Page 23 of Persuaded

“Thanks, Newt.” She reached up and pecked him on the cheek. “You sure you won’t be too tired after the concert?”

“I’ll be fine.” And, in truth, he didn’t mind. Matt Howard was a good kid. “Perhaps Matt will have more luck teaching me the art of Minecraft this time?”

She laughed. “He’ll certainly try.”

“So, uh”—he tipped his head, tried to get a read on her smile—“you have a date?”

Liz flushed, eyes bright. “I guess,” she said. And then, in a lower voice, “Finn Callaghan asked me to the Rock House for a drink.”

“Oh” was pretty much all Joshua could manage.

“I mean, it’s nothing really,” Liz hurried on. “Just—you know, it’s been a while. I’m kinda out of practice with all this.”

He cleared his throat, focused on the books he was tidying. “I don’t think it’s something you forget.”

“I guess.”

An odd silence fell between them and Joshua reached for something to say to break it. “Um, so F-Finn is here forThanksgiving?” Damn, but he hated how he stumbled over his name.

“Flies in Wednesday,” Liz said. “Afternoon, I think.”

“And you’re his first port of call?” His smile did nothing to soothe the slick coil of envy in the pit of his stomach.

“I wouldn’t say that.” But the color rose in her cheeks and her eyes shone, dazzled. And why wouldn’t she be? Finn was dazzling. “Um, is six forty-five okay with you? I’m meeting him at the Rock House at seven.”

Joshua nodded. “I’ll be there.” Even if the situation couldn’t get more ridiculous. Babysitting for Finn’s date? The universe must be having a good laugh.

The only positive he could draw from the situation was the confirmation that Finn wouldn’t be back until Wednesday—that left him Tuesday, after work, to head up to Hanworth Hall and lose a couple hours to the piano. He wouldn’t go there with Finn around, obviously, but he ached for the oblivion he found in intense practice and the mellow tones of his mother’s piano were just the thing to ease his battered spirits. He planned on making the most of it while he could.

* * *

Finn liked nothing better than getting the jump on his brother. So he didn’t call to let Sean know they didn’t need him on set on Tuesday after all, and that he could make his escape a day early.

He liked the idea of just rolling up at the house unannounced, startling Sean while he was watching porn, or geeking out over the History channel, or whatever he got up to alone in that big fucking house.

With Josh.

The image derailed him from his happy thoughts and he shifted in his airplane seat, drawing a shy smile from the womannext to him. She’d recognized him immediately, but hadn’t said anything so he left it at that for now. Not that he minded fans saying hello, it was just that Joshua-fucking-Newton had taken over his brain and it was difficult to be the nice guy he wanted to be with all that damn emotion churning around inside.

Glaring out the window, he offended the clouds instead.

He felt shitty about what he’d said to Josh outside Sean’s house, and that pissed him off becausehewasn’t the one in the wrong. Josh had had no right to look so—sohurt. He was the one who’d ended everything, not Finn. He’d had no right to stand there outside Sean’s house with his face all flushed and his hair damp and wild like he’d just been—

Of course, the dreams weren’t helping. Josh started visiting his dreams about a year after it ended, laughing and joyful with his intense gaze and gentle smile. And Finn woke from those dreams either suffused with fading joy or choking on bile. Neither state did much for his concentration at work.

But now they’d met again, things were getting worse. The dreams came more often—every night now, sometimes more. And they werevivid. He could feel the warmth of Joshua’s pliant body under his hands, taste the salt on his skin. Hear the soft rasp of his name on those lips when he came.

Jesus.

In the airplane, Finn swallowed a mouthful of whiskey and tried to change the subject inside his head. But all he came up with was Sean and Josh eating dinner together. Stupid to feel jealous, but he did. Josh was his to resent, not Sean’s to befriend.

His flight landed early in New York and the waiting car drove him the hour and a half out to New Milton. He talked to the driver a little, watched the scenery flash past the window, caught up on his email and tried not to think about Josh. When they were a couple minutes from Sean’s, he asked the driver to drop him off. Giving the guy a generous holiday tip, Finn waited forthe sound of the car to fade before he took in a deep breath of cold New Milton air.

He was back. There’d been a time when he’d vowed never to set foot in New Milton again, but here he was and something deep down vibrated with that knowledge. He didn’t know what the fuck to do with that, so decided to ignore it—because that always worked.

Slinging his bag over one shoulder, he crunched up the road to Sean’s house and let himself in through the side door. It was never locked. He dumped his bag in the hallway and tried to figure out where Sean might be. Working, probably, because it was only six o’clock. Cocking his head, he listened until he heard a noise from farther inside the house. Music.

He followed the sound, surprised that it wasn’t the usual crap Sean listened to butrealmusic. He snorted a laugh. What was this? Sean Callaghan getting all refined now he was lord of the fucking manner? Finn headed down another hallway, pleased to have caught Sean in this act of pretention, and stopped to peak around the door. If Sean was conducting or something, Finn would—

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