CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I woke early to make coffee for my mom, knowing she’d be up around sunrise. She watched the sun hit the buildings and the ocean from the window of our apartment, and then sat at the table with me for a muffin.
“You look like you feel better,” my mom said. “Rested.”
“Happy,” I answered. “I was worried about telling you.”
“Understandably. But Finn’s a good man. I hope…”
She shifted in her seat, and I leaned in. “What?”
She forced a smile. “I just hope you both are doing what you can to make sure you’re safe. I’m worried. I know Mark had a temper, and now you’re telling me he’s here? In the same city?”
“We’ve got security. Dustin, the one who picked you up from the airport. And two others. And Detective Winters and Detective Stone know what’s going on. If Mark tries anything, we’ll know.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. If Mark tries anything.”
Sipping my coffee, I tried to keep her worry from seeping over to me.
She reached out and put her hand over mine. “I’m sorry. Don’t listen to me. I’m supposed to worry, I’m a mom. I know Finn’s taking care of you, and—” She shook her head. “It’s fine. Just…maybe you should come visit for a bit. You could bring Finn. Or go out of town or something. Treat yourself to a vacation. Oooh, you always wanted to go to Hawaii. I’ll buy your plane ticket—”
“Mom,” I said calmly, giving her a smile. “You don’t have to do that.”
“But I want to.”
I squeezed her hand. “This is my life here now. I’m going to do what I can to keep it, which means sticking around when things get tough.”
“But if it’s dangerous…”
“Then I’ll be careful. I love it here, Mom. Right now, this is where I’m supposed to be.”
She looked like she wanted to say more, but she bit her lip and nodded. “Okay.” Then more firmly, “All right, then. I’d love to see the place. I mean, if it’s safe to look around. I don’t want you to have to—”
“It’s fine,” I said, standing. “I’ll see what I can do. Maybe we can look around and then have lunch. It’ll be nice to get out.” I touched her shoulder. “Read your paper. I’ll wake Finn.”
She nodded and unfolded the paper on the table.
I walked quietly into the bedroom, but found Finn already awake and looking at his phone. He glanced up when he saw me, setting his phone aside.
“Work?” I asked, walking to the end of the bed.
“Powell. Just checking in.”
My stomach clenched. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? You can tell me, you know. I need to know if something is wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong.”
Finn frowned when I didn’t seem relieved at his assurance. He tossed off the covers and crawled to me at the end of the bed, reaching out to grab my hand. He yanked me down, flipping me over so I was underneath him.
My breath whooshed out and I blinked up at him.
“You don’t need to worry,” Finn said.
“My mom’s worried.”
“Of course she is, she’s your mom.” He levered himself over the top of me and pressed a kiss to my lips. “That’s what moms do.”
“She wants me to go there to visit her, or for us to go away somewhere.”
Finn smiled. “You and I us?”
I nodded.
“Not a bad idea at all.”
“Finn,” I chided. “Do we have to have this conversation again?”
“Are you going to change your mind?”
“No.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to get away.”
I shook my head, moving to sit up. Finn caught me around the waist and pulled me so I was on top of him.
“A few days isn’t going to make a difference,” I started.
“Who said anything about a few days? We could go for as long as you want. Visit your family, visit with my mom—she’d love that—and then travel a bit. We could go wherever you want, Charlotte.”
I braced my arms on his chest. “You’re serious.”
“Completely. We could…” He shrugged, resting one hand over mine. “We could make it a honeymoon.”
I jolted. When I moved to sit up again, Finn caught both my hands in his.
“Just think about it,” Finn said. “Your family knows, and they’re fine with our relationship. So is my family. We could all go to the cabin next week, have a ceremony with all the people we love.”
As he continued to talk, my heart beat faster and faster.
“We could do it, Charlotte. Next week. And then we’ll have a honeymoon. Take some time off, spend time together.”
“Finn, stop.” I yanked my hands free. “You don’t really mean this.”
