Hot Mess by Elise Faber

Author:Elise Faber [Faber, Elise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781946140814
Publisher: Elise Faber

Thirteen

Thirty Pounds of Muscle

Shannon

The next morning there was a cup of coffee waiting on her front deck.

It was held by a world-famous movie star, but that was no big deal.

Ha.

Who was she kidding?

It was a thousand times better because it was held by the Finn.

“Morning,” he said, extending the cup.

“Morning,” she murmured, taking it and bringing it up to her lips for one glorious sip. “Oh my God,” she moaned. “You’re the best ever.” She took another sip, moaned again.

“Killing me, sweetheart,” he said softly.

“Wh—” She glanced from the cup to his face and felt her cheeks go hot. “Oh. I—”

Rylie barreled from the kitchen, her princess backpack on her shoulders, but an old Star Wars shirt of Shannon’s draped over her body like a dress, black leggings beneath, pink sparkly sneakers on her feet.

Her daughter loved clothes.

No clue where she got that from.

Another ha, Shan thought as she glanced down at her own sparkly flats, black jeans, floral blouse, and jumble of necklaces.

“Mr. Finn!”

“Ms. Rylie!” He pulled out another to-go cup and handed it to her. This one was bedazzled with rhinestones spelling out “Princess.”

“Coffee?” Ry asked excitedly.

“Nice try.” He ruffled her hair. “Hot chocolate.” His eyes flicked to Shannon’s and he murmured, “Sorry, I should have asked first.”

She smiled. “It’s fine.”

“Chocolate is the best!” Ry said on a fist pump.

“From the mouths of babes,” Shannon said, stepping out onto the deck, shutting and locking the doors behind her. “Sorry to rush you out. But we have to leave, or we’ll be late.”

Finn nodded. “I figured I’d walk with you.”

She froze.

“Unless that’s not okay . . .” His words trailed off.

“Um . . . no, that’s fine. It’s great. Uh—”

He bent, brushed his lips across hers. “Don’t overthink it,” he murmured. “I just wanted to see you.”

“You—” Another kiss, and as he straightened, releasing her lips slowly, her breath caught, his skin gilded gold by the morning sun. “You’re pretty in the morning,” she murmured.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “So are you.” A moment passed. “So, is me walking with you okay?”

Was it?

Shan wasn’t sure, but . . . she also didn’t want to walk without him.

Ugh.

She was torn, and she shouldn’t be torn. This was Finn. He’d brought her dinner the night before and coffee this morning. Hell, he’d brought Ry hot chocolate in a bedazzled cup. She should be jumping with joy at his interest in her. But she’d liked Brian so much, had cared for him and loved him with everything inside of her, and now she was feeling . . . a lot.

For Finn.

And that was fucking scary.

No, it was terrifying.

Unfortunately—because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings—he could see that. “You know what?” he said. “I’ll just see you guys around another time. Maybe dinner later in the week—”

She had a decision to make.

To continue being scared, to keep living this half-life of hers.

Or she could grasp onto this scary newness in front of her and just . . . live.

Finn stepped away, but she lurched forward, laced her hand with his.

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