Page 109 of Sycamore Circle

“Thank you,” Tony said.

Bo nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

Chloe smiled at the doctor until he turned away. Then, she turned, scanned the area, and practically danced across the room. “Finn! Guess what!”

Watching her go, Bo couldn’t help but smile as Finn stood awkwardly by Mason’s side... just before he opened his arms and held her close.

Watching the two teenagers hug, Tony frowned. “Who is that?”

“That, buddy, is our future.”

He sighed. “I guess it was too much to hope that Chloe would wait until she was twenty-one to have a boyfriend.”

“I’m afraid so. He’s a good kid, though. She could do worse.”

“Does Joy know him?”

“I don’t think so.”

Tony grinned. “Hearing that Chloe’s got herself a boyfriend might just be the thing Joy needs to make a full recovery.”

Bo chuckled. “I’ll be sure to ask how Chloe’s boyfriend is going to fit in her fancy kitchen calendar.”

CHAPTER 39

Finn had been having his own personal crisis while everyone else was out looking for Chloe’s mom. From the minute she’d called him from the school parking lot, Finn had stopped debating about whether to leave home or not. Chloe had needed him—and he’d needed someone to lean on.

That was when everything had become so crystal clear. Aunt Mary and Uncle Lane were the people in his life who he could depend upon. Not his father with his weak grip on reality or his mother who was never going to take anyone’s side but her husband’s.

If he had gone home and shared anything about Chloe or her missing mom, the only thing that would’ve happened would be that his phone would’ve been taken away. Right before he’d been made to quit his job. And then he would’ve been forbidden to leave their farm.

To his surprise, Finn wasn’t even all that bitter about it. One day, he surely would be. All he’d felt in the moment was relief. He could finally stop sneaking around and lying. He could finally stop being someone he wasn’t.

After filling in Mary about Chloe, he’d told her about his decision.

“Don’t take this lightly, Finn,” she’d cautioned. “Your parents aren’t going to take this well.”

“I know. I wouldn’t expect any different.” He gathered his courage. “Is there any way I could live with you and Uncle Lane until I save enough money to get a place of my own?”

She’d stared at him hard. Then shook her head. “Nee.”

He’d been shocked. “All right. I... I’ll ask Seth if he has an idea.”

Mary chuckled under her breath. “Oh, Finn, you silly boy. Of course you can move in with us. I’d be happy to have you. Lane is going to be pleased too. My ‘no’ was because there’s no way you’re going to just move in with us for a couple of months until you find some cheap place of your own. If you want to move in with us, then you’re going to need to stay awhile.”

“Do you mean it?”

“I’m positive about it.” She’d opened her arms and pulled him in for a hug.

Later, after Chloe’s grandmother had come to get her, he and Lane had gone to his house. There, he’d said his piece and gone into his room and gotten his things.

His parents—as expected—had been stoic and furious. His siblings had been confused and upset. As best he could, he hugged each of them, told them that he loved them and that they could always find him at the diner.

And then he and Lane left. He’d cried the whole time back to their house.

Four hours later, he’d gotten another call from Chloe and woken up his aunt and uncle to let them know the news. All Mary had said was that he better get dressed so they could go to the hospital.

And now he was standing in the middle of a very crowded waiting room with Chloe in his arms. “I don’t know how you got here,” she murmured.

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