Page 32 of Spark
"You as well." Her eyes are kind, reminding me of a calm blue sky, as we shake hands. "Has Finlay told you that we have front row seats tonight?"
"Uh, no." I glance at him. "But I just got here. Front row is great."
"Gran said that she pulled some strings so we have a good view, but we think she really did it so the rest of the audience will see us giving her a standing ovation at the end and join in."
Just like Finlay, his siblings are carrying colorful bouquets. I eye the few roses in my mixture of daisies and other flowers I can’t name. "Maybe she’d like it if we tossed some flowers onto the stage at her feet?"
Grinning, Cam thumps me on the back. "She’dloveit. You’ll definitely fit in with her."
Aileen’s phone buzzes. She takes one look at the screen and shakes her head. "My date is lost. Guys, excuse me while I help him find his bearings. Cam, come help me. You know this area better than I do."
After the siblings walk away, I clink my glass against Finlay’s. "To tonight. I thought I’d never get here."
"Cheers." Eyes brimming with a light that captivates me, he holds my gaze as he takes a sip.
The wine is cold and crisp. I hold it in my mouth for a moment before I swallow. I want to savor every second of this evening. "You know, I haven’t had a drink on a Friday night in over a year."
"Really?"
"Not with working at the club. The staff often has a drink at the end of the night, but I’m usually too tired to chance imbibing before driving home." Driving when tired is risky enough. Adding alcohol on top of that is just asking for trouble.
Finlay sweeps his thumb along my cheekbone, the gesture as gentle as it is intimate, fueling my longing to wake up in his embrace. "Speaking of tired, you look exhausted."
"I’ve had a long day. And didn’t get to sleep until three o’clock." I roll my head from side to side, stretching the neck muscles. The exhaustion is entwined into every cell in my body. After catching a few punches to the ribs while breaking up another fight at the club last night and spending today swinging a sledgehammer, and then slamming my knee in the truck, I’m so thankful for the break tonight, even though losing out on six hours of pay wasn’t smart. The thought of going back into work tomorrow night after my rugby game is enough to make me want to sob. I rub my hand over my face, then the back of my neck. I’m exhausted. And overwhelmed. "I don’t know how I’m going to keep this up."
Finlay opens his mouth then closes it and, brows pinched, scans the room. He places his hand on my back and guides me over to a quiet corner. "From how you look now, and how you’ve looked almost every time I’ve seen you, I don’t know how you’ll do it either. Can you stop or cut back on the bouncer gig?"
"No. I need the money." I’m so damn tired. I’m tired of being tired, tired of feeling like I have to explain myself, tired of feeling like my life is on hold. But for as tired as I am, I’d make the same decision again, without question. This wasn’t how I wanted to have this conversation, but here we are. "It’s sort of a long story."
His hand caresses in small circles, sending waves of comfort over my skin. "I have time."
Based on what time I arrived, we don’t have that much time before the show. I need to talk fast, to get it all out and then see where we stand. "Sofia was in a bad car accident almost two years ago. She wasn’t at fault, but her car was totaled, she had a concussion, and her hand and wrist were wrecked too."
The gentle hand at my back nudges me forward and Finlay pulls me into his shoulder. "I remember Cam telling me bits about what happened to her, probably over a year ago when I had stopped by his place to visit and Isabella and Elliott were there for a play date with Olive."
I raise my glass in Cam’s direction, even though he’s caught up in a conversation with Aileene and doesn’t see me. "He’s been a phenomenal friend. He hosted those play dates whenever Sofia had physical therapy or doctor appointments so she and Eve didn’t have to pay for a sitter, and he had prepared meals sent to her family every week for months."
Finlay’s brows lift and his gaze darts to where Cam and Aileene are standing by the lobby doors. "He didn’t mention any of that. Is your sister fully healed now?"
"She is, thankfully. When the accident happened, she and Eve were just getting the tattoo shop up and running, they had two little kids, needed a new car, and then there were so many bills from her surgeries. Insurance only covers so much. On top of that, she knew she still had months of physical therapy and more copays, ahead of her. She was so stressed out and overwhelmed." Discomfort at the memory of my sister’s tear-stained face fills me and I study the wine I’m swirling around my glass. "My parents were going to take a chunk out of their retirement fund to help her out. I couldn’t have that. They’re in their seventies and are already living off of it. So I did."
Pursing his lips, he tilts his head to the side and the caresses over my back pause. "You dipped into your 401k?"
"That, and I took out a loan." When his lips press together and lines of concern fan out from his eyes, I’m not sure what he’s thinking. My ex chewed me out for taking money out of the 401k, but I needed more than the bank would give me for the loan and didn’t know what else to do. When Finlay’s expression softens into sympathy and the strokes along my back resume, a part of me relaxes. Leaning into him, I gather comfort from his physical support, and the unspoken support that is so clearly communicated in his gaze. "It’s fine. I’m younger, I have more time than my parents would to build up my savings again. What’s important is that Sofia’s bills were handled, and she doesn’t have to worry about anything."
He slides his hand along my side until he reaches my hand. After a squeeze, he links our fingers together. "You’re a good brother."
I shrug. "It’s what you do for your family."
Lips twisting into a frown, he shakes his head. The pressure on my hand increases for a moment, his voice as resolute. "No. Not everyone would react as you did."
I shrug again. Embarrassment blooms at the admiration in his gaze. I didn’t help my sister for praise or for any other reason than wanting to take care of her. "Then I guess not everyone has a family like mine. They’re amazing. I couldn’tnothelp."
Finlay sets his glass down on a table and then frames his hands on the sides of my face. The kindness in his expression staggers me. He leans in and touches his lips to mine. "You’re a good man, Mateo. A very good man."
Our lips meet again, and I soak up the comfort in the kiss. But as much as I want to revel in what he’s said and how perfect his nearness feels, I have to make sure he understands how things will be. Fresh nerves prickle through my gut. I shift a step away so that we’re no longer touching. "My schedule is going to be like this for the next three and a half years, until I pay back the loan. I need the bouncer gig to make those payments. I know we’ve talked about my not having a lot of free time before, but now you know why I can’t afford to take time off. A day here or there, maybe, but not often."
His mouth opens then closes. Expression unreadable, he studies me for a moment. Breath freezes in my lungs and my heart feels like it’s lodged in my stomach. With a raised brow, he steps forward, eliminating the space separating us and takes hold of my hand once more. "Mateo—"
