Chapter Twenty

 

“You know, Desi, I’ve had some awfully persistent boyfriends over the years, guys who just won’t take the damned hint that I am no longer interested in them. But this - well, I don’t know if Finn is stubborn, or if his enormous ego can’t stand the thought of being rejected by a woman, or if he’s just plain dense.”

Desiree took a sip of her wine, listening quietly as her sister continued to fume and rant and become more and more agitated. Surprisingly, she’d mostly kept her opinions to herself over this month long estrangement between Delilah and Finn, merely serving as a sounding board for her sister to vent on, or to lend her emotional support. Personally, Desiree thought her sister might be overreacting just a bit, and even being a little too hard on Finn - a sentiment that had surprised even Desiree.

But she’d held her tongue for the past few weeks, knowing how maddeningly stubborn her younger sister could be at times, and that anything at all she might say in support of Finn would be met with either blazing anger or a stone cold glare. And while Desiree might be three years older than her baby sister, and a couple of inches taller, when Delilah was in a mood like she’d been this past month - well, Desiree was more than a little terrified of her. Not, of course, that she’d admit that out loud to anyone, and especially not to Delilah.

She was, however, growing weary of the constant complaints and gripes she had to listen to on a regular basis, and wasn’t sure how much more of this drama she could reasonably be expected to put up with. Desiree wanted to be supportive, but her patience was starting to grow a little thin after hearing her sister air the exact same set of grievances against Finn every time they spoke. And frankly, as shocking as it seemed, Desiree wasn’t entirely sure that Delilah wasn’t being more than a little unreasonable about the whole matter.

“Maybe,” ventured Desiree carefully, “he just cares a lot about you, and would do most anything to get you back. The fact that it’s been almost a month and he still hasn’t given up should tell you something, Della.”

Delilah glared at her sister. “Yeah, that he’s a sore loser and can’t cope with the idea that he was the one to get dumped instead of the other way around.”

“I wasn’t aware that you’d officially dumped him,” replied Desiree matter-of-factly. “Is it definitely over, then? If so, I think you should tell him that in no uncertain terms so both of you can move on.”

Delilah was visibly taken aback at this challenge. “I - I don’t know how to answer that, frankly,” she admitted. “I guess you’re right that I never actually told him it was over between us. But I honestly don’t see how things could ever be right between us again, Desi. How I could ever trust him again.”

Desiree hesitated before responding, knowing that what she had to say next would both startle and anger her sister. “Look, I know I wasn’t the biggest fan of Finn’s when you first started seeing him.”

Delilah gave her sister a look of disbelief. “That’s putting it mildly. As I recall, you had absolutely nothing good to say about him, told me I was nuts to even consider going out with him, and that I’d live to regret my decision if I did. And you know what? You were right on all three counts, Desi. I should have never - ”

“Let me finish,” replied Desiree, holding up a hand to forestall her sister from rambling on. “Obviously I had nothing to base my initial opinion on except all of the many tabloid stories that I had read about him, the same ones that I tried to forward on to you, at least until you told me to knock it off. I had never met the man in person, had no real idea if all those stories were right or maybe a bit exaggerated. And while I might not have changed my opinion about Finn the first time we met, it was pretty obvious that he was crazy about you even then, Della. And while he might have been a pretty good football player, I don’t really think acting is his forte, so I’m positive his feelings for you were genuine.”

Delilah scowled. “Yeah, well, maybe so, but he’s still completely unreliable, has zero willpower, and can’t stand not being the center of attention.”

“I disagree.” Desiree noted the shocked expression on her sister’s face but refused to let her interrupt again. “The times when I joined the two of you for dinner or brunch, or when you both came to watch my triathlons, Finn couldn’t have been nicer to me. Oh, at first I just figured he was trying to kiss my ass and win me over, but I’m fairly sure he was being genuine. And, yeah, there’s no denying he has something of an ego. Let’s face it, Della, he is a good looking guy, and he’s pretty famous. But at least when I was around he always went out of his way to make the conversation be about me - my work, my training, my likes and dislikes. That doesn’t sound like the sort of guy who’s way too wrapped up in himself to care about anyone else. And from what I’ve seen firsthand, plus everything you’ve told me, Finn practically worshipped the ground you walked on. Didn’t he?”

