by Isla Drake
I give a little wave to the troll behind the desk who casts a dismissive glance at the two of us as we exit the front office.
“Yep,” I say. “Your mom has a bridal party to impress.”
“What’s that?” he asks.
I do my best to explain the gaggle of women to him as we walk out to my truck, but I can tell by his expression that he finds it to be a foreign concept. I’m inclined to agree with him, but since large weddings have been a major financial boon for my business, I can’t complain. As I drive back toward the Jester, I notice Liam’s demeanor grows more upbeat with every mile.
“How are you feeling?” I ask. “How’s your stomach?”
“S’okay,” he says, watching the trees pass by his window.
“Not hurting anymore?”
“Not too bad,” he says.
My eyes narrow. Is the kid faking it? It's possible. Liam is clever. But I’d thought for sure he was too innocent for such deception.
"So, Liam," I say. "What classes are you missing this afternoon? Nothing major, I hope?"
I glance at him in the rear-view mirror. He looks slightly uncomfortable. After a moment, he mutters, "Just P.E."
It's clear he doesn't have any love for that class. "You don't like P.E.?" I ask.
Liam shakes his head. "I'm not good at it," he says, miserably.
"Good at P.E.?" I say. "You don't have to be good. You just have to keep trying."
Liam sighs as if I'm being dense.
"What have you guys been doing in there lately?" I ask, trying to get to the bottom of this. If it's something major enough for him to fake being sick and skip class, it shouldn't be ignored.
Liam's answer, when it comes is mumbled. "Baseball.”
After another brief pause, he elaborates. “I can't ever hit the ball. And Tommy Stratford gets everyone to laugh at me."
My hands tighten on the wheel. I hate bullies. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Liam that Tommy Stratford's dad sucked at baseball all the way through high school, so Tommy should keep his big mouth shut. But I don't. I’m supposed to be the mature adult in this situation.
"That's an easy fix," I say instead. Liam looks skeptical, but I keep talking. "I'm pretty good at baseball. I taught all my brothers and even my sister. If I can teach them, I know I can teach you." Liam still looks dubious, but I also see a hint of excitement in his eyes.
"That is, if you're not feeling too sick?" Liam hesitates but only for a moment.
"I think I'm starting to feel better."
I smile. "I thought so."
Instead of heading straight for the big house, I turn onto a small side road that leads to a storage shed on the Jester's property. It doesn't take long for Liam and me to find the box labeled "Baseball Stuff". We dig out some old gloves and I let him try them on until he finds one that fits well enough.
"You can keep that one," I tell him. Liam gives me a shy smile. I grab a few bats that I think might work for him as well as a few baseballs. We throw everything into the back of the truck and climb back in.
As I drive toward the big field near the main house, Liam begins chattering about school and baseball and how much he wants to hit the ball. He's wearing my old Little League glove and keeps pounding his child-sized fist into it. I smile at the sight. Part of me considers all the things on my desk begging for my attention, but they can wait. When it comes to an 8-year-old's honor on the playground, signing off on supply spreadsheets can wait.
Chapter Three
Hannah
When I come back to the main house for a quick bite of lunch, I’m surprised to find that Finn isn’t in his office. I’d expected to find him there. I figured we could eat together as we do most days. We usually use the time to discuss work. I want to talk to him about the mother of the bride insisting that we change the color of the tablecloths for the rehearsal dinner. It isn’t a major change and it’s something I can easily do. But it will likely clash with the flower arrangements the bride chose specifically because they’d been the same flowers the groom had given her on their third date. Granted, it isn’t really something that really requires Finn’s attention. I just think he’ll get a kick out of it. I can practically see him rolling his eyes.
I eat lunch alone in my office while I review the event bookings for the rest of the month. We have a family reunion and a weekend bachelorette party getaway planned in the next few weeks. I make some notes regarding possible activities for each event to make their time at the Jester more enjoyable. Some of our guests want nothing more than to relax during their stay. Others prefer to pack their trip full of activities. Either way, I’ll be prepared with options. I finish my lunch and check the time. The rest of the wedding party isn’t due to arrive for nearly an hour. I want to find Finn and run some things by him before they arrive to steal my attention.
