothing about it. You can’t be upset now if we go around kissing other people, so suck it up.”
“How dare—”
“Also, while you’re at it, tell your daughter to keep both my name and Finn’s name out of her mouth. I thought we were family, and I know what that means to me. It’s unfortunate that I’m just now discovering what that means to her.”
I would never talk badly about her in front of other people, and I would never allow anyone else to do so in front of me either. If I had something to say, I would say it to her damn face and then be done with it.
“You don’t know for sure what she said. Perhaps Finn is over exaggerating.”
The problem was he didn’t sound very sure of his own words. If he didn’t believe them, then how was I supposed to?
I refused to meet his eyes. The hurt was too real, and I didn’t want him to see it. “You still need to get ready, and I’m sure Baxter needs to be fed. If you don’t hurry up, Rain, you’ll be late opening the shop.”
All of this was true, and I hoped it would help get him out of my space. I knew he wasn’t to blame for how I felt, but I also knew he’d defend his daughter beyond all reason, and I really wasn’t interested in hearing it at the moment. Any other time, it was a trait I admired about him. Not today, not when my feelings were so hurt.
“You have to work this morning too,” he said in a soft voice.
I dipped my head in acknowledgement, and he finally left the room without another word.
Finn snored softly, having slept through the entire conversation. I felt awful for him. Later, we’d need to have a very in-depth conversation about our relationship and what was okay and what was not. Then he’d never have to stay awake all night, worried about me being upset with him. I know I said I sucked with boundaries, but when they got laid out for this relationship, I would respect them to the fullest.
My phone had turned itself back on and was already at a whole six percent battery power. I plucked it off the pad and sent a quick text to the group chat I had with Toby and Baylie, the two orphan teens who worked when I didn’t.
Isobel:Morning, boys.
Isobel:I was hoping there might be some chance that one of you would be willing to take my shift today.
Toby:Is everything okay?
Baylie:I can take it for you. Toby is already working tonight. I hope you’re okay, and if you need more shifts covered, don’t be afraid to ask.
