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“Like I did the last time?” he asked. “You nearly punched your hand through my chest.” He rubbed the spot as if the bruise was still there. “I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.”
Harry studied him for a few heartbeats before she grinned and shook her head. “Okay, you might have a point.”
Finley’s mouth fell open in genuine surprise. “What? You’re admitting you’re wrong?” he teased.
“Don’t push it, brat.”
“I can’t seem to help myself.” Finley reached back toward the fruit bowl, but she swatted his hand away.
“You’ll ruin your appetite.”
Finley laughed and retracted his hand. “Yes, ma’am.”
Harry was older by thirteen years and often felt more like a bonus mom than his sister, especially when she bossed him around so much. He’d hated it when they were younger but had grown fond of her overprotectiveness. Their mom had had Harriet with her first husband, who hadn’t stuck around to help raise the fiery redhead. Finley’s sperm donor, who was Hope’s third attempt at a happily ever after, wasn’t much better at parenting. Hope, Harry, and Finley formed a tight bond, adopting an “us against the world” mentality until Hope met Gary, ending her streak of toxic relationships and expanding their family. For her, the fourth time was the charm. Finley’s stepfather was the reason his mother could speak about rehabilitating the heart and finding true love with conviction. She hadn’t given up and didn’t want her only son to either. It seemed she was trying to prod his healing process along, and Finley was positive she wouldn’t have brought it up to him without discussing it with Harry first.
“I know how you can get your mind off your stomach,” Harry said.
Finley tossed up his hands in surrender. “Fine. Put me to work.”
“Do you want to assemble the lasagna or make the salad?” she asked.
“I’ll do assembly.” Finley stepped over to the sink. He pumped the soap dispenser twice, lathering his hands thoroughly before rinsing them. “Who’s the guy Mom wants me to meet?”
Harry moved to the refrigerator and retrieved a freezer bag full of mixed greens and several containers of vegetables and salad fixings. “He’s someone Gary knows. His name is Michael, and he recently moved to Last Chance Creek. That’s all I know.”
Finley pinned her with a disbelieving stare. “How’s that possible?”
Harry shrugged. “I didn’t ask questions. I’m trying to stay out of your business. And before I forget, Mom sent a jar of her special salve for muscle aches with me yesterday, but I forgot to give it to you last night. It’s in that small purple bag by the refrigerator.”
The salve’s arrival was perfect timing since he wanted to give some to Kieran, and he was down to his last jar. “Thank you,” Finley said, “and since when do you stay out of my business?”
Harry slapped him lightly on the arm. “Since you’ve become a grown-ass man who can care for himself.”
Finley quirked a brow as he dried his hands. “So this morning?”
His sister aimed a cheeky grin at him. “Yep. I told Mom to stay out of your business, but it sounds like she didn’t listen to me.” Harry set her bounty on the island counter and pulled an enormous bowl from the cabinet beneath it. “I gotta admit she has good taste.” Then she removed three large rectangular casserole dishes for the lasagnas.
Finley retrieved the pot of meat sauce from the stove and set it on the workstation. “You’ve met Michael?”
Harry shook her head. “She showed me a picture. You could search Gary’s social media profiles for friends or followers named Michael.” Their stepfather was a very successful real estate agent with tons of connections, so Harry’s suggestion sounded like finding a needle in a haystack. “He has dark hair and eyes like the hunk Cash brought home today,” Harry continued, fanning her face with both hands. “The solemn expression in that guy’s eyes really punched me in the chest. He reminded me of a stray puppy.” Harry sucked in a sharp breath as she realized what she said. Finley could feel her stare but didn’t turn to meet her gaze. “Where did Cash place the new guy? His name started with aK. Keith. Kevin.”
She damn well knew his name, but he’d take the bait. “Kieran.”
“That’s it,” she said, snapping her fingers. “Do you know where Kieran is going to work?” When Finley started assembling the first dish without answering, Harry groaned. “Oh no.”
Finley finished the first layer of noodles in the casserole dish nearest to him. “It will be fine, sis.”
Harry placed her small hand on his forearm, and Finley looked at her. “Kieran is the ultimate fixer-upper. I get the attraction, but I’m worried about you working with him so closely.”
Finley was worried too, but he put on a brave front for his sister. “Kieran isn’t dangerous.”
“He is to your heart,” Harry countered. “You are the best person in the world, Fin. You deserve so much better than you allow.”
Two of those remarks were one hundred percent accurate, but he wasn’t so sure about the other. Finley tried to be a good person, but he was sure there was someone more deserving of the best-person title. “Which is why I’m giving serious consideration to Mom’s suggestion. Who better to guide me through picking a good partner than Hope? I can benefit from all her knowledge without the messy divorces.”
Harry removed her hand from his forearm and placed it on her chest. “You don’t want to become a spinster like me?”
Finley snorted. “You would’ve been considered a spinster two hundred years ago. Now you’re just smart because you refuse to settle.” Hope would say Harry refused to take chances, but Finley wasn’t as brave as their mother. He wished his sister would open her eyes and heart to the possibility of love. It might be closer than she realized.
