Page 37 of Jilted Jock
Aubrey looked to me.
“Same.”
Finn and I sat on the opposite side of the table from Chance and Aubrey, CJ in a highchair next to his mum. With Finn sitting in Richard’s usual seat it was all a little surreal. I had to stop myself on more than one occasion from leaning closer.
Once everyone had their plates filled, Chance spoke to me around a mouth full of steak. “Finn and I were talking about going to that little hole in the wall Chinese buffet on Saturday. I know how much you love that place but hate going by yourself. You in?”
“Oh.” Aubrey looked down when I glanced to her for help. “I’m going to be out of town this weekend.”
Chance’s eyebrows pulled together. “You’re going to visit Dick so soon? He was just here.”
My palms sweated. Aubrey was right, my brother was a secret ninja.
“I have an interview on Friday.” I took a bite of my potato and tried to act casual.
The table grew quiet until all I could hear was my own chewing. Even CJ was silent.
“The headhunter working with Richard to staff the New York office had a job and, well, it sounds perfect. It’s just an interview.”
“That’s great,” Chance said with a tone that said the opposite. Aubrey elbowed him and forced a smile.
Finn scooted his arm along the table until it touched mine. I glanced up to find him offering a sympathetic smile. I took it and I didn’t break the contact for several long seconds as I soaked up any reassurances I could.
“Congratulations is what your brother meant to say,” Aubrey said as she shot daggers at Chance. “And good luck.”
“Good luck,” Chance grunted.
Adele
We stayed at Chance and Aubrey’s way later than expected not walking back until after my usual bedtime.
“It’s a nice neighborhood,” Finn said, looking around like he was seeing it for the first time. “Quiet, family friendly, lots of trees and landscaping so it feels suburban, but also close to the beach.”
“Yep.”
“I don’t care for New York. Everyone is rushing from place to place, the weather is awful, it smells.” He shook his head. “I’m surprised you want to give this up.”
He held the door open for me and we walked in to find kitty waiting for us.
“Says the guy who lives in LA.”
“I have to live close to the field.”
“And if you didn’t? Where would you live?”
“Haven’t given it a lot of thought until recently, but this place seems pretty hard to beat.”
I couldn’t picture Finn living in this neighborhood for all the money in the world, but he wasn’t wrong – it would be hard to beat.
“Well, you can’t help who you fall in love with, right? I mean you moved across the world for someone. I’m just moving across the country.”
His lips twisted into a stoic and thoughtful smile at my words. “I suppose you’re right. Home is where the heart is or whatever the cheesy line is.”
“Home isn’t a place. It’s a feeling,” I said, hands over my heart, in the most dramatic voice I could muster.
Finn smirked. “Home is whatever the fuck you make it.”
“Did you read that on a motivational poster?”
