by Debbie Mason
“Promise?” she said, as though unsure he would keep his word.
She wouldn’t be wrong. He’d been thinking that, after a day of parades, boat races, and the greasy pole competition, Liv would take her home early. He still held out hope and said, “You bet. Now get back in the parade before they leave you behind.”
He didn’t meet his father’s eyes. He could tell how his dad thought things would go by the way he was rocking on his heels and whistling.
Finn was lying on the couch in the living room on Breakwater Way, just about to congratulate himself on earning another reprieve, when a text came in at 8:00 p.m. from Liam. Get your ass in gear, bro. We’re waiting for you at the spinning roller coaster.
He thought about pretending he was sleeping or in the shower and didn’t see the text, but he wouldn’t put it past his brothers to come and get him. He grabbed a sweatshirt on the way out the door. It didn’t matter that it had been in the low eighties today; the carnival was set up along the waterfront and it was cool at night.
He said hello to the couple next door as he made his way down the street. They were new to the neighborhood. The mom was carrying a giant-size pink dog and pushing a sleeping baby in a stroller while the dad carried what looked to be an exhausted three-year-old. Finn wondered if he could still get lucky. Maybe Liv was on her way home with an exhausted five-year-old. Then he reminded himself it was George. A kid who was a little bit like he used to be.
As he turned the corner, he stopped for a minute to take it all in. The bright lights from the rides that made it look like it was the middle of the day, the smells of cotton candy and corn dogs competing with the briny ocean air. The whirr of the rides, the ding of the bells, the laughter and chatter of happy people having fun.
It brought back memories of all the times he’d gone to the carnival as a kid, as a teenager, as an adult. He looked over and saw the circle of white lights in the distance. Sometimes, like now, the memories were as beautiful as they were painful. He remembered bringing his little sister Riley along with him and his girlfriend and his mom and dad taking a ride on the Ferris wheel.
He walked down the hill and spotted what had to be the spinning roller coaster. Sure enough, he caught sight of his dad taking a turn with George and Mia. Liam was in a car with Lex, and Griff and Ava were in another one. Sophie and Liv stood at the railing waving to the girls.
“The old man looks a little green. Ferris wheel is more his speed,” Finn said as he walked toward them.
“Hey, stranger, we haven’t seen you in a while,” Sophie said, giving him a playful whack.
He rubbed his arm. “You’re as bad as your grandmother. How did Marco do in the greasy pole competition?” he asked, hoping to avoid talking about what he had to talk about for a little longer.
“I can’t believe there’s anyone in Harmony Harbor who doesn’t know he won. He’s threatening to rent a billboard. But his win isn’t the biggest news. Tell him, Olivia.”
He looked down at her. “Hi,” he said, his voice gruff, probably because the lights were gleaming in her hair and sparkling in her eyes and making him think of things he shouldn’t think about.
“Hi,” she said back, her smile different than it used to be or maybe he was just imagining things.
Sophie frowned. “Umm, is something wrong with you two? You’re looking at each other as if it’s the first time you’ve met.”
Great. He didn’t know what Sophie was picking up on, but whatever it was, his brothers and father would zero in on it like Miller on a bone. He had to get this over with before they got off the ride. Before he had to look at George and know she might end up being taken from Liv because he wasn’t brave enough to take on his fears and let them in his life.
Because as much as he’d convinced himself that a judge would see through the lies, some might believe the case against Liv because she had money, and they’d put themselves in her shoes, a woman who’d been lied to and betrayed and now was raising the child her late husband had with another woman. They wouldn’t know that Liv had more compassion and kindness and love to give than half the people on the planet.
“Liv, I gotta talk to you for a minute. Sophie, can you guys look after George? We won’t be long.” Pulling Liv after him, he didn’t give either woman a chance to refuse.
“Finn, what’s going on? Slow down.” Liv tugged on his hand.
