slapped her to bring her to her senses.
‘I’ll see you out.’
‘Don’t bother.’
Finn stepped towards her, dropped a quick kiss on her temple before heading inside and picking up his wallet, keys and mobile. He turned and looked at her, and the corner of his mouth kicked up.
‘Yeah, I think you and I could have some fun. And, Cal?’
‘Mmm?’
‘No more crying, okay?’
CHAPTER FOUR
F INN HEARD HIS doorbell ring and cursed as he lifted another box onto the tower of boxes he was creating in his hallway. God, Liz had a lot of stuff, he thought as he turned sideways to navigate through the thin aisle between boxes to get to the door.
It would be a brother again, holding a six-pack and a takeaway, coming to keep him company in his darkest hour. He appreciated the beer and the food, but instead of their sympathy he wished that they’d give him something useful, like help with shifting and packing boxes.
He rolled his eyes as the doorbell pealed again and reached out to yank the door open. ‘You can only come in if you’re prepared to work, you lazy—’
He blinked at the vision on his doorstep. Instead of one of his big, brawny, young stepbrothers Callie, dressed in a short sleeveless sundress, stood in front of him, her blonde hair pulled up into a tail and most of her face covered by huge dark sunglasses.
‘Oh, sorry. Wasn’t expecting you.’
Callie pushed her glasses up into her hair and smiled. ‘I can see that, since you’re shirtless and shoeless. Who
were
you expecting?’
‘Ah, one or more of my brothers—stepbrothers. They pop in most evenings, usually around this time.’
‘Coming to check up on you?’
‘Yeah.’
Callie placed a hand on her heart. ‘That’s so sweet.’
Finn grimaced. ‘I appreciate the sentiment but I wish they would just stop. Because I’m not talking they think that Liz is to blame and that I need comforting.’
‘
Is
she to blame?’
‘Mutual decision,’ he replied quickly, seeing the trap and dodging it. ‘Anyway, because not all men are Neanderthals, they’ve been worried about me because Liz and I were together for a long time. I have so many offers for beer or lunch or dinner I could scream.’
Callie didn’t say anything and he, like a rookie, just kept on talking.
‘So I drink the beers and eat the food and try to convince everyone that I’m okay.’
‘Are you?’
Callie took his right hand and held it between hers. She looked up at him from beneath those ridiculously long lashes, her expression earnest and concerned. She wasn’t just asking for form’s sake, he suddenly realised, she genuinely seemed to care. And her empathy—not pity or sympathy—melted one of the many icicles attached to his heart.
Finn thought about her question for a minute and left his hand where it was, his fingers entangled with hers. ‘Mostly. I will be a feeling a lot more relieved when you say yay or nay.’
‘Yay,’ Callie said as she dropped his hand.
Finn looked down at her, not sure that he’d heard her correctly. ‘What?’
‘Yes, I will be your fake wife.’ Callie said, her eyes dancing. ‘Thanks for asking me.’
Finn felt relief course through him and was surprised at the wave of—hell
—happiness
that followed. He was going to be able to complete this amazing assignment,get out of this house and step out of his life, thanks to this phenomenal woman.
‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. Thanks, Callie.’
‘I should be thanking you; it’s an amazing opportunity to see some places that I haven’t seen before.’
‘And to get out of Dodge as well.’ Finn folded his arms and raised a brow. ‘Want to tell me why?’
Callie didn’t miss a beat. ‘Want to tell me what really happened to stop the wedding?’
‘Touché.’
He wasn’t going to open up and neither was she. Better that way, Finn decided, even though he was damn curious.
‘So, do you want to come inside?’
Finn thought that she was about to say
‘I’ll see you out.’
‘Don’t bother.’
Finn stepped towards her, dropped a quick kiss on her temple before heading inside and picking up his wallet, keys and mobile. He turned and looked at her, and the corner of his mouth kicked up.
‘Yeah, I think you and I could have some fun. And, Cal?’
‘Mmm?’
‘No more crying, okay?’
CHAPTER FOUR
F INN HEARD HIS doorbell ring and cursed as he lifted another box onto the tower of boxes he was creating in his hallway. God, Liz had a lot of stuff, he thought as he turned sideways to navigate through the thin aisle between boxes to get to the door.
It would be a brother again, holding a six-pack and a takeaway, coming to keep him company in his darkest hour. He appreciated the beer and the food, but instead of their sympathy he wished that they’d give him something useful, like help with shifting and packing boxes.
He rolled his eyes as the doorbell pealed again and reached out to yank the door open. ‘You can only come in if you’re prepared to work, you lazy—’
He blinked at the vision on his doorstep. Instead of one of his big, brawny, young stepbrothers Callie, dressed in a short sleeveless sundress, stood in front of him, her blonde hair pulled up into a tail and most of her face covered by huge dark sunglasses.
‘Oh, sorry. Wasn’t expecting you.’
Callie pushed her glasses up into her hair and smiled. ‘I can see that, since you’re shirtless and shoeless. Who
were
you expecting?’
‘Ah, one or more of my brothers—stepbrothers. They pop in most evenings, usually around this time.’
‘Coming to check up on you?’
‘Yeah.’
Callie placed a hand on her heart. ‘That’s so sweet.’
Finn grimaced. ‘I appreciate the sentiment but I wish they would just stop. Because I’m not talking they think that Liz is to blame and that I need comforting.’
‘
Is
she to blame?’
‘Mutual decision,’ he replied quickly, seeing the trap and dodging it. ‘Anyway, because not all men are Neanderthals, they’ve been worried about me because Liz and I were together for a long time. I have so many offers for beer or lunch or dinner I could scream.’
Callie didn’t say anything and he, like a rookie, just kept on talking.
‘So I drink the beers and eat the food and try to convince everyone that I’m okay.’
‘Are you?’
Callie took his right hand and held it between hers. She looked up at him from beneath those ridiculously long lashes, her expression earnest and concerned. She wasn’t just asking for form’s sake, he suddenly realised, she genuinely seemed to care. And her empathy—not pity or sympathy—melted one of the many icicles attached to his heart.
Finn thought about her question for a minute and left his hand where it was, his fingers entangled with hers. ‘Mostly. I will be a feeling a lot more relieved when you say yay or nay.’
‘Yay,’ Callie said as she dropped his hand.
Finn looked down at her, not sure that he’d heard her correctly. ‘What?’
‘Yes, I will be your fake wife.’ Callie said, her eyes dancing. ‘Thanks for asking me.’
Finn felt relief course through him and was surprised at the wave of—hell
—happiness
that followed. He was going to be able to complete this amazing assignment,get out of this house and step out of his life, thanks to this phenomenal woman.
‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. Thanks, Callie.’
‘I should be thanking you; it’s an amazing opportunity to see some places that I haven’t seen before.’
‘And to get out of Dodge as well.’ Finn folded his arms and raised a brow. ‘Want to tell me why?’
Callie didn’t miss a beat. ‘Want to tell me what really happened to stop the wedding?’
‘Touché.’
He wasn’t going to open up and neither was she. Better that way, Finn decided, even though he was damn curious.
‘So, do you want to come inside?’
Finn thought that she was about to say
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