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I finally muster up the courage to ask, “When did you finally get together?”
Derek’s answer is vague and dismissive, “Seventy-two hours ago, give or take?” His attention is focused on the road.
“Really? Because you two already acted like a couple while I was in the safe house,” I say, so I push the question, “Why did it take you so long to get together?”
“Finn was emotionally constipated.” I can sense the sadness in Derek’s voice, and I know there’s more to the story.
“But he’s not anymore?” I ask.
“Nope,” Derek answers. “You left without a goodbye and cut him off. That did the trick. He ended the cartel, started therapy, and now is trying his best to merge his old life with this new one.”
I can feel the guilt rising in my chest, knowing that I had played a part in Finn’s emotional turmoil. It wasn’t my intention, but I had to leave and put myself first. I had to heal.
“I’m glad to know you two are finally happy,” I say, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.
“We,” Derek corrects me. “It has to be a we, and not just Finn and Derek, Piper. We didn’t get together until he was ready to move forward with the two of us. I love you both and choosing was never an option.”
I can’t help but feel cautious at the thought of the three of us together, but Derek’s words bring me some comfort. He takes my hand and kisses it. “I give you my word that we’re all in.”
“That sounds too good to be true,” I argue, but I can taste the lie in my mouth. I know relationships like the one he’s proposing can work. I’m a product of a trouple and I’ve seen firsthand that love like this does exist. But there’s still something, a fear that I can’t quite put my finger on.
“What about the company?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
We arrive at the house I’ve been renting and after he kills the engine, he sighs. “We’ll talk more inside, okay?”
I can’t help but wonder what he’s about to say.
“What happened?” Finn glares at Derek when he opens the door and gives me a hand to help me down. “She was smiling when I left her with you.”
“I told her we have to talk,” Derek says, his voice heavy with concern.
“Oh great, she’s going to break up with us,” Finn mutters under his breath. “And we’ve only just begun.”
When we get inside the house, Halsey starts dancing around Derek. He picks her up and she licks his face. “How’s my girl? Have you been good to Mom?” he asks, his voice filled with love and affection for the pup.
“Let them have a moment,” I say to Finn, heading to the kitchen where I change Halsey’s water and grab a couple of treats. “You’re going to have to bribe her,” I tell Finn, giving him the doggy cookies. “She’s not great with strangers.”
“In the journal, you said she was going to love me,” he protests, but it takes me a while to respond with a comeback.
My mind is consumed with the impending conversation with Derek, and I can’t shake the feeling that my world is about to be rocked to its core.
“I wrote a lot of things there that might not be true anymore,” I say, hiding a smile because he read my entries.
“What exactly did I say that drew that smile?” he asks, kissing my cheek.
“Nothing.”
“Piper?”
“You read my journal. It’s just… I don’t know. It’s nice to know you went through it.”
“And I watched every video I recorded before…” He shrugs a shoulder. “He loved you—a lot.”
“He did,” I mumble.
“I can never replace the history and love that you shared with Archer. But I want you to know that I, Finnegan, love you, Piper. I swear to fall deeper in love with you each and every day.”
My stomach twists in a knot as his gaze bores into mine. “There’s still the fear of the unknown.”
