“He’s only gotten a few bit parts so far. He was working for our father, managing one of the car dealerships to cover the rent. But he signed with a reputable agent two months ago and felt that was going to make a big difference.”
“Is he married?” Lorelei asked. It sounded as though their father was wealthy, so maybe Finn’s brother didn’t have to worry about his living expenses while he recovered. But the emotional support of having someone who loved him and was committed to him would probably be invaluable.
Finn started to pour the wine. “Not anymore. He went through a divorce last summer. Thank goodness they didn’t have any kids, or it would’ve been even harder.”
Since Lorelei was potentially facing a divorce, and she did have a kid, she could easily sympathize.
“Sounds like he’s had one hell of a year,” Reagan said. “I guess I can quit feeling sorry for myself now.”
Before he could respond to Reagan’s comment, Serenity said, “It’s great that you and your younger brother can take the summer off to be with him through his recovery.”
“We won’t technically be off.” He came toward them carrying two glasses. “I’m an artist, so I can work from anywhere. That’s partly why this place sounded appealing. There’s plenty of room for me to set up my studio. And Nolan, my younger brother, just finished his BA in business at UC Santa Barbara. He’s managed to get a part-time job bartending in Truckee, so he’ll have to go to work whenever they schedule him. But the commute will take only twenty-five minutes. Then he’ll start at one of the dealerships in the fall, once we all go home.”
“You don’t have anything to do with the dealerships?” Lorelei asked.
“No. I’m sort of the odd man out. I’ve never been interested in the car business. But you know what they say about struggling artists.” He gave them a wry grin. “We’ll see if I wind up selling cars for my dad in the end.”
Lorelei avoided Finn’s gaze when he offered her the first glass. For some reason, he threw her off balance. She figured it was the beauty and appeal of youth. She’d decided that Serenity was right—he was younger than she was, probably by as many as five years.
“What do you paint?” Reagan asked as he went back for the other two glasses.
“Skyscrapers. Cars. Diners. Houses. Inner-city stuff. But it’s so gorgeous up here, the lake might tempt me into doing my first nature scene.”
“There’s a nude beach not far away called Hidden Cove. That might give you some inspiration,” Serenity joked.
“Is that where you three ladies will be hanging out?” he joked in return.
“If I didn’t have Lucy with me, maybe I would,” Lorelei piped up. “I’ve never been to a nude beach, so at least it would be an experience.”
Her response had been impulsive, born of a desire to do something others might not agree with just to be that bold, to rebel and flip off the rest of the world for a change. But she wished she’d kept her mouth shut when they all turned to stare at her.
“I’ll watch Lucy if you really want to go,” Serenity said.
“And I’ll go with you,” Reagan told her. “If you can’t do something daring with your sister, who can you do it with?”
Lorelei had begun to like Reagan, despite their rocky start. “Okay,” she said with a bit more conviction.
“Okay?” Finn echoed in surprise. “Definitely let me know when you do that. I wouldn’t want you two to go alone.”
They all laughed except Lorelei. “I need to live a little,” she said.
The raw honesty in her voice must’ve given away the fact that she wasn’t joking, because he sobered instantly. “What’s the riskiest thing you’ve ever done?”
She thought back over all the years of struggling to walk the high wire that was her life—of how hard she’d always tried not to lose her balance for fear she’d plummet to the ground. “I can’t think of anything.” She smoothed back Lucy’s hair. Just