“I guess,” grumbled Delilah reluctantly.

“Come on, sis. Try to sound at least a little more enthusiastic, would you? I distinctly recall a conversation you and I had about two weeks before the shit hit the fan in Las Vegas, and you were raving about how good Finn was to you, how he was bringing you coffee and those croissants you love - which I know he had to wait in line for at least an hour. Plus, he was always working around your schedule, being understanding when you had to cancel a date because something came up at the studio, even massaging your damned feet, for God’s sake. And, yes, he screwed up at that party by having too much to drink and acting like an overgrown college boy, but do you really believe he would have taken it any farther? As crazy as that man is about you, would he have intentionally destroyed everything you two had by fucking another woman?”

Delilah fidgeted in her chair, then took a long swig of her wine. She was silent for long seconds, but there was a confused look on her face, her dark eyes troubled and definitely uncertain.

“No,” replied Delilah slowly. “No, I don’t think he would have taken it that far. Especially,” she added acidly, “since he would have passed out cold before he could get his pants unzipped. God, I cannot believe you are sticking up for that bastard, Desi! He - he humiliated me at that party, you know. I felt like the biggest fool in the world, dropping everything - namely, the most important business deal of my life - to fly out to Vegas just so I could attend that damned party with him. And then to find him like that. No. I don’t think I can forgive that.”

Desiree sighed, not wanting to go over all of this yet again. “Then break it off, Delilah,” she snapped. “Put the man out of his misery and let him get on with his life. But as much as you bitch and moan about him, you sure seem to be talking about him constantly. As though he’s the only thing you think about. Aside from your job, that is.”

“I wish I could stop thinking about him,” retorted Delilah. “But it’s not that easy when he keeps having everything under the sun delivered to me. And I just know that conniving little bastard Calvin keeps ratting me out to Finn. He thinks I’m stupid, but I’m well aware that they talk on the phone at least once a day. Calvin only smiles and giggles like that when he talks to Finn. I should fire his unfaithful ass and teach him a lesson.”

“You’re not going to fire him and you know it,” said Desiree tiredly. “For one thing, you need him too badly at the moment. And second, when push comes to shove, you wouldn’t have the guts. So, tell me. What sort of over the top present did Finn send you today?”

“It wasn’t a present exactly. But he did send me another letter. Though I’ve been so swamped today I barely had time to glance at it. I’m sure it’s the same as the other six or seven letters he’s already sent me, though - begging my forgiveness, telling me what a jerk he was, saying how much he loves me. Blah, blah, blah.”

Desire frowned. “You didn’t throw it out, did you?”

Delilah shook her head. “I’ve kept all of his letters, though God knows why. And I’ve got his latest one in my bag somewhere. I’ll read it over more thoroughly when I have time, though I don’t expect him to have said anything new. Oh, damn. Sorry, sis, but I really need to take this call. I’ll keep it quick.”

Delilah answered the incoming call on her cell in a low voice, then quickly walked out the front entrance of the Japanese restaurant to where she could converse with the caller privately. Desiree glanced at the tan leather satchel her sister had left on her chair, then unabashedly peered inside the purse until she found a thick, cream colored envelope that had been mailed to Delilah’s studio. The handwriting was more like a scrawl, and undeniably masculine, and Desiree only hoped Finn had taken the time to write the actual letter more legibly.

She spread out the single sheet of note paper, relieved to see that Finn had chosen to print rather than write in longhand, which made it a bit easier to decipher. She skimmed over the first couple of paragraphs since the content was basically more of the same stuff that Delilah had already mentioned. But Desiree’s attention was caught by the next paragraph, one that she had to re-read a few times.

