Page 109 of Rules in Love
“Listen to me, I know how my nephew thinks, and he is going to try and run. We had a deal, Jason—Finn’s opportunity for my business and influence. Now, I don’t care what you have to do, but if that boy leaves, my money goes with it.”
“Jocie?”
The woman who had guided me through the roughest of seas dropped her phone on her lap. I watched the color drain from her face, and her fingers began to tap nervously. A family trait, it seemed—right along with interfering.
Without prompting, the excuses began. “Finny, I did what I had to do to save you. For years you shuffled between Sydney and Byron, never leaving your apartment or the farmhouse outside of work or Iris. You were miserable. Torn between two worlds but not living a day in either. All I did was help you get your foot in the door.”
“Help me? Jocelyn, you bought my job. I think that’s a little more than a foot in the door. You shoved your ass in and squatted.”
“I did no such thing. It was a mere enticement to get you an interview. If you think the partners of a multimillion-dollar architectural firm would hire you just to get one woman from Australia’s business, then you’re not as smart as I thought you were. Yes, I threw a little influence in and did it again just now, but it was all blustering. They would never have hired you if I didn’t see the potential bursting from your skin.”
“I don’t want to hear it. This whole thing, coming to New York, has been a mistake.” Her pleas for me to stay and listen continued as I packed my things, but in my mind, I was already gone.
The next day, Bernstein and Wright confirmed Jocelyn’s version of events. “We’d already seen your work in Sydney, Finn. We had been looking for young designers for almost two years at that point. That was how we got Grant and Digby. Your aunt’s business was an added bonus.”
“As happy as I am to hear that, I think it’s time for Iris and me to move on.”
We talked in circles for almost forty minutes, and eventually, Jason conceded and walked me out. “Just do me a favor, Finn. Sleep on it for a day or two, and then come back in for a chat. We don’t want to lose you. And I don’t think we’re the only ones.” Jason motioned to his left, and there she was.
Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed red, and those flecks of hazel were quickly drowned out by tears. The plans she held in her hands hit the floor, as did my heart.
“Finn!”
That same whole-body tingle I felt when I first saw her was overpowering, and I damn near fell at her feet. But I didn’t. My decision was made.
Two hours later, Scarlett stood before me, drenched and shivering from the rain and possibly nerves. She gasped and physically shrank within herself when I opened the door and sobbed my name with so much pain it splintered my bones. But no matter how the ground wobbled and quaked beneath me, I had to remain solid and upright. Determined and confident. I could do this. I could send her away…as long as she didn’t touch me. Or I didn’t breathe in her scent. Or look at her for more than a second.
“I’m swamped, Scarlett. What can I help you with?”
Her body jolted. My bitter coldness hurt. “Wow, that’s…rather brutal.” The nail-biting began, and I looked up, allowing the briefest glimpse of her soft lips chewing on her thumb before looking away. Just that nanosecond in time, that moment of weakness left me desperate to touch her. To feel the weight of her body against me.
“Finn! What the bloody hell happened? I know you saw me today. Why did you ignore me? Where have you been?” Her voice carried the tears I was too cowardly to see.
“I just came in to resign and didn’t want to make a scene.”
“You resigned? Finn, what the hell is going on?”
“Nothing’s going on. As I said, I’m busy.” I began to close the door, but she jammed her foot in front of it, pushed it open, and barged in. With a head full of steam, she marched into the kitchen and froze when she saw the boxes.
“What are you doing?” Her voice was deep. Raspy. Heartbroken.
Apart from dying on the inside?“Packing.”
“Yes, I guessed that, but why? Where are you going?”
The vomit steadily rising in my throat was forced back down, and I looked up and took her in for the first time. Her once-glittering eyes were dull and heavy with tears and lined with dark black circles. The bouncy curls I was so desperate to touch sat wet, clinging lifelessly to her tear-dappled, rosy cheeks. Even red-faced and puffy, she was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
“Home. Byron.”
“What? You’re going back to Australia? Wh…What… Why? When? When did this happen?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but after everything that’s happened, I’m convinced it is the right thing to do for Iris and me.”
“Finn! That’s bullshit.”
“You’re right. It is. It’s complete and utter bullshit. The whole me-in-New-York thing is, and that’s why I’m going. I don’t have the same luxury as you, Scarlett. I’m the only parent Iris has. I don’t have aBrettlurking in the background, just waiting to make a happy family. It is my job to provide Iris with a future. One worthy of the promise I made her mum. I let you distract me from that.”
She opened her mouth, but nothing but a huff of air came out. It took her three attempts to eke out, “You let me distract you?”