I check his office again, but he’s still not there. As I turn to leave, a movement outside the window catches my eye. I walk closer, trying to get a better look. I can see Finn in the large clearing behind the big house. He’s bending down next to a little boy who looks an awful lot like Liam. My eyes narrow. I check my watch. It’s too early for Liam to be out of school.
“What the hell?” I mutter, turning to leave Finn’s office.
I go out through the nearest door and make my way around the wrap-around porch to the back stairs. As I get closer to Liam and Finn, I can see that they’re playing baseball. Baseball? Liam has never shown any interest in baseball. As I watch, Finn tosses a ball to Liam who does his best to catch it. The ball just misses his outstretched glove and bounces on the ground behind him. Liam scrambles after it, noticing me as he does. He waves enthusiastically.
“Hey Mom!” he calls before turning back to face Finn and throwing the ball with more enthusiasm than accuracy or strength. The ball sails forward a few feet, curving to the left as it does. It lands nowhere near Finn and rolls a bit before stopping.
Finn is walking toward me now, a nervous-looking smile on his face. I cross my arms over my chest and shoot him a look that clearly says, “What the hell is going on and why is my kid not at school right now?”
Finn looks away from me to Liam. “Give me a minute to talk to your mom, okay buddy?”
Liam nods. “Sure, Finn.”
Finn ruffles Liam’s hair as he passes, the casual gesture of affection catching my eye. Finn has always been great with Liam. Even when Liam was a drooling baby, Finn never shied away from him. He’d carry him around the grounds, distracting him while I finished my work in the afternoons. He’s never missed a single birthday party in eight years. It’s not anything I haven’t always known, but it strikes me all over again seeing him like this. Finn is a good man. When I think about Paul and all the ways he let me and Liam down all those years ago, it’s easy to forget that good men exist. But Finn reminds me.
“Hey,” Finn says with a grin that makes him look boyish. “I can explain.”
I school my features into a stern mask. “You mean you can explain why my kid is playing baseball instead of in class right now?”
Finn holds up a hand. “Actually,” he says. “Liam would be playing baseball right now if he were still at school. Technically, I’m just giving him one-on-one tutoring.” He flashes me what I consider his most charming smile.
“Hm,” I say. “Okay. Explain.”
Finn tells me how the school had tried to get in touch with me but couldn’t. I fish my cell phone from my pocket and see that somehow the sound has been muted all day. No wonder things have seemed relatively peaceful. I’ve missed 2 calls from the school, 3 texts from Quinn and there is what seems like an infinite number of email notifications. I turn on my notifications and slip the phone back into my pocket.
“Sorry,” I tell Finn. “My phone was somehow on silent. I don’t know how that happened.”
“It’s okay,” he says. “Liam and I have had fun so far.”
“Thank you for picking him up,” I say. I watch Liam scramble af
ter a ball after he misses a catch he’d thrown into the air. “Why again, did you have to pick him up?”
“Right,” Finn says, his face making a little grimace. “The school nurse said he had a stomachache. I didn’t know what you’d want to do. But I didn’t want to bother you since I knew you were busy doing the job of three people. So, I decided to go get him. I hope that’s okay. I didn’t mean to overstep or anything. The school said I was on the emergency contact list and the pick-up list, so I just…” he trails off, shrugging sheepishly.
I shake my head quickly. “No, no, no,” I say. “You did fine. I’m not upset.” For some reason I feel flustered. “Thank you, again. I’m sorry about that. When I put you on the list, it was mainly just in case. I didn’t know many people here in town and I trust you with him. Plus, I figured if there was ever a situation where I was unreachable, you’d probably be able to find me.” I laugh. “Since I’d probably be here, working.”
Finn looks contrite. “I’m not that bad, am I?”
“Oh!” I realize how my words must have sounded. “No! That’s not what I meant at all.”
