Page 4 of Finally Moore

“Amanda isn’t like that,” I’m quick to insist.At least I hope she’s not. My sister crosses her arms and gives me the eeriestmomstare. “Can we just drop it… please?”

“Just… what if she doesn’t leave him? They have children—they’re still living together. Which means there’s a chance they will work out their problems.”

My heart drops to my stomach at the thought, but I pick it back up. “No, not her.”

“Don’t be silly, Scott. Marriages aren’t that black and white, especially when children are involved. As happy as they were, I know Mom and Dad had their ups and downs. It wasn’t as Hallmarky as people around town like to pretend. Remember that year Dad slept in the study, and they thought none of us noticed? After they got over whatever that was, it was like they were newlyweds all over again.”

I shiver at the memory of the sounds we heard coming from their bedroom. I get what my sister is trying to say, but I have to believe. Because if not, what the fuck am I waiting for?

“Love,truelove, has trials. You and Jax—” I start to remind her, and she holds up a hand.

“That was a hundred percent different!”

“No, it wasn’t. He’s my best friend, but he fucked up. Avoiding you like that for ten years, it was wrong. But as shitty as I thought it was of him to do, look at you both now. Who’s to say what would’ve happened if he stayed?”

Tilly opens her mouth but holds back whatever counterargument she had on the tip of her tongue. “Okay,” she huffs. “But promise me you won’t wait forever. I hate to think that the girl of your dreams is out there, just around the corner, and you’re going to miss her because you’re holding out for some married woman who may or may not leave her husband someday.”

“Fine.” I roll my eyes and continue wiping down the counter. My sister’s lack of a poker face makes it clear she’s not happy with my response but is dropping it…for nowat least. Knowing Tilly, I’m sure she’ll have a folio of eligible bachelorette’s to comb through by the end of the day. My sister doesn’t do anything in halves.

“What are you going to do about New Year’s Eve? Didn’t you say it was a couples only thing?”

I stop what I’m doing to peer up at my sister with a lopsided grin and a single brow raised in silent question.

“No, Scott, I’m not going to some fancy couples party with you, inChicagoof all places. I hate going to the Twin Cities as it is, so that’s the last place I ever want to visit.”

“Come on, you’re eating for two, and you know whatever Zach makes is going to be phenomenal.”

Tilly considers my proposition, because she knows I’m right. Zach is an old friend of mine, and this event is sure to have top-notch service along with hors d’oevres cooked up by one of the greatest chefs I know.

“No, I’m going to spend New Year’s Eve with my family, kiss my husband at midnight… not my brother. You’re going to need to find another date,” Tilly finally says with a satisfied grin spread across her lips. “I still have that friend of a friend’s stylist I could set you up with.”

“No thanks, Tilly. I’ll figure it out.” As much as I don’t want to show up alone, I’m not interested in traveling and spending a romantic weekend away with another of Tilly’s especially terrible match-making attempts.

She pouts. “Fine, well, I better go open the shop. Do you have—”

I hold out the little to-go bag. “Yes, like I’d forget your second breakfast,” I scoff.

“Thank you.” Tilly snatches the bag from my outstretched hand, hovers her nose over the top, and gives it a big whiff. The additional baked goods will be devoured before her first customer arrives.

“No problem. Got to make sure my new little niece or nephew is well fed.”

“Oh, we are. I’ll be back over for lunch. In the meantime, think about what I said. It breaks my heart imagining all of us growing old with the loves of our lives, watching our children and grandchildren go off to school, college, get married themselves. Then there’s poor old Uncle Scott, sitting in the corner—bitter, jaded, and alone with a storage unit full of regrets—cursing some woman he hadone datewith for preventing him from finding his one true love.” Tilly sure knows how to make an exit when she wants. She doesn’t give me a chance to reply before she wanders off to her half of the business.

With that gloomy thought rattling in the back of my head, I try to focus on work. I’m hopeful that there was thatspark,and that Amanda felt it too. And if I’m patient, she’ll show up and we can explore what this is. But if not, is Tilly right? Am I just setting myself up for the biggest disappointment of all?

“Can you cover the front?” I ask Gia, my second-in-command. “I’m going to take out the trash.” In reality, I just need to get some fresh air and my sister’s ominous warnings out of my head.

“Are you sure? I can take it out,” Gia offers.

“It’s fine. No need for you to freeze.” We went from a record-hot summer to another record-setting winter, not because of the warmth though. No, the chill came early this year. It’s been decades since we’ve had a blizzard in October.

“You got it, boss.”

I grab the pile of bags and bring them outside to the dumpster. I’m about to go back in when something brushes against my leg. I glance down and am relieved to see that it’s a giant cat and not a rodent. The last thing we need to worry about is an infestation.

The little guy—or girl—seems friendly enough when it greets me with a loud, “Meow.”

“Hey there. Are you keeping those pesky mice away?” I reach down and pet her. Well, I assume it’s aher.Though I don’t have much—any—experience with felines. Actually, pets in general. Grandpa had a few barn cats that lived around the salvage yard,probably still does, but they stayed outdoors and only came around for the food he put out. I pat her big belly. “Clearly, you’re eating well.”

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