Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 704(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
“New York. He plays in the majors.”
He hums.
I shrug. “So that’s the story. I understand that we’ve had different life experiences, but she thinks she’s superior to everyone. Then again, Mallory was like that before I started bringing her to my family events.”
“Do you think I’m like that?” he asks, his voice oddly quiet as he pulls into the driveway.
“I think you can come off as an arrogant asshole sometimes, but I wouldn’t say superior.” I pause. “Unless you’re using your last name for gain.”
“I only do that here.”
“Ah.” I smile. “So you’re only an arrogant asshole when you’re in Fairview? Is it too soon to talk to Lach about a trade?”
He narrows his eyes at me. “You can’t get rid of me. Besides, I’m retiring as an Owl.”
“I figured.” I lower the visor and check my makeup as he pulls into my mom’s driveway. “You’re too old to play much longer.”
“Old?”
I bite back a laugh. He’s not too old, but I knew he wouldn’t like that joke and the scowl on his face is hilarious.
“Just a little.” I wink at him. “Don’t worry, I’ll accept you no matter what.”
Once he parks and turns the car off, he turns to me with a grin. I inhale sharply when he brings his face closer to mine.
“Do you know what sunflowers represent?” he asks.
“No,” I whisper.
“Loyalty, longevity,” he says, coming closer, until he’s only a breath away. “And adoration.”
He presses his lips against mine in a soft kiss that leaves me breathless, and gets out of the car.
44
JOSSLYN
Finn and Titus have a faceoff when Titus opens the door for us. But after Finn gives him a cigar and a bottle of scotch, Titus pats him on the shoulder and thanks him. As we walk inside, I hear the familiar voices of my stepfather’s colleagues. He and two roommates from law school own the firm, and most of their employees have been there for a long time now. I look around quickly and spot Tate outside. He glances up from his phone and locks eyes with me. He looks at Finn, and when he looks back at me, I see sadness in his eyes. I shouldn’t care, but I can’t not. He visibly swallows, gives me an almost imperceptible nod, and goes back to his phone.
We say hi to my mom, Dame, and the young lanky kid he’s speaking to, whose eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when he sees us. He’s tongue-tied as he tries to introduce himself, so Dame puts him out of his misery, patting him on the shoulder.
“This is Nathan, Luis’ nephew. He’s interning.”
“Nice to meet you, Nathan,” I say. “I’m Josslyn, and this is Finn.”
I introduce Finn out of courtesy. With the way he’s acting, I’m sure he knows who Finn is. It’s pretty heartwarming to see. Nathan looks from Finn to me.
“I … holy shit,” he breathes and clears his throat. “Yeah. I know who both of you are.”
His uncle, who’s leaning over a mountain of files and papers, stands up with a laugh. “I’m not sure if that reaction is for Finn or Josslyn.”
“Probably Josslyn,” Titus’ secretary, Bertha, says with a wink.
I smile at her and walk over to greet them, introducing them each to Finn as we go. I don’t give him a label, I just say his name. He’s Damian’s teammate, but with the way Finn’s hand is practically branding my lower back, they can’t possibly miss that we’re together.
“I got season tickets but couldn’t go to the meet-and-greet because of this.” Nathan waves a hand in the general direction of where the firm employees are. “Do you think you can sign my jersey?”
“Nathan! We’re in a private setting. I’m sure Finn just wants to kick back and relax,” his uncle says.
“It’s fine. I’m happy to sign it,” Finn says.
Nathan practically sprints outside. Everyone laughs and makes jokes about his reaction, and Finn and I walk closer to where my mom is standing by the kitchen island. She hands us each a glass of red wine and shoots me a look that says, “Just try it.”
Dame walks closer to us with an amused look on his face as he glances at Finn. “He was talking about you for ten minutes straight. I should’ve been ready to record his reaction when he saw you.”
“He’s cute,” I say with a laugh, and when I feel Finn’s arm stiffen against mine, I shoot him a bewildered look and add, “Not like that. His enthusiasm is cute, though.”
Finn grunts out his response, his face impossibly unreadable, the way it usually is in public settings. Nathan comes back inside with his jersey. While Finn signs it, my eyes flick toward the patio, where Tate is now sitting down and talking on the phone. I know it’s too much to ask for, but I wish he’d stay outside. It’s not like I want them to be friends, but I wish he and Finn would just make amends so this doesn’t have to be as weird as it is. But that’s way, way too much to ask for. How the hell did I unknowingly get caught up in the middle of a family feud?