Hot Mess - Elise Faber Page 0,32
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. “No,” she said. “I mean, yes, to dinner later in the week. No, to you leaving. I’d be happy to have an adult to walk with.” She smiled, albeit a bit nervously. “We meet Lizzy on the way and then my life is sparkles and Star Wars.”
“Star Wars!” Ry exclaimed, bustling down the stairs, her backpack bouncing.
“That,” Shan confirmed.
“So, I shouldn’t mention to her that I’ve worked with Rey on a film that’s coming out next year.”
“Uh, no,” she said. “Because she doesn’t have any concept of a film’s release date and will want to see it immediately.”
“I happen to have a copy.”
She sighed. “Of course you do.”
“But it’s not exactly kid-friendly.”
“No?” she asked, rounding the house with him beside her.
“Nope,” he said. “Mostly because it features me and my extra thirty pounds of muscle shirtless for most of the film.”
“Hmm. So, how soon until I can watch it?”
He grinned. “Tonight?” he asked. “I actually do need to watch it. I promised the director I’d review this cut.”
“You’re shirtless for most of it?”
Still smiling. “Yup.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I don’t think I could put myself through the torture.”
He made an affronted noise, started to joke back, but she missed it. Mostly because the realtor sign was gone. Just as quickly as it had appeared and upended her emotions, it was gone again. She pulled out her cell, and sent a text to Alberto, letting him know it was gone.
Strange.
But the sign being gone was good, right?
That meant her call to the lawyer the night before had actually done something, that he’d been able to work his magic.
Relief poured through her.
“Shan?”
Or maybe, Brian had found some humanity and dropped the issue. Although, more likely, Alberto had drummed up some of the lawyer mojo she paid him for and had stopped the sale in its tracks.
Thank God.
“Shannon?” Finn asked. “Are you okay?”
She shook herself, glanced down at her watch, knowing she didn’t have any more time to delay if she wanted to make it to school on time. “I’m fine.” She smiled. “Sorry, I was woolgathering.”
“About?”
“My—”
“Mom! Can