Perfectly Pink - An It's Always Been You Romance (Complete)

Chapter 37

Mary crept across the black-and-white tiles of the foyer of the lake house, heading for the stairs. Still reeling from her discussion with Simon and his ultimatum, all she longed for was to lock herself in her old room, fling her weary body on her bed, and cry.

She didn't get the chance.

"Using my brother again?" Finn's chipped voice cut across the cold marble, echoing in her ears and her heart.

She didn't want to get into a fight with both Wainwright brothers on the same day, but Finn seemed to have something to say. She considered running up the stairs, however resignation set in and with a sigh she faced her brother-in-law. Time to pay for her sins. Again.

"I'm not using Simon." Finn crossed his arms and leaned on the doorframe of the study. "I felt like a drink. Is that a crime?"

"With you? Might be." Great. Her brother-in-law was in an even more surly mood than when she left after dinner. A sullen dinner where Finn moped and glared at her as if she might have poisoned the mashed potatoes. She'd come back to the lake house today to use the regular Monday night meal as an excuse to see Simon. Never considered he wouldn't show up.

But Simon had cancelled. Mary could barely sit still during the meal, trying to find a reason to go to the Waterfront and confront him. No matter what was going on between them, Simon couldn't afford to mess up with Finn. She'd been the cause of the rift between the two men before, and she wouldn't let it happen again. Not over her.

"I saw your brother, but he... wasn't in a talkative mood. Too busy." Making plans to leave her. The concept dug caverns in her chest. Bridgetown without Simon seemed incomprehensible. He was a staple here, the center of the small seaside resort town. Over the years, the simple knowledge she could drive a few miles from Washington to find him tending bar or paying bills in his office had kept her sane.

What would she do if he left? If she had no idea where he was? Panic licked at the back of her neck and she bit the inside of her cheek to swell the rising tide. Simon was bluffing. He had to be.

Except she'd never seen such determination in him before. The sad thing was part of her liked this side of him. He'd always had a fire to him, but the flames were a slow burn, keeping things warm and tingly. A tease here, a flirt there, causing her insides to heat up. In their fleeting trysts, the fire ignited in raging flames that brought life to them both, but those moments were short-lived, and she thought limited to the bedroom. Standing there in that office, he'd burned with an intensity, and the glow excited her in ways she hadn't expected.

Finn pushed off the doorframe. "I see both of you are back to lying to me again."

"That's not fair. If he—"

"You ruin everything." Finn hurled the words at her like hand grenades.

Mary dodged, her reply anything but diplomatic. "As if. I can't possibly be that good."

Finn's face turned to granite, but his steps were quick as he crossed the foyer and glared down at her. "Really? Where was my brother tonight? It's Monday, our usual dinner. He hasn't missed one meal and then you show up and low and behold he's not here."

Mary took a steadying breath. There was no way out of this situation. Finn was right, yet she couldn't bring herself to admit it. "That's not my fault. I'm not your brother's keeper."

A bitter chuckle escaped Finn's lips. "You keep my brother alright." Bloodshot eyes bored into her. Had Finn been drinking? "Stop toying with his heart."

He's toying with my heart, she wanted to shout. But didn't. Much as she wanted to scream at someone right now, getting into a yelling match with Finn wasn't a good idea. She might say something she would regret later. Like she seemed to be doing a lot lately. Lying to Hunter, her father, Simon, in the study last week. Lying to herself.