He laughs, making it clear that he was joking.
I roll my eyes at him. “I hate you,” I say.
“Nah,” he laughs. “You like me. Best boss ever.”
“Only because I once worked for a telemarketing company in college,” I say. “You rank right above that guy.”
Finn clutches his chest. “Ouch.”
We both smile as we watch Liam for a few seconds.
“I have to say,” I say eventually. “He doesn’t seem to be feeling too awful right now.”
Finn leans toward me and speaks in a low voice. "Between you and me, I don't think he's sick at all. He mentioned not being the best at baseball and not wanting to go to PE because of it."
My mouth drops open in surprise. "That little turd! Skipping class at eight years old? What's next? Smoking crack?"
Finn laughs. "Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “Next up is getting a tattoo and knocking up his girlfriend.”
At my horrified look, he throws back his head and lets out a massive peal of laughter. I force myself not to stare. Finn’s usually so serious, especially at work. Seeing him laughing does something to me. My brain tries to steer itself toward “Fantasy Land”, but I know that’s a mistake. Instead I turn and look over to where Liam is practicing swinging at the empty air. He looks so focused. The sight helps take my mind off how sexy Finn looks right now.
“Stop worrying so much,” Finn says, pulling my attention back to him. He’s looking at Liam, rather than me. “He's a great kid. He was just embarrassed."
"I wonder why he didn't tell me."
"You're a girl," Finn says, turning back to me with a completely serious expression. "This is man stuff."
I shoot him a narrow-eyed gaze and shove at his arm. "Whatever. I can hit a baseball, too."
The move brings me closer to Finn. I can smell the subtle scent of him. It makes me want to close the distance between us and bury my face against that exposed skin at his collar. Neither of us move for a long moment. My eyes move up from the open collar of Finn’s shirt to the line of his jaw. I picture kissing and licking my way from his mouth to that strong jaw and down the column of his neck. I pull my lower lip between my teeth, fighting the urge to act on my impulses. I’m so utterly tempted to completely disregard the fact that we’re outside in full view of anyone who might be nearby, not to mention the fact that Finn’s my boss. My eyes shift to his. There’s that hint of that something more in his eyes that I thought I’d seen earlier. It’s as though he can read my thoughts. It lasts slightly longer this time and I want to drop everything so I can explore it further. What is he thinking?
A movement behind Finn catches my attention, breaking the spell over us. Finn turns and follows my gaze. We watch as a large SUV rolls down the tree-lined drive toward the main house. That would be the rest of the wedding party. I look at Liam and then back to Finn. The fire in his eyes is once again banked. He smiles down at me as though everything is normal. Maybe it is. Maybe it’s just me imagining what I’d like to see.
"Go," Finn says. "I've got him." Is his voice strained? I’m probably imagining that too.
“Are you sure?” I’m proud that my words come out sounding utterly normal despite my racing heart.
“Absolutely,” he says. “Besides, there’s no one better at guest relations than you.” From anyone else, it would sound like false flattery, but I know Finn. He doesn’t give out false compliments. If he says something, it’s because he means it.
“Thanks,” I say softly. Then, to Liam, “Hey buddy, I gotta go back to work. You okay hanging out with Finn for a while?”
“Yes!” Liam practically shouts. He’s grinning broadly and I can’t help but smile back. Much as I wish I could stay and hang out with Finn too, duty calls. I wave at the two of them and turn to walk back toward the main house.
Part of me feels a deep pang of sadness for what Liam might be missing by not having had his father in his life. Not that I think a man is necessary to help raise a boy, but today has made me realize that there are things about being a little boy that I just haven’t considered. Finn picked up on it during a 10-minute car ride. I glance back once before going inside. Finn is crouched down beside Liam demonstrating the proper way to hold a baseball bat. They’re too far away for me to see Liam’s face, but he’s nodding enthusiastically and mimicking Finn’s stance. I swallow away a lump in my throat and remind myself to thank Finn again for today. I know there are a ton of things he should be doing at work. Instead, he’s taking an afternoon off to teach someone else’s son how to hit a baseball. It’s another reminder of the kind of man he is.