“Sorry,” he apologized to her and the man he almost walked into. He needed to find somewhere less crowded, somewhere more private to talk to her. He looked over at the ring of lights. “You wanna go for a ride with me?”
She followed the direction of his gaze. “The Ferris wheel?” She made a face when he nodded. “I don’t like heights.”
“I promise I won’t rock the car. You’ll see, it’ll be worth it. The view’s amazing.” Especially now that the sun was starting to set and the sky was streaked with purple and crimson.
“Okay,” she said reluctantly.
He led her to the thankfully short line. From where he was standing, he could see his brothers disembarking from the spinning roller coaster. All he’d need was for his family to join them on the Ferris wheel. He helped her into the car. Once they were strapped in, it moved as the operator loaded another couple on.
Finn caught her shiver and peeled off his sweatshirt. “Here you go. It’ll be cool when we get to the top.”
“I’m beginning to think this was a really bad idea,” she said, looking up, he assumed, at the car at the top.
She wasn’t alone. He was beginning to think this was a really bad idea for an entirely different reason. “What big news did Sophie want you to tell me about?” He hoped he hadn’t just walked into that, but he didn’t want to tell Liv he couldn’t take her up on her proposition until the ride was going.
She buried her face in her hands and shook her head. “I still can’t believe she did it. I mean, I’ve seen her in action, so I’m not surprised she could do it. I’m just surprised she got away from me. But you know how fast she is. She—”
He removed her hands from her face. “I can hardly make out what you’re saying. You’re babbling.”
“We were out on one of the boats in the harbor watching the greasy pole competition.”
He thought about what Sophie said and the context in which she’d said it. “She didn’t.”
“She did. The third guy had fallen off the pole, and they were fishing him out of the water, and George says, ‘That’s easy. Why do they keep falling off?’
“I told her why, and the next thing I know, she’s gone. I panicked, and we all started looking for her. Two of the men who’d fallen off the pole dove in to search the water, and then all of a sudden, we hear people yelling, and she’s climbing on the platform. She scoots past the next man in line and shimmies her way down the greased pole to grab the flag. She set a record not only for the youngest to win but also for the fastest time.”
He started to laugh. “Poor Marco, she ruined his big moment.”
“It’s not funny.”
“Trust me, it’s hilarious. I bet Liam loved it.”
“Yes, but you’re not getting the point. People, cell phones, the moment has been recorded for posterity, and—”
He got it now. “For any judge to see.” The Ferris wheel was now turning, making its lazy circles, and they were at the top. It was oddly quiet, the sounds of the carnival and of the ocean fading, everything below them looking small.
“You’re right, the view’s worth it,” Liv said, looking out over the town with a crescent moon hanging above the copper-topped roof of the town hall and the clock tower.
There was a light wind off the ocean and it gently rocked the car. She shivered a little, and he put his arm around her, tucking her in beside him. “You put on sunscreen,” he said as a way of distracting her. The scent of coconuts was doing more than distracting him.
“I thought I’d better after the look you gave me at the parade.” She had her head on his shoulder,
tipping it back to look at him. “Is that the only reason you were mad at me?” She asked the question quietly, as if she knew.
And looking into her big, whiskey-colored eyes that reflected the light from the moon and the stars, he knew he had to do whatever it took to make sure she didn’t lose George, even if the thought of what he stood to lose terrified him. “I should have known the moment you dragged me down the hill with you that you were gonna end up being a pain in my ass, Sweet Cheeks.”
Her eyes went wide, and she drew back to whisper, “You’re going to marry me?”
“No, you’re gonna marry me.”
She laughed and threw herself in his arms and kissed him. But he’d never know just how good that kiss would have been because she launched herself at him with such force that the car started rocking, and she started screaming, and down below he heard his family cheering, including a little girl with a husky voice.