“I do. I do, Charlotte.”
“But…” I eased back when Finn reached for me again. “These things take time to plan. We can’t just ask everyone to drop their plans to come to our wedding.”
He laughed. “What plans? I’m sure they’d be happy to rearrange their schedules a little to see us married.”
“Finn.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “You keep saying my name. You’re still scared?”
“Yes. No. I mean, this is fast. It makes me nervous, but not to marry you. I’m just–-it’s a lot to think about.”
He slowly reached out, taking my hand again. “What else? You wanted something bigger?”
“Is that what you want?”
“I asked you first.”
I frowned. “I want to know. This wedding isn’t just for me. I want to figure this out together.”
He only smiled.
“I mean, you don’t have to choose colors or anything. I don’t even care about all that, I just—you know, I want your opinion, and—”
“You’re nervous.” He leaned in to brush his thumb on my jaw. “And cute. Do you think I don’t want to help with the plans?”
“No. I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I mean, you know, most guys don’t—”
“You mean Mark.”
I flinched. “That’s not—”
“The whole truth.”
Scrambling off the bed, I started to pace. I walked to the window, but when I turned back, Finn was there.
“I’m not mad,” Finn said softly.
I flashed a nervous smile. “I know.”
“I’m not him.”
“I know. Finn, please.” I put my hands over my face, pulling in slow breaths until I felt like I could have a rational conversation.
“Charlotte,” Finn whispered. “Look at me.”
“I know you’re not him.”
“Then look at me.”
I lowered my hands, my eyes meeting Finn’s impossibly blue ones. He cupped my face between his palms. “I love you, Charlotte. I want to marry you and I’d do it in this apartment, at the cabin, or in front of a thousand people if you want. I don’t care. Honestly. As long as it means I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”
I couldn’t help the tear that dripped down my cheek. Finn wiped it away.
“If you want a big wedding, or a small one, I’ll be right there beside you for whatever you want to plan, okay? It matters to me because it matters to you.” He smiled. “I might not have much input about colors or whatever, but I’ll tell you what I think honestly, and I’ll be there.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “I’m not convinced.”
“Okay,” I said again, with a laugh. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I want you there, Finn. I want this to be what’s right for both of us.”
“It will be.” He kissed me.
I returned the kiss, putting all my heart into it, pressing my body as close to Finn’s as I could get. Trying to be part of him and show him how much a part of me he was.
He backed up to the bed. I was dimly aware, in the back of my mind, that my mother was reading the newspaper down the hall, but my senses were assaulted with everything Finn. His smell, his touch, his words in my ear, murmuring my name over and over.
“Next week,” he said, dragging me down to the bed.
“I need to think.”
“No thinking, just tell me you’ll marry me.”
Finn pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it aside. He filled his hands with my breasts, brushing the pads of his thumbs over my nipples.
My head fell back on the comforter, and when my back arched, Finn used the moment to grab my pants and pull them down my legs, taking my underwear with them.
“I did say I’d marry you,” I panted. “Already.”
“Next week,” he insisted.
I reached out, dragging him on top of me. “Stop talking.”
He chuckled and rained kisses down my neck. When his mouth closed over my breast, I whimpered. “Pants off,” I said, reaching between us to help him.
He caught my hands. “Next week.”
With a low growl, I used all my strength to flip him off of me and onto his back. I yanked his sweats down, throwing them on the floor with my own clothes.
“You,” I said, short on breath, “need to shut up.”
His hands gripped my hips as I eased myself on top of him. His breath hissed out as he slid inside of me, slow and deep.
“God, Charlotte.”
“Close your eyes,” I whispered, leaning down far enough my breasts touched his chest.
He obeyed immediately, and I linked my hands with his, holding them tight against the mattress.
“Stay with me.” I brushed my lips on his before I began moving my hips.
Finn’s fingers clenched around mine, his breathing growing heavy. I circled him, bent low so my nipples brushed his chest, and smiled at the groan that slipped from his lips.
