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“Those two seriously look like the stuff wet dreams are made of,” Peyton mumbles beside me, both of our eyes focused on the two gorgeous men coming directly for us.
Both are probably a foot taller than me with that just-got-out-of-bed look that comes so effortlessly for men. They’re both deep in conversation about Lord knows what, which gives me the perfect opportunity to ogle them both. Although, no matter how hard I try to resist, my attention is drawn back to Finn.
“There’s my little man!” Campbell shouts as he comes bounding toward us, quickly wrapping his muscular arms around his little boy and lifting him into the air.
“Daddy!” Ashton squeals in glee before throwing his arms around his father’s shoulders. “Is it true that you and Ms. Marissa work at the police station together?”
“It’s a sheriff’s department, buddy. But yes. She’s teaching me the ropes,” Campbell responds before pressing a kiss to the top of his mother’s head.
“So cool.” Ashton looks at me as if I hung the moon, causing me to blush.
“Miss me?” Finn whispers in my ear, causing me to jump slightly. His gravelly voice sends a shiver down my spine as my cheeks heat in embarrassment.
“Don’t be an ass,” Peyton snaps, pushing him back slightly and stepping between us. “Or did you forget that you left her without so much as ascrew youa few weeks ago? How dare you think you can come back here and act like nothing has happened.”
“What does it mean when you call someone an ass?” Ashton’s tiny head cocks to the side. “Mamaw said that if you say that word, you’d get your mouth washed out with soap. I never say it, but she did. Does that mean you’re going to wash her mouth out with soap, Daddy?”
“Shoot me now,” I mumble, causing Finn to laugh loudly.
Campbell sighs as Ms. Peggy ducks her head in embarrassment. “I’ll explain it when you’re older, Ash.”
“You always say that,” Ashton grumbles before turning his attention to me. “Will you tell me, please?” He gives me a very practiced puppy dog look, but I raise my hands in surrender.
“Oh, don’t look at me, little man. If your daddy wants you to know, he’ll tell you.”
“She’s right. Now, who wants to grab some ice cream before we head to the Floreses’ house for lunch?”
“Yes!” Ashton shouts, pumping his tiny fist in the air as Campbell lowers him to the ground. “Mamaw, let’s hurry before Daddy changes his mind.” He immediately grabs Ms. Peggy’s hand, attempting to tug her toward the parking lot.
“I guess that’s my cue. I’ll see you kids at the Floreses’ in a little while.”
“See you later, Ms. Peggy,” we respond in unison as she turns on her heels and allows little Ashton to drag her toward the car, leaving the three of us alone.
My mind races to find a viable excuse to disappear to my SUV, but Peyton beats me to it. “Slipping her a note isn’t very original, Finn.”
“It’s okay, Peyton.” My head drops down to my chest, tears pooling in my eyes. I need to stay strong, to keep these emotions locked tightly in the recesses of my soul until I can get somewhere private. “He said he wants to apologize.”
“I don’t care.” Peyton crosses her arms over her chest, locked in a staring contest with Finn. “Some things aren’t fixed so easily with an apology.”
“I know,” he responds, his eyes sparkling with an emotion I refuse to name as they meet mine. “I need to tell her that leaving was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I needed to. I should have explained. Made sure she understood that I was coming back for her. That I’d never leave her.”
“But you still left.”
“I’m sorry, sugar,” Finn responds before pulling me towards him.
I bury my nose in his chest and inhale deeply, overcome with his smell, which causes me to snuggle deeper into his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist as a sense of feeling safe and protected washes over me, as if Finn and I are the only two people in the world.
Wait, what?
I step out of his arms, putting distance between us once again. Hurt flashes in Finn’s eyes before he drops his arms, shoving them into his pocket. “Please give me a chance to explain. If you still want me gone, I’ll leave you alone. But I’m not leaving. I’ll be waiting for you.” He leans forward and plants a kiss on my forehead. “See you later, Marissa.”
“See you,” I mumble, even more confused by his words than I was before. Finn smirks as I stride in the opposite direction, needing to put some distance between Finn and me.
“You know your SUV is that way, right?” Peyton questions as she catches up to me, threading her arm through mine.
“Yes, I know,” I respond, trying to focus on anything else but the warring emotions in my heart. We walk in silence for a few minutes before I speak again. “What in the actual fuck just happened?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. But one thing I’m certain of is that man loves you.”
