Page 52 of Better Luck Next Time

She’d been lost in her own thoughts for several minutes before she realized they weren’t headed back to her car. In fact, he was heading in the direction of her house.

“Are you taking me home?” she asked in surprise. The thought of being alone in the empty house made her uneasy. It was too quiet just for her. Too lonely. Jezebel would be there, probably, but she wasn’t much for company.

“No,” he said, casting a nervous glance at her. “Unless you want me to. I thought we might head to my house and…” His words trailed off as if he’d decided that it was a bad idea halfway through the explanation.

“I’d love to see your house,” she said softly. “I’m not ready to go home yet.”

He squeezed her hand and shot her a warm smile that would have melted the iciest of hearts, but hers had already thawed to him. She couldn’t believe she used to think he was full of himself.

He parked his car in front of a contemporary building with straight lines and asymmetrical windows that didn’t look like it belonged next to the Victorians and Arts and Crafts homes around him. She loved it, though. It fit him.

“What made you buy this place?” she asked in awe.

“This is a well-established area that’s been growing in value.”

She turned in the seat to face him. “Come on, Finn. You did it purely for investment reasons? There wasn’t some part of you that loved it?”

He smiled, his eyes lighting up. “Most people hate it. Are you telling me you don’t?”

“What’s there to hate?”

“It’s been called an eyesore from time to time.”

She could see why other people might hate it, even if she didn’t agree. The house next to it was a two-story Victorian with pale blue siding, and the house on the other side was a bungalow.

“It’s a masterpiece,” she said in awe, studying it again. “Very Frank Lloyd Wright meets Mies van der Rohe.” She shrugged when his brow rose. “I took an architecture class or two in art school.”

He laughed. “I wish you’d been around when I showed it to my mother.”

“Why, because my charming personality would have distracted her?”

“That too. Want to go inside?”

“Uh.Yeah.”

He hopped out of the car, and she was still studying the house through the car window when he came around and opened her door. She smiled at him as he offered a hand to help her out. Truth be told, though she’d teased Finn about it earlier, she liked his Southern gentleman vibe. Didn’t matter that it would have annoyed her had someone else done it. Maybe she didn’t mind with him because there wasn’t an ounce of social obligation. It was like he really wanted to open her door.

“So what am I going to find in there?” she asked as they approached the front door. “Will it smell like a locker room, with clothes and dirty dishes lying around everywhere? Or will it be so uber neat I’ll be afraid to touch anything?”

He grinned back at her. “You can touch things.”

“Ah-ha!” she said, pointing a finger at him. “I knew it. Uber neat.”

He unlocked the door, then pushed it open. “See for yourself.”

Her stomach fluttered as she crossed the threshold into Finn’s living room. The walls were painted light gray, and there was a black leather sofa in front of a big-screen TV. Several armchairs were arranged on either side. Two glass and iron end tables bearing lamps bracketed the sofa, and a matching coffee table sat in front of it. It looked sleek and contemporary, the decor matching the exterior, but there were well-placed accessories as well as several tapestry throw pillows that softened the vibe. It was clean yet inviting.

“You decorated this yourself, didn’t you?” she asked, aching to take off her boots and curl her toes in the thick wool rug that anchored the room.

“Yeah,” he said hesitantly. “Is it that bad?”

She turned back to look at him, surprised to see that her opinion mattered so much to him.

“No, Finn. It’s thatgood.” She gave him a huge grin. “Maybe you should become an interior designer.”

He laughed. “I think I’ll pass.”

She headed into the kitchen at the end of the long, open concept room. The cabinets were a dark walnut, which was a nice contrast to the white quartz counters and stainless steel appliances. He had a couple of barstools at the island. The counters were bare with the exception of a very expensive-looking espresso machine and a stainless steel toaster.

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