Page 82 of Wood Riddance
“That chicken soup is pretty spectacular.” He laughed.
“Good to know.”
“I’ll have her make some for you.”
“Ha-ha, please,” I scoffed. “She’ll probably poison it.”
“No, she won’t. She’s got no skin in the game. She divorced my dad when I was eight. Trust me, she holds no loyalty to him whatsoever.”
That was a relief. For reasons I did not want to unpack at the moment, I already yearned for Mrs. Hebert to like me. To think I was good enough for her son. But I pushed that line of thinking aside, determined not to overthink what was going on between us, and focused on the kitchen.
The cabinets were light wood, and there were small splashes of blue everywhere. A blue towel, a spatula, even a fancy stand mixer.
The image of Finn and Merry together here in this cozy space made my heart melt in a way I didn’t think I’d ever experienced. “Can you show me more?” I asked, accepting the steaming mug he held out to me.
I followed him into a tiny room that housed an ornate day bed and a small dresser.
“This is Merry’s room.”
“I figured.”
“It’s not much,” he said, his tone suddenly defensive.
Bringing my coffee to my lips, I took in the lovely space. A large glittery chandelier hung over the bed, and the walls were covered in photos and kids’ artwork and Taylor Swift posters.
I stepped up to the bed and leaned forward, admiring a large photo collage. Finn was behind me, his presence warm and comforting.
“That’s us at Niagara Falls last year,” he said, his back pressed to me and his arm stretched out around me. In the photo, they were wearing bright yellow ponchos and mugging for the camera. It still amazed me that this giant warrior of a man had such a goofy side.
“And that’s her with Alicia and Mike in Paris.”
Alicia was petite and had a chin-length auburn bob. Merry was almost as tall as her already, but she had her hair and eyes.
“Ah. The famous Mike,” I said, studying the dark-haired man in the photo. He was thin and had kind eyes. From what I could tell by the picture, he looked to be in his late thirties.
“Yup.” Finn let out a deep sigh. “I like the guy. I have to say it out loud at least once a day to remind myself, though. We have nothing in common, but he’s kind and trustworthy. That’s all I can ask for, so I tolerate him.”
“He’s probably terrified of you,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
“I made sure of that right off the bat. But I know he’d never hurt either of my girls, so we’re good.”
My girls.My stomach clenched as those words reverberated in my mind. That night in the woods, he’d told me he wasn’t in love with Alicia, but calling her one of his girls sure had me questioning that statement.
He set his coffee cup on the dresser, then took mine and did the same. Then he ran his hands down my arms, gently squeezing every few inches until he found my hands.
“It’s not like that,” he murmured. “I can see your wheels turning, She-Ra.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and searched his face. Was I that obvious?
“Don’t get jealous. My beef with Mike has nothing to do with my feelings for Alicia. She’s the mother of my child and she’s my best friend. Nothing more. I want her to be happy and well taken care of forever. My hang-up, as embarrassing as it is, has more to do with Mike being a corporate type with money. He can give Merry so much more than I can, and sometimes that knowledge gets to me.”
Popping up on my toes, I threaded my fingers into his hair. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re a wonderful father. Look at this princess room.” I held one hand out to my side. “Look at all you do for her. I’m glad Mike is worthy of Alicia and Merry, but money has nothing to do with that.”
He nodded and pressed his lips to my forehead. “Thank you for saying that. Now let me feed you.”
I sat on Merry’s stool while he worked in the tiny galley kitchen. For such a large man, he navigated the space like a pro, scrambling eggs and filling the toaster with slices of bread, all while topping off my coffee.
Naturally, he wouldn’t let me help. He insisted I sit here and relax, so I took advantage and spent the time admiring him.