“And just to prove to you how much I’m willing to change, Delilah, how much I want you back, I’d even give up my job at the network after this season. I’m currently under contract, and it would be kind of a hassle to quit right now, but I would even go that far if it meant fixing things between us. But I totally get that you hate going to the parties and social events, and that it’s hard for you to trust me when I have to be out of town - not that I don’t deserve that after what happened. So if it will make things right between us, I’d be willing to give the network my notice after this season is over with so that there’s no more need for you to worry about me when I’m on the road. I’ll also give up the endorsement deal with Volcano Vodka, since I do have to attend a few parties and other events for them during the year. Basically, I’d do whatever it takes to get you to forgive me and come back to me. I love you, Delilah, and you’re the most important thing in my life. Way, way more important than any job.”

She didn’t bother reading the last few sentences, merely folded the letter and stuck it back inside the envelope before returning it to Delilah’s satchel. What she had just read was both shocking and unbelievable, but at the same time she believed every word that Finn had written. And while it was hard for her to reconcile the man she had once called - in no particular order - a pig, a manwhoring jackass, and an immortal playboy, with the same man who’d written such a sincere, soul baring letter, Desiree knew that Finn McManus was truly, deeply, and madly in love with her sister. A sister who was frankly being a pain in the ass, not to mention something of a bitch, about the situation, and who needed to loosen up a little, needed to let go of this rage she felt about what she viewed as Finn’s betrayal.

And Desiree knew exactly why her sister wouldn’t let this rest, why she continued to rant and rave, and couldn’t let it go. It was because of everything the two of them, along with their mother, had gone through after each and every one of their father’s indiscretions. Daniel Ferris’s reckless, thoughtless behavior had not only driven his wife to suicide, but made both of his daughters mistrustful of any men they let into their lives. And why, after allowing herself to finally open up to a man and becoming vulnerable as a result, Delilah now felt such an overwhelming sense of betrayal.

Delilah hurried back to their table, giving her sister an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that, Desi. God, you have no idea how happy I’ll be when all of this stuff for the Bloomingdale’s deal is wrapped up in a couple of weeks! Hopefully things will get back to something resembling normal after that. I hope you aren’t mad that I ditched you for a few minutes.”

“It’s okay,” assured Desiree. “I know how important this deal is to you, so trust me - my tender feelings weren’t bruised by you taking a phone call. Besides, I found a way to keep myself amused. You know, for someone I once called an empty-headed party boy, Finn actually knows how to write a decent letter.”

Delilah stared at her sister in disbelief. “Please do not tell me you read that letter,” she hissed.

Desiree grinned. “No can do, sis. Though while his composition skills are way better than expected, I can’t say much for his penmanship. Like it never progressed much past the fourth grade.”

“Omigod, you did read it!” Delilah squealed, then hastily lowered her voice when the occupants of several nearby tables glanced her way curiously.

“Desi, how could you?” she asked in an outraged whisper. “How could you just invade my privacy that way? And not seem the least bit regretful about it, either.”

Desiree shrugged, taking a bite of her chicken teriyaki. “Consider it well-justified payback for all the years when you read my diary. And, yes, Della. I knew about it right from the beginning. I almost considered writing something really racy in there a few times just to make you blush.”

“That’s not the same thing at all,” snapped Delilah. “We were kids then - like thirteen and nine or something. And it’s a known fact that all younger sisters read their older sisters’ diaries. You just didn’t pick very good hiding places is all. Besides, that doesn’t excuse you going through my bag and reading my personal mail.”

“Probably not,” agreed Desiree mildly. “Though I noticed you conveniently left out the part where Finn offers to quit both his job and one of his endorsement deals just to make you happy. For God’s sake, Della, if that isn’t proof of the man’s sincerity I don’t know what is. Would you please just get over yourself and call him?”

Delilah gasped. “I can’t believe you’re taking his side in this! After all the terrible things you said about him, how you warned me to stay far, far away from him. How can you possibly be defending him now?”

“First of all, I don’t consider this as taking sides. Second, I just think that Finn has proved over the last few months that he really is crazy about you - that stupid party in Vegas notwithstanding. And for him to go so far as to voluntarily quit his job for you - a job that he obviously loves and that I’m guessing pays awfully well - I don’t even know how you can question his feelings for you. Or not be able to forgive him. You know,” she added gently, “he isn’t Dad.”

Delilah’s chin jutted out stubbornly. “Could have fooled me,” she retorted.