Taking a deep breath, I pull myself together and put on my most welcoming smile as I enter the building. It’s showtime.
Chapter Four
Hannah
When I’m finally finished for the night, my feet and lower back are killing me and I’m exhausted. I’ve managed to get 11 members of the wedding party, along with their significant others settled into their rooms. Only one member is unaccounted for—the best man is going to be here tomorrow morning. Apparently, he had something pressing at work that couldn’t be put off. The bride had seemed annoyed by this fact, but the groom had only smiled good-naturedly. I wonder if the bride and her future husband’s best friend don’t get along, then decide it’s not my business. I just need everyone to play nice until Saturday morning when the happy couple will jet off to Saint Lucia for their honeymoon and the rest of the guests will go back to their normal, boring lives somewhere far from The Jester. I love weddings. I do. They’re just so exhausting. I’m always glad when they’re over.
I find Liam in the kitchen with Finn, bent over a slice of apple pie. There’s an empty plate in front of Finn, evidence that he’s already finished his own pie. I smile at the sight of the two of them. Finn notices me standing there and shoots me a smile.
“Come on in,” he says, standing. “We’re just about finished, but I saved you a plate.”
He gestures at his empty seat. I shake my head. “I’m okay,” I lie, ignoring my growling stomach. “We need to get home. I’m sure Liam has homework.”
“Already did it,” Liam says around a mouthful of pie. I cast a questioning glance at Finn. Usually it’s like pulling teeth to get Liam to do his homework.
Finn smiles as he walks over with a plate of lasagna, still warm from the oven.
“I may have bribed him with pie,” he says sheepishly.
My own smile widens. “I don’t care if you bribed him with a car,” I say. “I’m just glad I don’t have to go home and fight him over spelling words after the longest day ever.”
Finn gestures to his empty chair again. “Sit,” he says. “Eat.” He sets the plate of lasagna down and my stomach chooses that moment to let out a loud gurgle. Finn looks at me as if to say, “See? I told you so.” I roll my eyes but I’m still smiling as I take the
offered seat.
Once Finn is satisfied that I’m going to eat, he walks over to the fridge and pulls out a pitcher of iced tea. He pours me a glass as well as one for himself. I’m nearly half-finished with my lasagna and garlic bread before he speaks.
“You were amazing today,” he says. I look up in surprise. My immediate reaction is to shake my head, denying the praise. I did my job, that’s all. I open my mouth to argue, but Finn holds up a hand, stalling me.
“You were,” he insists. “You handled the stressed-out bride, the mean mother of the bride, the groomsman and bridesmaid who clearly hate one another, plus the groom who was completely oblivious to all of it. All without breaking a sweat.” He shakes his head. “I’m in awe. I don’t know how you do it.”
I roll my eyes and wave away the praise. I feel my face heat, so I look back to my plate rather than at Finn who seems to be studying me closely.
“It’s just my job,” I say. “No big deal.”
“Maybe to you,” Finn says. “But I stand amazed.”
The silence stretches between us and I risk a glance at Finn. He’s looking at me with the oddest expression. After all these years, I would swear that I know every expression Finn has, but this one is new. I can’t place it.
“Mom!” Liam’s excited voice breaks into whatever strange spell had settled over the two of us. We both turn to look at him. “Guess what?”
I smile, handing him a napkin. “You’ve got pie on your face?” I say as though it’s my guess. Liam takes the napkin and scrubs at his face.
“No,” he says. “I hit the ball four times in a row!” His excitement is contagious, and I can’t help but grin.
“That’s so great!”
“Yeah,” Liam says, happy to continue with his story. “Mr. Finn helped me. He showed me how to stand right and where to put my feet.” He looks at me solemnly. “It’s not just about the swing, Mom.” I manage not to smile at the utter seriousness of his expression. Instead I shake my head.
