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FINN
Ihate that I need to leave New York today. Spending the past week with Ellie has been amazing, and it sucks that this time together has to end so soon. But we both knew I’d be heading home as soon as the winter break was over, and I’ve left it until the absolute last possible minute.
“Okay, Ireallyneed to go now,” I say with a chuckle, tearing myself away from yet another hungry kiss. “I need to stop by Dec and Heath’s and then get on the road before peak hour.”
“Mmmhmm.” Ellie nods her agreement, but nonetheless pulls me back down for another kiss. And of course I let her.
Luckily, we’re interrupted by Jake before anything can happen toreallyderail my plans to leave.
“So does this mean everyone finally came to their senses and realized I’m old enough to stay on my own without a babysitter?” he says drolly.
I step back from Ellie and offer my cousin a wry smile. “Actually, this means Ellie’s going to stay a couple more nights, and then Shay and Jamie will be back on Tuesday.”
Jake groans. “This is ridiculous. I’m almost eighteen!”
“And when you’re completely eighteen you’ll be able to stay on your own to your heart’s content.”
He lets out a resigned sigh. “I guess.”
Glancing back at Ellie, I offer her a soft smile. “Thanks for doing this.”
“It’s fine. We’ll have fun, right Jake?”
Jake just shrugs. “Sure.”
I let out a soft breath of laughter and lean forward to brush a kiss to Ellie’s cheek. Truthfully, I’m glad she’s not going to be on her own for the next couple days. I know chaos from the so called ‘sex tape’ has simmered down quite a lot, but I still don’t like the idea of Ellie being on her own after such a horrible experience. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself, I know that, but she deserves to have support around her, and if I can’t be here I’m glad at least someone will be. A cereal-hogging teenaged boy probably wouldn’t be my first pick, but he’ll do. And Aidan is supposedly flying in next week so they can get some work done for their show, so that will be great for Ellie.
“Alright, I really need to go this time,” I say with a reluctant sigh. Before I can once again give into the temptation to kiss her, I step clear away from Ellie and grab my duffle bag from the floor, flinging it over my shoulder.
As promised, I stop by Declan and Heath’s apartment before leaving the city, and the experience is…well, let’s call itinteresting.
“Babe, I can’t find the nipples!” I hear Heath calling out as Dec lets me into the apartment.
Declan gives a wry shake of his head and leads me toward the kitchen, where Heath is rummaging through cupboards and drawers, a fussing baby Caplin held against his shoulder. Yeah, after all their arguing about names and Heath’s insistence he didn’t want the kid to called anything too “out there” they opted for Caplin of all things. It’s Heath’s family name, though, which he gave up when he married Dec, so I guess it makes sense.
“Have you checked the sterilizer?” Declan suggests. Before Heath can respond, Dec strides over to fiddle with an appliance that’s sitting on the kitchen counter. He opens it and retrieves a top for a baby bottle—which I guess is called a nipple? He then sidles up to Heath and picks up the bottle of formula that’s sitting on the counter, twisting the top in place. “Hey, Finn, you want to feed him?”
“Uh…I’m good, thanks,” I say, hoping I don’t sound too freaked out by the prospect.
Judging by Heath’s wry laugh, I’m not sure I succeed. He hands the baby to my brother so Dec can give him the bottle, and then moves around to the front of the breakfast bar, leaning back against it and folding his arms over his chest. “I’m assuming you’re here to make up for missing Cap’s intro to the family the other night?”
I wince. “Yeah, sorry about that. Ellie and I sort of got caught up…”
Heath holds up a hand. “Hang on. You missed the chat because you were havingsex?We all thought you were boycotting Zoom because of the whole sex tape debacle.”
“Don’t go getting all pissy on me,” I warn. “You guys have missed tons of stuff ‘cause you were distracted with sex.”
Heath considers my point for a moment, then sighs in resignation. “Yeah, I suppose.”
“So I guess you and Ellie finally worked your shit out?” Dec asks.
“Of course they did,” Heath says with a smirk. “You saw the video.”
“Yousawthe video?” I demand, horrified.
“We didnotsee the video,” Declan assures me. “We just saw…a few little bits of it.”
“So you’re really into all the lingerie and makeup stuff, huh?” Then he quickly holds his hands up as though he’s a perp and I’m a cop who’s just pulled a gun on him. “No judgement, I swear.”