“He isn’t,” insisted Desiree. “Can you imagine Dad ever offering to quit his job or stop traveling to make us happy? Or to save his marriage? Or to do anything that might involve denying himself pleasure or interfering with his own pursuits? The answer to all of those questions is a big fat no, Della. But unlike our self-centered father, Finn genuinely cares for you, and seems willing to do whatever it takes to makes things up to you. Don’t blow this, Delilah. Or keep confusing Finn with Dad. Because I think Finn has a real shot at making you happy, something none of the other men you’ve gleefully strung along over the years have done.”

“I don’t string men along,” grumbled Delilah. “Is it my fault if they set their expectations too high? Or set themselves up to get their hearts broken when they realize I’m nowhere near as serious about them as they are about me? I’ve always been honest with the men I’ve dated, and you know it.”

“So do the same with Finn,” challenged Desiree. “If you really, truly believe that you can never forgive him, and that things are over between you, then just break up with him. But you know what, Della? I think if you honestly believed that you would have told him so weeks ago. The fact that you haven’t indicates to me that you still care about him a whole lot. And that right now you’re only fighting with yourself about whether or not to take him back.”

“I don’t know what I feel,” admitted Delilah. “Or what I want to do about it.”

Desiree pointed a finger at her sister. “Well, whatever you decide to do, it should happen fast. You may have acquired yourself something of a reputation as a heartbreaker and even a maneater over the years, Della, but I’ve never known you to be outright cruel. And like it or not, that’s exactly what you’re being right now. So knock it off, and make a decision, would you? And,” she added warningly, “do not bring up the subject of Finn McManus to me again until you decide what to do about your relationship. I might be your big sister and love you to pieces, but there’s only so much a person can take. And listening to you moan and bitch and rehash the same crap over and over is starting to make me a little nauseous.”

“I know,” sighed Delilah. “I’ve been a real drag this past month, and you’ve been nothing but supportive. As usual. Sorry, sis. I’ll try not to burden you with my problems any longer. And come to a decision about Finn. Now, you’re right. Enough about me. What’s new in your life?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” replied Desiree with a secretive smile. “Now, don’t get your hopes up or jump to conclusions, because I was just approached about this, and still not sure how I’m going to respond. But what would you say if I told you I was seriously thinking about accepting a yearlong assignment in London?”

 

 

***

 

“I’ve told you at least five times already, Desi. Yes, you should absolutely, one hundred percent without hesitation accept that post in London. I’ve only been encouraging you to do something like that for years now, after all. And you know I’ve always wanted to visit London, so now I’ll have an excuse to do so, plus have a place to stay. So stop thinking about it, and just tell your bosses yes already. Fine. Think about it for one more day, but not one minute longer. If you blow this opportunity, Desi, I’m going to be really mad at you. Okay, you’d better head off to your meeting now. Love you, too.”

Delilah smiled as she ended the call and dropped her phone into her handbag. Ever since Desiree had broken the news over dinner last night about the possibility of living in London for a year, Delilah hadn’t been able to contain her glee. ‘At long last,’ she had thought, ‘Desi is finally going to do something for herself, instead of thinking she has to babysit me for the rest of my life.’ At the same time, however, Delilah hadn’t been able to stop herself from feeling alone and lonely, somewhat belatedly realizing that her sister was really all the family she had, not counting her rather ditzy, often unreliable aunt in southern California.

But there was no way, not in a million years, that she would ever voice those sentiments to her sister, not when it had taken Desiree all this time to finally consider accepting one of the numerous overseas assignments that had been offered to her over the years. Delilah was not going to spoil this for her sister, who more than deserved this break. It was just too bad, she thought forlornly, that this was happening at the exact same time she and Finn were - well, not together.

She blinked as she stepped outside into the bright September sunshine, and hastily retrieved her sunglasses. Leaving her studio for even a few minutes these days was an extremely rare occurrence, and she wouldn’t have even thought of doing so today had Calvin not practically shoved her out the door.

“Frankly, Boss Lady, you’re so pale people are going to start thinking you’re a vampire or something,” Calvin had told her with his usual lack of candor. “And it’s a gorgeous day outside, one of the last days of summer, too. So please go take a walk for a few minutes and get some fresh air? Trust me, it will do all of us some good.”

