Chapter Twenty-Two

Finlay

Blocker, Sailor, Rance, and Tardo see to Rose’s safe exit from the country club, and I watch on as they help her into the limousine Tardo drove us in. Thank fuck one of the boys hadn’t been drinking tonight.

I pace the length of the car. I need to calm down, but the thought of punching Slade’s face through the back of his head consumes me. Fucking arsehole. Why did Rose go back to him in the first place? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out he’s a monster.

“Come on, Tank. Get in.” I glance at Rance, who comes to stand by my side. “Rose needs you.”

“Right,” I say.

“Let it go, mate.”

“Yep.”

Rose is not only crying, but trembling when I climb into the back seat and sit beside her. Sailor and Blocker sit across from us. If it wasn’t for Blocker chiming in and making me see sense, I fear I would have killed Slade.

“You good, mate?” Blocker stares into my eyes.

“Yeah.” I puff out my cheeks, exasperated.

“You did the right thing,” Sailor confirms.

“You did,” Rose sobs.

Turning my attention to the window, I stare at the traffic lights as the car races past, and wonder if Rose can really be helped. No doubt come morning, he’ll have apologised and she’ll be right back in his arms. Mr Horton is not a man you mess with, and he’s going to be on the war path the moment he finds out I was involved tonight.

I don’t have to wait long to find out what the repercussions are, because as Tardo circles the garden in the centre of my driveway, I see Horton standing in wait.

“Rose.” I flick my sight in her direction.

“I’ll take care of it.” She wipes the moisture away from under each eye.

“I think you should stay in the car,” Blocker rushes.

“No. It won’t help. Thank you for coming … I appreciate it very much, Fin. Thank you to all of you for your assistances.” Rose turns her attention to Sailor and Blocker, offering them a half-smile. “Stay in the car until my father and I are gone, Fin, please.” Rose gently places her hand to my arm.

“I think I should come out there with you.” My eyes plead for her to allow me.

“It’s kind of you to offer, but this is my mess. Can I see you tomorrow at eight? The waterfall?”

“Okay,” I say softly. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes.” The corners of her lips tug upwards. “Goodnight, Finlay.”

Pushing the door open is the hardest thing I think I’ve had to do tonight. I’m dubious Rose will be okay, but I want to respect her wishes, even if I think she’s making the wrong decision.

Rose doesn’t walk towards her father after she scrambles past me and exits the car. Instead, she marches in the opposite direction, and her father is in pursuit within seconds. Dropping my head into my hands, I can only hope letting her go was the right thing to do.

“What do you want to do now?” Sailor asks.

Arching my neck until my head stays upright, I reply, “Mate, I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“Good idea,” he says.

“Tardo, you’re good to get these fellows home?” I need some space.

“Not a problem, Tank. I’ll leave the limo at the shop … No way I’m taking this into the pits of hell … and I’ll pick up my dirt bike from there.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you guys tomorrow at work then?”

“We’ll be there,” Rance says.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t do anything dumb.” Blocker waits until I’m halfway out the door before he says this.

“Yep,” I respond, waving them off.

I can’t stop looking in the direction of the Hortons’ house on the short walk to my front door. What the fuck happened tonight?

Tessa and Lesley are sitting on the back deck deep in conversation when I come to join them.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Tessa wears an expression of concern.

“Nope,” I huff as I fall into a third chair. “Where’s Alan?”

“Studying, believe it or not. Also, I heard him on the phone before.” Tessa smiles.

“And?” Why is she smiling about him taking a call?

“He was talking with a girl.”

“So …What does this have to do with the price of eggs in China?”

“I picked up the other handset. He wasn’t on his mobile—he used the land line, and I might have been listening in.”

“Why wasn’t he on his mobile?”

“How am I to know?”

I shrug.

“It was a good thing he wasn’t. I’m well-practised in this art, Fin. I used to do this to you all the time when you were a teenager. I learnt quickly I needed to stay one step in front of you if I was going to keep you on the straight and narrow, and out of trouble.”

