Page 34 of Chasing his Ex

I feel feverish when Finn slips into the driver’s seat after strapping Emmy into her car seat. It isn’t only because he looks gorgeous in his casual wear, a smart pair of black jeans and a slim-fitting sweater which he has pushed the sleeves to his elbows. His arms aren’t big; he’s lean, more athletic than gym bunny. But what makes my heart melt is him looking so damn responsible and loving as he plants a kiss on her forehead and then pulls the straps to make sure they’re locked in place.

He presses a finger on the button to start the car’s engine. It roars to life as his gaze sweeps over me.

Emmy starts watching a movie on the iPad he gifted her. Loaded with movies, all animals, of course.

I melt against the seat; it’s seeing him making little glances at her through his rearview mirror with a small smile on his face, and I know he loves her.

“You can tell her,” I whisper. “I think you’ve earned it.”

He looks at me with tears in his eyes and nods lightly.

We don’t talk much on the journey to his parents’ house, so when he leans over and laces his fingers between mine, my eyes meet his. He chews his lip nervously. “Will you do me a huge favor?” he asks a moment later. “For my mother’s sake, will you pretend we’re together?”

“Finn, she must know we aren’t.”

“I told her we were trying again, and her eyes sparkled. She just wants me to be happy, and if she thinks we’re together, that’ll make her happy.”

“I’m not sure lying to her is a good thing.” I sigh. “But okay.”

“Thank you. It wouldn’t be a lie if you agreed to give me another chance.”

“And we both know how that worked out last time.”

“I made a mistake; I thought you were back with Jameson.”

“I’m not even friends with him anymore.”

“He claimed you were marrying him.”

“He also worked out you were Emmy’s dad and wanted to adopt her before you found out.”

Finn glares at me, a displeased look that I swear in another dimension I would see fire breath out of his mouth.

The car pulls to a stop in a parking lot a little over an hour into the journey.

“Let’s get cake,” Finn says when he turns to Emmy. She’s sound asleep, still gripping her iPad. “Should we wake her?” he asks. “I wanted a coffee and have a chat before we get there.”

“I’ll carry her into the cafe, and we’ll get a coffee. She never stays asleep on an afternoon for long.”

“Is she not too heavy for you?” Finn asks, and I know he’s desperate to take her.

“She’s fine.”

We sip a silent cup of coffee each; the atmosphere is strange between us. Emmy is still asleep with her head on my lap and her body sprawled across the red fake leather bench.

“How do I tell her?”

“I don’t know. Wait until she wakes, and we’ll try to get there together. But if she looks upset about it, we have to stop.”

He nods. “I don’t want to upset her.”

“Only tell her when you’re ready to,” I say.

“I’m ready.”

We both continue to sip our coffees.

“Mommy, where’s my movie?” Emmy asks, pushing her head off my lap and gazing around the cafe.

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