Page 50 of Jilted Jock
“Now? Here?!” I glanced around for Richard and breathed a sigh of relief when I found he had his back to me.
Finn nodded and I looked him over carefully. Hair tussled like he’d been running his hands through it. He’d let his beard grow again, but it was trimmed close. Gray dress pants and a black button-down shirt that he’d rolled at the sleeves. Tennis shoes that were so him – dressed up, but not too stuffy.
Aubrey returned and handed me a water. “Finn, you made it.” They hugged and I shot a look of betrayal to my sister-in-law. “I’m so glad. It’s good to see you.”
“Good to see you too.”
Stunned and frozen in silence, I could only stand and gape at him.
Aubrey’s brows pulled together as she tried to understand my reaction. I knew the fear and anxiety I was feeling had to be obvious. My entire body was like one big nerve. Easing the awkwardness, she focused on Finn. “Chance is over there with CJ. He’ll be so glad you came.”
With a nod, Finn took the easy out. “Thanks.” His gaze flitted over me again briefly. “I’ll catch you later.”
When he was out of earshot, Aubrey wasted no time interrogating me. “What was that about?”
I couldn’t answer, so I shot my own question back. “Why is he here?”
“Chance invited him. He looks good. I think he’s finally back to his old self, or that’s what Chance says.”
I said nothing.
“Is everything okay? Did something happen between you two before I walked up?”
“No. No, of course not. I’m just surprised to see him.” My face warmed and travelled down my neck. I was going to be sweating soon in my new fancy dress.
“Have you talked to him since he left?”
“No. Why would I?”
Aubrey looked confused. “I don’t understand what’s wrong. I thought you’d be happy to see him.”
I rolled my eyes and forced myself to relax. Aubrey would never leave it alone if she thought I was upset. “It’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting him to be here.”
“I’m shocked you haven’t kept in touch. Finn is one of the first people in a long time to break through that tough shell of yours. You really let him into your life.”
“That was just forced proximity. He was a little hard to avoid.”
She shrugged. “Maybe, but you didn’t have to take him in to start with.”
“The guy needed a place to lick his wounds. Now that he’s all better, we have nothing to talk about. He’s, well, Finn McCash and I’m just me. We don’t exactly travel in the same circles.” Except he was here now, in my circle.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit. Besides, I thought you two were sort of cute together.”
“Cute together?” My face had to be beet red. Oh my God, had he said something to them? I shook my head. No, of course not. He would never. Besides, he’d likely already moved on and I was long forgotten. He hadn’t tried to contact me after the email about wanting to kiss me again which had only proven that I’d made the right choice in ignoring him.
“Well, yeah,” she whispered. “Look, Richard is great, but you and Finn – I could see it under different circumstances.”
I couldn’t spit the words out fast enough. She was crazy. “Finn and I are the worst possible match. He lives this big, crazy life where he can have any woman he wants. Parties, clubs, bars, and women everywhere begging for his attention.” I shook my head. I’d given this some thought, so I was prepared with all the ways that Finn and I were not compatible. “I could never be with someone like that.”
“Youthinkthat’s his lifestyle or youknowit?”
I lifted a brow. “I know how my brother was when he played, and I’ve seen enough of Finn’s social media to need to bleach my eyes.”
“Alright, if you say so, but people change.”
I followed her line of vision to where Chance was pushing CJ on the swing, looking happier than I’d ever seen him. Chance hadn’t changed by choice. I’d pushed him into it, forcing him to grow up because I hadn’t. Maybe the only good thing that came from it was it’d brought him to Aubrey. Though I liked to think they’d have found each other regardless. They were the very definition of soul mates.
Finn stood next to Chance talking and looking completely at home, but his gaze was fixed on me.