Delilah had glanced at him crossly. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to tell me in so many words that I’ve been difficult to work with lately?”

“Your words, not mine,” he’d replied cheerfully. “But now that you mention it, you might have been a little, um, stressed out these past few weeks. Nothing a nice stroll around the block to listen to the birds chirping and look at all the pretty flowers blooming won’t take care of. Now, shoo. Off with you.”

She’d grumbled something about who was actually in charge around this place, but obediently picked up her purse and made her way out of the studio, pausing only to take Desiree’s call. Now, though, with the warm noontime sun shining down, and the hustle and bustle of people coming and going around her, Delilah was secretly glad that she’d allowed Calvin to bully her into taking this short break - though, of course, she would never, ever admit that to him. She was still convinced that he’d been conspiring with Finn, especially when one considered the smug look on his face each time he brought in the daily bouquet of flowers, box of cookies, or other gift from her ex - well, not precisely her ex, she corrected. In actuality, mused Delilah, she had no idea how to describe their current relationship or lack thereof.

She’d barely walked a few feet away from her studio when a familiar voice called her name, causing her to glance up and emit an exasperated sigh. Standing directly in front of her was the owner of that voice - one Jordan Reeves - and, not surprisingly, Max Wainwright, his trusty sidekick, hovering nearby.

“Hello, Delilah,” greeted Jordan cheerily. “Fancy meeting you here.”

She gave both men what she hoped was an evil glare. “Yes, what a coincidence, isn’t it? Especially since my studio is three doors down. No wonder that sneaky PA of mine was so intent on pushing me out the door. He really has a lot to answer for this time.”

“Don’t blame Calvin for this,” urged Max. “I can be quite persuasive when I need to be, you know. Though it was really Jordan’s idea to, ah, meet up with you this way.”

Jordan scowled at his friend. “Hey, you agreed with my idea, didn’t you? Besides,” he added, turning his attention back to Delilah, “we just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes. Buy you a nice lunch, catch up, that sort of thing.”

“Baloney,” spat Delilah. “Just say what you mean, Jordan, okay? And what you really mean is the two of you want to talk to me about Finn. More specifically, about all the reasons I should forgive and forget and take him back.”

Max brightened. “Well, then. Now that we’re all on the same page, there’s no further need to pretend, is there? So where would you like to have lunch, Delilah?”

“I’m surprised you’re letting me choose,” she groused, trying her best not to feel intimidated with one man on either side of her. Jordan was taller than Max by a few inches, though Max was more muscular, and both of them towered over her. “Especially since the two of you don’t seem to have any qualms about twisting my arm into going with you.”

“No one is forcing you, Delilah,” assured Jordan quietly. “Max and I are your friends just as much as we are Finn’s. And, yes, we would like to talk things over with you, but it’s got to be your decision. If you really don’t want to have lunch with us, then you can feel free to go back to your office.”

She heaved a dramatic sigh. “I suppose it’s all right. Though this time Finn might have gone a little too far, sending his best friends to plead his case. Are you two supposed to be his secret weapon or something, hoping to succeed where that enormous Teddy bear failed?”

Jordan laughed. “He sent you a stuffed animal? God, wait until Max and I rib him about that! But Finn doesn’t know about this, Delilah. Oh, we offered to give you a call, talk to you, but he balked at the idea. Said something about how this wasn’t junior high school.”

“Well, it’s not, you know,” she retorted sharply. “And while I appreciate that you guys have all been friends for a long time, this might be crossing a line somewhere.”

“We’re just concerned about Finn is all,” Max told her, as they stopped in front of a tapas restaurant just around the corner from her studio. “And you, of course. Will this place be all right?”

Delilah nodded. “Yes, perfect, actually. The owners know me pretty well. And service is fast, which means we can wrap things up in under an hour.”

“In a hurry, are you?” asked Jordan knowingly. “But is that because you need to get back to work, or more likely because you want to keep this friendly little chat to a minimum?”