“Well, shit, hey.” I half-chuckle before perching my head on my thumb, my elbow digging into my thigh.

“I think we’re going to really help Alan.” Tessa’s tone speaks of her relief.

“He’s going to do good. I know he will.” Am I reassuring myself or speaking with honesty?

“So, who is this Rose you went sprinting off after? What’s her deal?” Lesley lifts her eyebrows high on her forehead when I come to look at her.

“A troubled girl,” Tessa answers.

“Really?”

“She’s not troubled,” I mumble.

“A girl calls at night in a distressed state—I can see why Tessa thinks she’s troubled.” Seems Lesley is on Team Tessa. No surprises there.

“Let it go. Nothing to report here.”

It’s a warning for them to back off, and they do until Tessa says, “You’re in trouble because of her, aren’t you?” Tessa scowls.

“Nope. I held my temper. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Good.” She seems unsure I’m giving her the full story, and she should be, because I’m not and I’m not planning to.

“So, when are you heading off on this new adventure with this new purchase of yours, Lesley?” I need to change the direction of conversation.

“On the most beautiful yacht to ever sail the seas? In the morning. I told you this earlier, Tank.”

“Yeah. True, you did.” Shaking my head, I stand upright. “I might call it a night. I’m tired.”

“I should get going anyways. It’s getting pretty late.” Lesley’s arms wrap around my waist when she comes to stand in front of me. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’ll never be able to thank you.”

“You have plenty, and you’re welcome. Come back in one piece, okay? And enjoy your trip around the world.”

“I will, and I will. I have crew members, remember? I’m not doing this alone.”

“I’m happy for you, Lesley.”

Releasing her hold has Lesley batting gently against my chest. “You’re losing it, man. It was great to see you. I just don’t know how I can really thank you.”

“You said thank you—it was more than I needed.”

She beams before she blows me a kiss. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a person do this to me, apart from Tessa when I was younger.

She turns to Tessa. “Tessa, it was lovely to meet you. Also, thank you for the stories about Tank … I look forward to using them to blackmail him.” Lesley bends slightly, kissing Tessa’s cheek. This surprises me, because Tessa is not a fan of goodbyes or kisses.

“I’ll walk you out,” I offer.

“Excellent. If I don’t see you again, Tessa …”

“I know.” Tess smiles. “Take care, dear.”

“I will.” A gentle pat to Tessa’s shoulder in departure is how Lesley leaves the deck.

“I really like your foster mum, Tank.”

“She told you she’s my foster mother?”

“Yeah. We had time to kill.”

“Hey, I’m sorry I took off …”

“Don’t be. With what you’ve given me, and from what Tessa told me tonight, I know why you had to leave. You’ve a big, caring heart, Tank.”

“It’s a façade.” I chuckle.

“No. It’s not. You’ve been through more than any child, teenager, and person should. I’m surprised you’re not a wreck.” And there’s the look, the one I’m given if anyone hears my story. It’s pure pity.

“Stop talking, will you? You never shut up.”

“So you’ve told me.” Lesley giggles as I open the front door for her final goodbye, not only to me but to this town. Even on tiptoes she can’t reach my cheek with her lips. “Do I need to get a stool?”

“No.” I hunch down.

“Good luck, Tank. I’ll see you next year,” she whispers in my ear before kissing my cheek.

A flash of her smile appears from over her shoulder before Lesley runs the distance to a car—and without another glance, she climbs in.

It seems I’ve managed to give Lesley her dream, but here I am with everything, and yet there is still an emptiness inside me. Am I barking up the wrong tree chasing after somebody like Rose? Maybe I should have given Lesley my number at the hospital, or even today. Apart from a massive difference in our height ratio, Lesley and I seem to be well suited. Maybe Lesley is the type of girl who will keep me happy long after I’m of any value to anyone.

Loving Rose is only going to end in heartbreak. Mine.