A Bride for 100 Days

seventeen: Is this a date?

I called Finn.

I know, I know...stupid. 

I'm all for starving the trolls under the bridge but, for real, I couldn't handle the scenes anymore. So I went through my phone bills and found his number. I sat with it for a while and then decided it was time. 

I set up a meeting for Thursday afternoon.

We met at Cracker Barrel. A place where he normally wouldn't be caught dead. When I arrived, he was already seated and ripping apart a biscuit with his hands and eating bits of it.  

I sat down across from him and ordered a sweet tea. 

Finn rolled his head from side to side as though considering all my parts. "You came."

"I said I would and that I would pay."

"Which is bullshit because there's nothing edible."

"Chicken caesar salad, dressing on the side. And a small vanilla milkshake."

"They aren't any milkshakes on the menu."

"They'll make one for you," I promised. 

30 minutes later he was slurping the milkshake happily. I clinked glasses with my tea. Realizing this was as good as it would get, I poked the bear...

"Finn, my dad was never going to help you. I don't know who gave you the idea that he would but it was a lie."

"You're just saying that because you were petty and now you want to act all Gwyneth taking the high road. We all know that isn't true."

I exhaled slowly, counting to ten. "My father has never, ever hired anyone because of an association with one of his family members."

He shook his head, completely unbelieving. 

Luckily, I had prepared. 

I pulled up my phone: "This is my half-brother, Miko. He dated Ruby Lindsey, the actress from the zombie movie..."

"Hey, I know her! She's in Taylor Swift's squad!"

"Yes. And here is the announcement that she was being considered for a lead in Milk Run - two months before they started dating, see that? Ok and here's the TMZ of them dating. And here's the announcement that she's been dropped from consideration. And here is the Just Jared of them breaking up." 

He pulled my phone close and stared at the screen. Then he handed it back. "But..."

"Finn, I want you to forgive me."

"What?" He looked startled.

"I grew up really sheltered. My mom hates my dad and everything he stands for. She really worked hard to keep me far away from Hollywood. So I didn't understand your Hollywood-style dating."

His puzzled expression was almost silly but I kept a straight face. 

"I should have told you upfront about Dad's policy. He absolutely will never hire personal connections. End of story. Not his wives, not his kids, not people he knows through his kids. He got burned early in his career hiring some relatives."

I flipped over to an old interview where Dad had said that very thing to Rolling Stone. As he read it off my phone, Finn almost looked like he wanted to cry. 

"If I'd been raised in Hollywood, then I would have known to tell you this right at the start..."

"Damn right... I mean, all that work!" he groaned. "I walked you to your car how many times? And I cleaned out a cabinet for you!! I would have married you!! You would have been my first wife! Right there on my Wikipedia page forever!"