Before I could kiss him again, he used his strength to break free of my hold and flip me onto my back.
“Next week,” he said again, and started to pump his hips again mine.
“Finn.” I slid my hands around his neck, and then turned my face to the side when the first wave of pleasure hit me. “Keep going.”
He sped up, our hips meeting each others thrust for thrust until be both peaked at the same time, arms coming around each other in a rush to hang on.
Finn held me close against his sweat-slickened flesh, his breathing finally slowing down.
“You didn’t answer me,” he murmured.
I looked up at him, loving that he was so eager to marry me that he’d do it next week. Tomorrow even. It meant that much to him.
“I don’t know if I have an answer for you. At least not one you’re going to like.”
“I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do, you know.”
“I know.” I sighed, easing back from him a little to rest my head on a pillow. “I need to process. You just sprung this on me, and by the looks of it, this wasn’t something that hit you on a whim.”
“No.” He stroked his thumb on my cheek. “Since you mentioned you might want to have the wedding at the cabin, it’s been on my mind. How simple it would be to take our friends and family there. To have enough security to—”
“That’s the problem. Security.”
“We’d have to have security, Charlotte. That’s just the way it is.”
“No, I know. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying, are we going to be able to enjoy ourselves with that added stress? Being forced to have security at our wedding? And then our honeymoon?”
He frowned, thinking this through. “But…that’s just the way it is right now. We can’t control what else is going on.”
“It won’t be like this forever, Finn.” But even I heard the longing in my words.
I wanted this to be over, but I didn’t want to wait until it was before I could marry Finn. I didn’t want to have to live my life around Mark and the circumstances in my life. I wanted to live my life in spite of it.
“What’s wrong?” Finn asked, studying my face.
“It’s…” I sighed and started to get up. “I need to think about it.”
“Where are you going?”
“To take a shower. You said everything was fine, right? When Curtis checked in?”
He nodded, but caught my hand as I rounded the bed. “I didn’t mean to stress you out.”
“You didn’t.” I smiled at him. “You helped me relax.”
At least in body. Now my mind was buzzing with ideas and new worries.
“Liar.”
With a laugh, I touched his cheek. “Why do you think I’m lying?”
“I know you’re lying because you’re bad at it. And because you distract yourself. You walk away. You shut me out.”
He didn’t continue when he saw my eyes go wide. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pressed his cheek to my belly, still sitting while I stood in surprise by the side of the bed.
“I’m sorry, Finn,” I whispered, touching his hair. “I…you’re right. I’m not trying to shut you out. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine,” he murmured. “I’m not trying to start a fight here.”
“No, really. Look at me.”
He lifted his head.
“I don’t want to shut you out,” I told him.
“Then tell me what’s going through your head.”
I nodded. “There’s a lot, and I still need to process. But first, I want to show my mom and my sister around Oasis. Mom wants to see the place.”
He held my gaze, but didn’t answer.
“You said Curtis said everything was fine,” I prompted.
“I did.”
“So…we can show them, right? You’ll come with us and they can see everything you built. It’ll be nice to get out. And we can have lunch—”
“Not in Entertainment.”
“Of course not,” I said, fumbling the words. He was afraid we might see Mark there. “Outside Oasis. Or downstairs, even, at the restaurant. On the patio.”
He thought this through for another moment, then gave my hand a squeeze. “All right. Take your shower, I’ll see what I can do.”
I smiled at him, then kissed him hard on the mouth. “Thanks.”
He returned the smile, but his eyes were troubled.
Jenna was as excited as my mom to see the rest of Oasis. When they’d gotten here yesterday, Dustin had ushered them straight up to our apartment and they’d only seen the lobby of Housing.
Now, we headed down the elevator as a group, with Finn’s hand firm around mine. Shane accompanied us this time, and though my mom kept sending him curious glances, it was almost normal. As normal as we could get.