Chapter Nineteen
The next afternoon, Olivia leaned against the kitchen counter in her home on Primrose Lane, going over the guest list. She’d begun making lists practically from the moment Finn gave her the wonderful news last night. She had lists on her phone, lists of wedding ideas, and pictures of them on her iPad, and at last count, she’d written fifty-five names in the pretty spiral notebook she’d found tucked away in her nightstand. The gold cursive inscription on the pink cover fit perfectly with how she was feeling: You Can Never Have Too Much Happy.
Today she was filled with happy. George was happy too. Olivia smiled as she watched the little girl creating her own illustrated list with glitter pens at the table. Her fears, the almost paralyzing panic that she might lose George, had dissolved the moment Finn agreed to her proposal. She just wished she could have been a tad less enthusiastic in displaying her gratitude. If she had been, she might have gotten to enjoy his kiss.
Any hope of a repeat was lost when, in the middle of accepting the family’s congratulations under the lights of the Ferris wheel, Finn’s dad received a text from Aidan. He’d arrived at the family home on Breakwater Way. From what she’d picked up of the conversation, Aidan wasn’t in a happy place. So the Gallagher boys, along with Colin, went back to their childhood home, and the women and kids went their separate ways.
Unlike Liam and Griffin and their significant others, Finn did not kiss Olivia good night. His father did. He sweetly kissed her cheek and welcomed her and George into the family. It was a lovely moment that was only slightly ruined by the look of utter panic that came over Finn’s face.
They hadn’t discussed it, but she imagined the panic was due to Finn keeping the true reason for their marriage from his family. He wouldn’t want them to get attached to the idea only to have their marriage end eighteen months from now. She understood how he felt, and there was a part of her that thought they should come clean. At least to his family.
But the more people who knew, the more likely that Celeste’s private investigator would find out. And in the end, Olivia was hoping it would be a moot point. The last thing she had expected was to fall in love with Finn. In her mind, it followed that there was a possibility that he might come to see her as more than a friend. After living together as man and wife for more than a year, surely he’d get over his commitment issues.
The thought made her nervous. She’d sent him a text advising him of the date of their nuptials and hadn’t received a response. Ava had told her he was booked solid at the clinic today, so maybe he had to work late. Olivia had texted after five because she didn’t want him to worry she was going to become one of those annoying wives who couldn’t go a couple of hours without hearing from her man.
But there was a teensy problem with that. She needed to hear from him ASAP because she’d basically booked the priest, flowers, cake, and DJ before realizing she maybe should have consulted him about his plans for next week.
There was a loud knock, more of a banging really, and Wolfie barked and scrambled from under the table. In his excitement to greet the person at the door, he nearly knocked George off her chair.
“I’ll get it,” George yelled, jumping off the chair and racing after the dog.
From the amount of noise they were making, someone could legitimately believe there were hordes of children and dogs in the not-so-large Cape Cod on Primrose Lane. She wondered if that’s why Finn’s expression as he entered the house was a cross between ticked off and shell-shocked.
He looked down at George and Wolfie jumping excitedly at his feet and then slowly raised his gaze to Olivia. “Are you flipping insane?”
She wasn’t quite sure how to respond and shrugged. “They’re just happy to see…” Oh no, excited and happy weren’t a good combination. “George, hurry, put Wolfie out—”
Finn’s eyebrows drew inward in confusion as he looked down. Then his head shot up, and he jumped back. “Your dog just peed on me!”
She pressed her lips together, trying to stifle an inappropriate laugh, chalking it up to nerves. They weren’t married yet, and Finn could back out at any time. “Sorry, he’s a little excitable,” she said, struggling to keep the laughter at bay.
“You think this is funny?” he said in an exasperated voice. “Why do I even bother to ask? Of course you do, because I’m marrying a loon toon.”
“I am not a loon toon,” she said, no longer amused.
“Livy’s not a loon toon. You’re a cranky pants,” George said as she wrapped her fingers around Wolfie’s collar.
Finn grimaced and crouched down. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called Liv a loon toon or insane. I’ve had a bad day, and”—he narrowed his eyes at Olivia—“I’ve just found out I’m getting married in…a week.”