“Both,” retorted Delilah, as the hostess escorted them to a table near the window. “Though I’m finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel so far as work is concerned. By the end of this month, I’m hopeful things will return to normal. Then I can really focus on hiring additional staff and expanding our offices.”

“Has that deal gone through then?” inquired Max as he held out Delilah’s chair for her.

Delilah smiled her thanks at him, then nodded. “Yes. I signed the lease agreement just before I flew out to New York. And before you ask, Max, yes. I did have Gray look it over. He’s more or less taken over all of our legal dealings now.

“Good to know. He’s a much better fit for your business than your former attorney, and he’ll make sure you make the right decisions going forward,” confirmed Max.

They ordered several small plates to share, along with the fruit drinks that the restaurant was known for. Delilah took a sip of her refreshing watermelon flavored beverage before arching a brow at the two men seated across from her.

“Okay, guys. Give it your best shot,” she challenged. “Now that you’ve more or less strong-armed me into being here, might as well get this over with. Though I’ll warn you both now - you’re probably not going to tell me anything Finn hasn’t already said a couple of dozen times already.”

“You’ve spoken to him then?” asked Jordan in surprise.

“No.” Delilah gave a firm shake of her head. “I’m sure he’s already told you that I blocked his numbers, and that I delete his emails the second they hit my in-box. But he’s not one to be easily dissuaded, and I’ve lost count of all the flowers and plants and sweets he’s sent to the office, each one accompanied by a little card telling me how much he loves me and wants me back. And then of course there’s the letters. The most recent one was a real doozy.”

“We might have heard something about that,” Jordan admitted. “I assume you’re referring to the one where he offered to quit his job plus give up the vodka deal. I still can’t believe he did that, and that he was dead serious about it, too.”

“I still can’t believe that Finn wrote an actual letter,” commented Max dryly. “Several of them, apparently. But in all seriousness, Delilah, Jordan is right. He and I were dumbstruck when Finn told us what he’d offered to do. I don’t think we have to tell you how much he loves that job. Or how good he is at it. Growing up in England, I’d never really watched American football, of course, not until I attended university at Stanford. Jordan and I and our other fraternity brothers would attend all of Finn’s home games, and later watch him on TV when he turned pro. And as good of a football player as he was, I believe he’s even better as a broadcaster. As I’m sure you’re aware, Finn can be extremely charming, and very charismatic, both qualities that make him very good at his job.”

“I’ve watched videos of him on YouTube,” Delilah admitted. “And while football isn’t really my thing, either, there’s no denying Finn is great at what he does. Not only is he charming and energetic, the camera loves him, too. And there’s no way I would ever ask him to give that up for me. I couldn’t do that to him.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Delilah,” replied Jordan earnestly. “Somehow, I couldn’t imagine that you’d ever let him go through with giving up a job that he loved. Even if it meant you wouldn’t have to worry about trusting him when he’s out of town. Trusting that he won’t get up to his old tricks and screw things up like he did in Vegas.”

She grimaced. “Guess that makes me sound awfully paranoid, doesn’t it? Though I will admit I definitely have issues with trust. Has Finn told you anything about my parents? In particular, my father?”

Max swallowed a bite of the Spanish-style omelet from one of the shared dishes. “You mean the fact that your father was a womanizer of the worst order, broke your mother’s heart, and abandoned both of his daughters to marry his pregnant mistress?” he asked blandly. “He might have mentioned it in passing.”

Delilah couldn’t help herself from laughing. “I guess that pretty much sums it up, yes. But since you both know about my background, I hope you can also understand why it’s so difficult for me to put my trust in someone. And why it hurt so badly when Finn betrayed that trust.”

“Of course we do,” assured Jordan. “But you should also understand that unlike your father, Finn never intended to hurt you. In fact, he’s been beating himself up on a daily basis about how badly he screwed everything up. Say what you like about Finn, but he’s probably the most kindhearted person I’ve ever met. And given the fact that he’s crazy about you, Delilah, you should know that hurting you was the very last thing he would have wanted to do.”

