Page 12 of Spark
She gives the castle her full attention. Eyes growing wide, she loosens her hold of my hand. "It’s so pretty. Just like in the story Daddy read to me last night."
Each of the workers wish Olive a happy birthday, bid me a goodbye, and then head across the yard toward Cam.
Renewed tugging on my hand draws my attention back to Olive. She points to the dimples in her cheeks. "Daddy says no one can resist me with these weapons. The cups have zebras and giraffes on them. Come on!"
She’s right, no one can resist melting around her. Whenever she’s at the rugby games, she has our entire squad wrapped around her little finger. I allow her to lead me.
We pass under a canopy of at least one hundred colorful balloons spanning across the middle of the yard, a rainbow arc under a brilliant, cloudless sky. Olive points out her favorite colors and the animal themed decorations throughout the yard. The warmth of the sun soaks into my muscles. Rolling my shoulders, I will the nerves buzzing through my system to relax, but the closer I get to Finlay, the more the buzzing increases.
The workers are now gone, and Cam has an arm around Finlay’s shoulders, leading him to the beverage table. Both brothers are talking at the same time. Finlay looks annoyed and Cam’s smug smile is bordering on sneaky. He points to an array of cups, pats Finlay’s shoulder twice, and then strides toward the house.
Finlay is busy glaring at Cam’s retreating back as I arrive. When he turns his attention to me, his jaw relaxes and the lines of frustration disappear. His gaze is soft, vulnerable, and rakes over my face like he’s memorizing every detail. "Hi."
"Hi." The word rasps out softer than I’d intended. He looks so good in khaki shorts and a forest green tee that highlights his athletic build. His forearms have a dusting of light freckles. More are scattered across the bridge of his nose. I hadn’t seen them in the pulsing lights at the club.
Olive releases my hand and points to the three large coolers lining the wall behind the table. "We have juice boxes and lemonade and water, and the blue one has beer for the grown-ups. You can choose any animal cup you want. Even the giraffes. They’re my favorite."
I can feel Finlay’s gaze as I smile at Olive playing hostess. "Would you like a drink too, Olive?"
"No, thank you. My daddy said we need to leave you two alone together." With a cherubic smile, she races toward the back door, where Cam is waiting, holding it open. Both father and daughter give each other a thumbs up before disappearing inside.
Surprise zings up my spine like an electric shock and heat flashes through me. I drag my gaze to Finlay’s. His ears are red and his expression, a mixture of shock and embarrassment, echoes what I’m sure is etched on my face.
Finlay raises his hand halfway to his face then drops it to his side. Shaking his head, he peers at the house. "I’m going to kill him."
We’re the only two people in the yard. The real reason Cam asked me to come over early to supervise the bounce castle construction is suddenly crystal clear thanks to Olive’s words. It wasn’t to soothe Cam’s worries. It was a set up. For Finlay and me.
Cameron Davidson, unrepentant matchmaker, is apparently back to playing Cupid.
I’m caught between wanting to groan at the thought of Cam and his meddling ways, and being pleased that he’d think I’m a good match for the brother he looks up to. The pleasure wins out.
But Finlay’s stony stare is still fixed on the house, where Cam is very possibly watching us from the kitchen window.
He obviously isn’t happy with his brother.
The reason why could be anything. Maybe he’s annoyed by Cam’s interference. Maybe this isn’t the first time Cam has done a surprise set up on him. Maybe he’s bothered by the fact that it’s happening here, at his niece’s birthday party, and we’ve both been caught unaware.
Or maybe he’s not interested in me. Could I have imagined our connection at the club, only seeing what I wanted to see? My stomach clenches. I hope not. It seemed so electric.
Focusing my attention on a bright orange cup with cartoon zebras, I take it from the stack. I need to take my lead and cues from his reaction. The last thing I’d want to do is make Finlay uncomfortable. "Should be a nice afternoon. Looks like Cam went all out."
"Yep." The word is clipped. After one last, dark look at the house, Finlay swings his gaze back to me. The tightness in his features slackens once more and the yearning in his gaze is so sharp and clear, it’s like we’re sharing two ends of the same connection. His Adam’s apple bobs with his swallow and his lips part on an audible inhale. I want to reach across the table and take his hand or stroke his stubbled cheek. Instead, I settle for running my fingertip over the table’s edge. He drops his gaze to the colorful cups in front of him and begins arranging them in stacks according to animal: orange zebras, yellow lions, purple elephants, pink giraffes, and blue monkeys. "Camalwaysgoes all out. I wondered how he would top last year’s party. That one included a performance from acrobats fresh off a Vegas tour and the night ended with an impressive fireworks display."
"I’ve seen pictures." My smile is friendly, not flirty, as I try to gauge him. He’s looking at me again, with a smile that is no longer strained, and our connection is still sparking like a live wire. My heartbeat speeds up. I remind myself to not get my hopes up. "He said he’s getting someone from the zoo to stop by today?"
Finlay nods and sets the last stack of cups in place. "From the animal ambassador program. They’re bringing five animals. Olive is really excited."
A truck with an attached trailer rumbles down the long driveway and comes to a stop at the end, just past the attached garage. It has the name of a farm emblazoned on the side, so this isn’t from the zoo. Cam and Olive emerge from the side of the house and join the driver by the trailer’s rear. Moments later, the driver leads out a miniature horse with a speckled brown coat.
I return my still empty cup to the stack and glance back at Finlay. "More party entertainment?"
With a shrug, he rounds the table and comes to stand beside me. The scent of his soap or shampoo is a temptation I don’t want to resist, beckoning me closer. "Cam only told me about the balloon artist, face painter, and zoo ambassador, nothing about horses."
"She’s mine?" Olive’s shriek pierces the air and my ears. Jumping up and down, she hugs her father and then the horse. "I get to keep her? Really? Uncle Fin, did you hear that? Gigi got me a pony!"
"Why am I not surprised?" Finlay’s low, dry words can only be heard by me. He tilts his head toward mine. "Going overboard with gifts is my mother’s trademark. I guarantee she didn’t run this by Cam first. Look at his face."
I turn my attention to Cameron. He looks as surprised as I suspect anyone would be if gifted a horse out of the blue. I can’t help thinking that my parents would never buy something so extravagant, time-consuming, and financially draining for my niece or nephew without first checking with my sister and her wife. "I wonder if he has enough space to keep it here in the yard."