She mentally filled in his pause with his favorite curse word and winced. “I’m sorry for the short notice, but I can explain.”
“Yeah, you can. After I’ve had a shower and changed.” He gingerly removed his shoes and carried them to the front step.
“Oh, sure, okay. I can have supper ready for when you come back if you’d like.” She didn’t cook, but surely she could have something delivered in time.
He came back inside loaded down with two suitcases and a duffel bag. “I’m not going anywhere. My dad kicked me out. Apparently, he can handle only one son at a time. And since we’re getting married in a flipping week, I figured—”
She stared at him. “You’re moving in?”
He sighed and put down his bags. “George, would you mind giving me a minute and taking Wolfie outside?”
“Will you play catch with me after?”
“Yeah, but right now I’d like to get out of these pants, so…” He raised his eyebrows.
George cheered, let go of the dog’s collar, and ran off calling, “Wolfie!”
As the two of them raced outside, Olivia opened the cupboard under the sink to grab a roll of paper towels, floor cleaner, and two garbage bags. She turned at the same time Finn dropped his chinos. He wore a pair of blue boxers that matched his eyes. Heat flooded her cheeks because there was a part of her that was definitely not thinking about his eyes.
She was wondering how those strong, long, and muscular legs would feel pressed against hers in bed. What he’d look like without the boxers when he walked into the shower. She thought perhaps she’d made an appreciative sound in her throat because Finn said tersely, “If you’re done checking me out, I could use one of those bags.”
She was about to give him a testy, “You don’t have to be so cross,” but a glance at his expression stopped her from uttering the remark. She thought perhaps he was embarrassed by his scars.
He had no reason to be. There were three long, purple scars crisscrossing his upper thigh, and two thick, shiny pink scars on his knee, though there may have been more on his calves and shins but they were concealed by a sprinkling of dark hair. He wore a pair of black socks, so she couldn’t see the scar on his foot and ankle.
“If you’re grumpy because you’re self-conscious of your injuries, you’re being ri
diculous. Most women find scars attractive. They’re evidence of your heroics.”
He rolled his eyes and then motioned for the garbage bag. “I wasn’t a hero. I was just doing my job.”
“Right, because running into a hail of bullets to rescue the sick and injured is part of your job description,” she said as she laid out the paper towels on the wide-planked hardwood floor. “I…” She trailed off because looking up at him from where she was crouched at his feet gave her a clear view up the leg of his boxers.
“Liv.”
She heard the amusement in his voice and bent her head. “Mmm-hmm,” she said as she returned to cleaning the floor.
“Look at me.”
“I’m a little busy right now. Why don’t you go have a shower?”
“That’s the plan. I just wanted to know where your bedroom is so I can unpack my bags. Thought you might want to show me which drawers are mine.”
“My bedroom?” she asked, a flutter of nerves causing her voice to come out as a squeak and her cheeks to heat.
“Yeah, where else would I sleep?”
“Um. Okay. I just thought…” She threw the paper towels in the garbage bag, stood without looking at him, and murmured, “I’ll be with you in a minute. My room’s up the stairs on the right. Leave something for me to take up.”
She didn’t have to look at him to know her offer offended him. She couldn’t say that bothered her since she was pretty sure he was amusing himself at her expense. The bedroom thing had to be payback for springing the wedding on him so fast.
After washing her hands, she looked out the open kitchen window to check on George. She’d made a maze for Peter the rabbit and was putting him through his paces. Wolfie lay nearby watching.
Olivia glanced at the entrance before heading upstairs. Of course, Finn hadn’t left her anything to take up. She walked into her bedroom and froze. He’d dumped the entire contents of his suitcases and duffel bag on the white down comforter of her king-size bed, half of his clothing landing on the floor. He wasn’t here for more than five minutes, and he’d already turned her bedroom into a disaster zone.