“Oh, there’s no denying that he can also be an idiot,” added Max. “Jordan and I can regale you with two decades worth of stories to prove that point. But I can truthfully say that neither of us have ever known Finn to care about a woman the way he does for you, Delilah. Beyond the fact that he’s never really had what one could reasonably define as an actual relationship, the longest he’s ever dated the same woman before was maybe a month.”

“Maybe,” chimed in Jordan. “And that was a rarity. A week or two was more like it. So that in itself should prove to you how special you’ve been to him, Delilah. But it’s more than that. Much more. Finn has changed in a lot of ways since he started seeing you. He dresses better, takes better care of himself, and actually reads books and takes an interest in things besides sports and booze. He told us the other night that he never realized until he met you how lonely he really was.”

Max nodded in agreement. “Hard as it was to believe, given what a social creature Finn has always been. But he admitted than even though he was surrounded by people most of the time, he often felt alone. You changed that for him, Delilah. Though it’s all been different since your - ah, disagreement. I’ve known Finn for more than twenty years, consider him and Jordan the brothers I never had, and I’ve never once seen Finn depressed. Until now.”

Delilah couldn’t help feeling both worried and guilty at this revelation. “Try as I might, I just can’t picture Finn being depressed. No matter what the circumstances,” she argued weakly.

“It’s true,” confirmed Jordan. “Finn’s been a real mess since Vegas, can barely drag himself down to L.A. once a week to do his show, and he flies back here as soon as he’s done. And one of his co-hosts on the show told me that Finn’s been a complete hermit when he’s in town, goes right back to his room after taping the show and refuses to even go out to dinner, much less clubbing or partying. Everyone on the set has noticed how down he is, too. And that just isn’t the Finn we’ve known all these years. I barely recognize him anymore.”

She worried her bottom lip, knowing instinctively that Jordan wasn’t exaggerating. “I - I never imagined he’d take it this hard,” she admitted softly. “Or that he cared that much about me. Finn - well, I always assumed that he cared more about himself than anyone else.”

“Not true,” declared Max. “Not even a little. Oh, I’m well aware that’s the impression he gives off, but for the few of us who know the real Finn - well, I’ll give you an example, shall I?” At Delilah’s nod, he continued. “Finn knew that I didn’t have any family here in the States. Hell, that I didn’t have any family anywhere. So every year for the Christmas holidays he’d insist that I fly back to Colorado with him and spend the time with his family. For the first couple of years of college, he even bought my airline ticket, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to scrape up the money. Same thing during Spring Break. He couldn’t stand the thought that I’d be all alone, told me he had a big family, and that there was always room for one more.” Max smiled faintly. “That first time in particular - it was the happiest Christmas I’d ever spent, Delilah. And if I’m being honest, the only happy Christmas I’d ever known. So you see, Finn might be a total arse at times, and hasn’t always made good decisions over the years. But beneath that dimwitted playboy image the rest of the world knows, he’s got a heart of gold. And after everything he’s done for me, I can’t bear to see that heart broken.”

Delilah sniffled, and blinked back the tears that began to well up. “Drat you, Maxwell Wainwright,” she cursed softly. “You, too, Jordan. Between the pair of you and my sister, I feel well and truly ganged up on at the moment.”

Max gave her a satisfied look. “Mission accomplished then, I’d say. You know, I think I speak for Jordan when I say that the pair of us had more or less given up on Finn ever settling down. But when he met you Delilah, and we could see how happy he was, I was happy, too. Not to mention relieved. And I’d very much like to continue feeling that way.”

“So you’ll talk to him, then?” urged Jordan. “Or at least think about talking to him?”

She hesitated for a few seconds before giving a reluctant nod. “Fine. Like Max just said, mission accomplished. But,” she cautioned, holding up a hand in warning, “it’s going to be when I feel ready to get in touch with him, and definitely going to be on my terms. I need a little time to think this through, figure out the right way to approach him. So don’t you dare say anything to Finn in the meanwhile. Promise?”

Both men nodded, and the look of relief on their faces was almost comical.

Jordan gave her hand a squeeze. “Thanks, Delilah. This means a lot to us. As it will to Finn. He’ll be pissed off when he finds out Max and I had lunch with you today, but I’m willing to bet all will be forgiven if and when things work out between the two of you.”