When we reached the lobby, Finn pointed out the entrance to the gym and the restaurant we were having lunch at later.
“They offer room service in the evenings as well,” Finn told my mom.
“You really thought of everything.”
“It was mostly about convenience. We want people to live here, and by offering these extra perks, it ensures our apartments will be full.”
He started to explain something else to her, and I turned, surprised to see Tracy hovering at the edge of the lobby.
Her eyes met mine and I tensed.
“Ms. Evans?” Shane asked, stepping closer.
Finn turned around, then followed my gaze. He immediately gripped my hand, trying to pull me behind him.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Tracy strode forward. “I just need to talk to you.” When Finn started to respond, she shook her hand. “Not you. Charlotte.”
“If this is business,” Finn said, “you can call on Monday and make an appointment.”
“Screw you, Finn. This is all your fault. Yours and hers,” she sneered. “What? Am I making a scene? Because—”
“Okay, hold on,” I said in my most soothing voice.
Finn’s hand tensed on mine. Couldn’t he see the red around her eyes or hear the desperation in her voice?
“Let’s talk for a minute,” I said.
“Charlotte,” Finn started.
I glanced back, where Jenna stood with my mom, wide-eyed and concerned. I told Shane and Finn, “It’s fine. Just give me a minute.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“We’ll be right over here.” I pointed to a grouping of chairs in the corner of the lobby.
“One minute,” Finn said.
I followed Tracy to the chairs, where neither of us sat. She hugged her arms around her middle. When she faced me, tears brimming over, I almost thought she was going to apologize. But instead, her cheeks blazed red and she pointed her finger at me.
“You need to stay away from him.”
I took a step back, startled. My own anger began to simmer. “Who? Finn?”
“You know exactly who I’m talking about. Mr. Holmes. Travis.”
My heart knocked against my ribs. “What?”
“Cut the innocent act,” Tracy snapped. “You might have Finn wrapped around your finger, but I know the truth. Travis told me everything.”
“What are you talking about?”
“How you used to be together. How he broke up with you and you couldn’t take it.”
I backed up further, my legs bumping into the chair. I glanced behind me, eyes locking with Finn’s in a moment of panic.
He strode over immediately, wrapping his arm around my waist. “You need to leave, Tracy.”
“She’s ruining it,” Tracy said, eyes ablaze. “She ruined it for me with you, and now she wants to ruin it with Travis, too.”
Finn’s jaw clenched. “Please don’t tell me you’re with him.”
“Oh yeah? Why?” Tracy sneered. “You think he’s too good for me?”
“No, Tracy,” I said, reaching out. “He’s not good for you. He’ll hurt you. You can’t—”
“Don’t tell me what to do!” she shouted, drawing the attention of a few people passing by.
Finn gripped my arm. “Let’s go.” He turned slightly. “Shane.”
“He told me you keep harassing him,” Tracy continued. “He told me he’s worried you might do something!”
“He’s lying to you, Tracy,” I said, my voice shaking.
“You’re the liar. You stay the fuck away from him, or else!”
Finn stepped in front of me and Shane joined him.
“Miss,” Shane said calmly to Tracy, “I need you to come with me.”
“Don’t you dare touch me!” She peered around him, icy eyes meeting mine. “I’m not going to let you ruin this for me.”
Finn stepped in front of me, blocking my view. “Come on.”
My heart thudded hard, blood rushing in my ears. “Finn,” I whispered.
“Not now. Come on.”
Shane escorted Tracy out of the building, but not after she hurled a few more insults at me, making my mom gasp and Finn grit his teeth.
“We can go back upstairs,” he said. “We’ll have lunch brought up.”
Calming my breathing, I shook my head. I tried to smile at my mom, who was reaching for me like she had no idea how to protect me from this, but she needed to try.
“No, we won’t go back upstairs. We’re going to take a walk, see the building.” I looked up at Finn, taking his hand. “Let’s wait for Shane and then we’ll go.”