Page 37 of The Kissing Part
“It’s sweet,” I whisper. “She’s only four years older than him.”
“That’s a lot at Finn’s age,” Mackenzie says. “He asked her out for drinks, and he can’t even legally buy a drink yet.”
“So they’ll get coffee,” I say.
“Or she can buy him a drink,” Harper says.
I peek into the foyer to see Finn flirting with Olivia, all smiles and husky voice. Olivia shakes her head. Maybe I should intervene. She’s not used to rejecting men, and this one must be handled gently. He’s going to be around a lot, painting the interior.
I walk toward the foyer with Owen close on my heels. I glance over my shoulder at him, and he gestures for me to keep going.
I arrive just in time to hear Olivia say, “Nothing personal, you’re just too young for me.”
Finn’s gaze is intent on hers. “I’m going to marry you one day, Olivia Wagner.”
My jaw gapes. Owen proposed to me at seventeen, and now Finn proposes at nineteen. What’s with the men in this family leaping to a commitment? At least Owen and I were in love. Finn just met her.
Olivia stares at him. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. Mark my words.”
She crosses her arms. “I won’t be working for Shayla forever, you know. At some point I’m moving back to LA, and one day I’ll run my own studio.”
He grins. “We’ll stay in touch.” He swaggers away.
She stares after him and then turns back to me. “What’s his deal?”
“That was strange even for him,” Owen says.
“He’s way into you,” I say.
She scoffs. “Guys who look like that are never into me.” She shakes her head. “There must be another reason. Maybe he’s trying to go through me to get to you.”
We all look over at Finn, where Mackenzie is busy lecturing him in big-sister mode. He looks over to Olivia and winks.
She gasps. “We need a new painter. I’ll start looking right away.”
“You can’t fire him just for asking you out,” I say. “Besides, he’s trying to earn money for a car.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Owen says. “I’ll let him know you’re not interested, so no flirting.”
“And no winking,” Olivia says, straightening her shirt. “No funny business.”
“Got it.” Owen heads over to Finn.
I give Olivia’s arm a squeeze. “Wait ’til you meet the rest of the family. Owen’s got a brother and several single cousins of eligible age. Maybe you’ll hit it off with one of them.”
She frowns. “I don’t have time for dating.”
“Are you happy, Olivia?”
“What’s happiness got to do with anything? This is work.”
I decide not to push it. I should just be glad she’s so focused on the work I need her to do. “I so appreciate you.”
She writes something on the paper on her clipboard. “As you should.”
I nudge her shoulder.
