Locked In by Anna Chastain

Author:Anna Chastain [Chastain, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-06-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Coffee with Finnegan Walker turns into lunch with Finn and Amelia. She is thrilled, feeling like she’s got a new best friend in Finn. She chats his ear off half the time amidst reminders to chew with her mouth closed and to stop tapping him every time she wants to say something. He seems amused by her antics, so I give her a bit of leeway.

When it’s time to pick up Liam, I grimace slightly, but he notices.

“Time to face the Mommy Mafia,” I whisper in explanation, giving him just enough information to understand without airing all my dirty laundry. I don’t need any more scenes like the one last night.

“Hey, we should all go. Right, Amelia?” He is smart enough to recruit her opinion because there’s no way I’d agree to that without her chiming in.

“Yes! Let’s all go. I will hold your hand, okay?” She tells him, her sweet little face looking up into his.

“Well, of course,” he tells her. “How else am I gonna get across the street?”

And who would have guessed that Finnegan Walker, rock star in his own right, would be the perfect buffer to the Mommy Mafia, which includes Joanne Myers. For once, they aren’t smirking and gossiping in my direction. Oh, no, all of their attention is zeroed in on Finn. I’m sure this is another one of those things that will come back to bite me later, but I’m just gonna go with it for now because what other choice do I have?

He marches right up to the sidewalk next to the women, holding Amelia’s hand. He nods in their direction and I don’t see any of that “useless” he was talking about at my mom’s house. Nope, he’s putting on quite the show, in fact, even pulling me in close with an arm around my shoulder to talk in my ear.

“These the bitches?” He asks and I can’t help but snort-laugh.

“Stop it,” I reprimand him with a swat to the stomach.

I don’t want to look, I really don’t, but it’s like I’ve no control over my eyes. They take one little peek of their own accord and, yup, Joanne is staring right at me, her face a lovely shade of disbelief and contempt. I bet she wants Finn now, too.

Ooh, watch out, here comes catty Grace again and I like her even less than angry Grace.

I’m super relieved when the bell rings and my little guy comes running out, Superman lunchbox swinging. He slows down when he sees that Amelia and I aren’t alone.

“Liam!” Amelia squeals, freeing Finn from her grasp and latching onto her brother.

“Hey, baby, you remember my friend, Finn, from Grandma and Papa’s house?” I ask, not wanting him to be uncomfortable.

He nods and mutters a quiet hello.

“He plays the guitar, Liam, the real one!” Amelia tells him, already impressed by the rock star.

Finn walks us down the street, back towards the café where we’d had our lunch. Amelia is telling Liam everything she had for lunch,

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