“That is not something I can guarantee,” warned Delilah. “One step at a time, okay? But I will call him over the next few days and agree to have a meaningful discussion. That, however, is all I can promise right now.”

“That’s more than enough,” assured Max gently. “All we could ask for, in fact.”

Jordan was about to reply when his phone buzzed, indicating an incoming text. He pulled out his phone, then sighed after reading the message.

“I’m afraid I need to eat and run,” he apologized, setting his napkin on the table and pushing his chair back. “One of my patients was just admitted to the hospital, and given how close apart her contractions are occurring, it looks like her baby is going to arrive within the next couple of hours.” He bent and pressed a quick kiss to Delilah’s cheek. “Thanks again for letting us shanghai you. But it really does mean a lot that you’ve agreed to at least talk to Finn. When you’re ready, that is.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, but followed the gesture up with a smile. “Say hi to Aubrey for me. I’ll give her a call soon.”

Jordan nodded, then dashed off after Max assured him he’d take care of the bill.

Delilah leaned back slightly in her chair, fully prepared to take advantage of this opportunity she’d been hoping for. “I didn’t know that you always spent Christmas with Finn’s family,” she began.

Max nodded. “It’s become something of a tradition now. The few times I’ve attempted to use work as an excuse for not attending resulted in a rather irate phone call from Susan, informing me that she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She’s a wonderful person, you know. And certainly one of the kindest women I’ve ever met.”

“Kinder than the woman who broke your heart, I imagine,” observed Delilah, turning the statement into a question.

The corners of Max’s mouth quirked up slightly at her very pointed comment. “Ah, I was wondering when you might get around to bringing that subject up. You do know, of course, that I have never discussed - her - with anyone. Not even Jordan and Finn, the two men I think of as brothers.”

She shrugged. “I’d heard something about that, yes. But I’m guessing they wanted to spare your feelings, and not force you to dredge up bad memories. I, on the other hand, don’t particularly give a damn if I piss you off. Especially after you and Jordan practically kidnapped me a little while ago.”

“Tsk, tsk,” scolded Max. “Kidnapping is a bit of an overreach, isn’t it? And you have to admit that our intentions were noble.”

“I suppose,” she muttered grudgingly. “But don’t think you’re going to worm your way out of this one, Max. Look, you don’t have to tell me any details. Not even her name. But it’s pretty obvious that you’ve never gotten over this mystery woman, and that she broke your heart badly. So why haven’t you been able to get over her after all this time, huh? I mean, you’re a very good looking man, Max, not to mention something of a genius, rich, successful, yada yada. And you can even be charming when you set your mind to it. So just how badly did she break your heart, considering that you’ve never had a serious relationship since?”

She fully expected him to be furious at this line of questioning, and then to tell her sharply that it was none of her business. Instead, Max merely regarded her with a sad, almost poignant expression, and his reply startled her.

“Why,” he asked quietly, “do all of you automatically assume that she was the one to break my heart? On the contrary, Delilah, it was very much the other way around. She loved me deeply, would have done anything I asked of her, and she was the sweetest, kindest woman I’ve ever met.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. “What? Then - then why, Max? I mean, didn’t you love her?”

He smiled fondly. “It would have been impossible not to love a woman like her, even for a supposedly heartless bastard like myself. And the reasons I broke her heart are too complicated to get into right now. Suffice it to say that at the time I convinced myself it was the right thing to do for her, that she was too young and too innocent for someone as hard and jaded as myself.”

“And now?” asked Delilah. “Do you still feel that way?”

Max didn’t answer for long seconds, staring out the window of the restaurant as though he was a million miles away. Or perhaps, thought Delilah, only about eight hundred miles away - the approximate distance between San Francisco and Seattle.

When Max spoke again, his voice sounded hollow, and so sad that Delilah’s heart ached for him, and at the pain she saw reflected in his eyes.

“What happened in Seattle continues to be the biggest regret of my life,” he murmured. “The only real regret of my life. And I’d hate like hell for you to have that same sort of regret one of these days, Delilah. So, please. Talk to Finn, hear him out. And don’t make the same sort of mistakes that I so foolishly did.”