Finn's Fantasy (Maine Men #1) - K.C. Wells Page 0,11
you were just doing, remember?”
Lewis guffawed. “A little piss won’t kill ya.”
Finn grimaced. “I’ll pass, thanks.” He sat on his toolbox and took another drink from his flask.
How’s that for a view? He gazed out at the wide expanse of sand that stretched toward Sand Point Road, where the Little River began. Here and there were figures walking on the beach beneath a brilliant blue, cloudless sky.
In high school there had always been those who spoke of leaving Maine, of going to the West coast, New York, anywhere but Maine, but Finn had never been one of them. That was yet another thing he and his friends had in common—a love of the state. More than that, a love of the ocean, for none of them had ventured too far inland. In his own case, the coast… pulled him somehow, and he was never more alive than when he could walk on a beach or smell the sea air. He’d leaped at the chance to work on the hotel. Several months on a site overlooking the shore?
Heaven.
Lewis coughed loudly, and Finn peered at him in concern. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” Then he coughed again, and nodded toward the ocean.
Finn followed his gaze, and stilled. There was a tall man on the beach, walking a gorgeous chocolate Labrador.
He had no clue why this particular man should draw his attention. Finn knew nothing about him, except that he clearly adored his dog, judging by the way they interacted. As for the dog, he or she didn’t appear to be that old: maybe it was the puppy-like way the dog bounced and capered on the sand, or the way he tugged on the leash.
Maybe it’s as simple as not being able to resist a man who loves dogs.
Not that Finn had any intention of getting any closer. With his family and friends, he felt confident and secure, but when it came to strangers, his shy nature got the better of him every time.
No, his Fantasy Man was better being viewed from afar—and brought to mind when Finn was alone in his bed.
Finn washed the last plate and placed it on the dish drainer.
Did no one ever think of installing a dishwasher in this place? Then he reconsidered. The kitchen was tiny, and everything that could have been put in it had been squeezed in, including the washer at the end of the narrow room. It was the first time Finn had encountered a washer in a kitchen, but he figured that was because the place was a rental, with no space elsewhere for it. And the lack of a dishwasher wasn’t much of an irritation. Thankfully, Finn had grown up in a house where the kids did the chores, so washing the dishes was nothing new.
His phone buzzed as he poured himself another coffee, and Finn smiled when he saw the name on the screen. “Hey.”
“Am I calling at a bad time?” Levi inquired.
“Not at all. I’ve eaten, I’ve washed the dishes, so now I’m all yours. What’s up?”
“It’s about those rocking chairs you made for Teresa and Ry. They’re beautiful. So I was wondering…”
Finn chuckled. “Aren’t you a bit young for a rocking chair?”
“Dork. Okay, yes, I am asking if you can make a chair, but it’s not for me. It’s Grammy’s seventieth birthday in June. I thought I’d plan a party for her, and invite as many people from her Christmas card list as I can. She would love one of your rocking chairs.”
“June? That’s doable. Any requests as to which timber I use, or are you going to leave that up to me?”
“I’ll defer to your skill and judgement. And I take it you’ll be coming to the party.”
“Just you try and stop me.” Levi’s Grammy had been a part of Finn’s childhood. She’d brought Levi up since he was a baby, and she’d made Finn welcome every time he visited. Finn had lost count of how many times he’d stayed over at Levi’s place when they were growing up.
“It was good to see the whole gang at the wedding. I’m guessing the next time might be the party, depending on who can make it. Seb will be there, because school will have finished for the summer. As for Ben, we’ll have to see. He’s job-hunting at the moment.”
“I thought he had a job?” Finn hadn’t heard anything from Ben for a while, and during their catchup he hadn’t talked about his work situation.