Page 39 of Jolene's Justice

AtextmessagejoltedJolene awake the next morning. The night before came rushing back. The festival. The talk in the Ferris wheel. The accident. Her asking Finch to stay with her. But the space beside her was empty, the sheets cool to the touch.

With a sigh, she rolled over and picked up her phone. Another text threat, which she took a screenshot of. Then she texted Emma about it. She’d talked to her days ago, and Emma promised she’d look into it as soon as she could get to her laptop.

Climbing out of bed, she threw on some grubby clothes, ready to get to work cleaning up her father’s house.

After working to the bone all day, they decided to break for dinner and got cleaned up. They picked up takeout and brought it to visit her dad, the excitement in his eyes evident as he saw the delicious food. Apparently, the food at the rehab center wasn’t up to snuff.

They talked and laughed as she translated several of Gorden’s more colorful phases for Finch, who was obviously lost.

“What’s your whiskey?” Gorden asked Finch, and Jolene rolled her eyes. This was one of her father’s favorite questions.

“Da,” she warned. There was no telling how he’d react to any answer Finch gave him.

“I haven’t had an opportunity to try whiskey from different regions, but I appreciated a Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve once.”

Gorden made a disgusted sound in his throat. “That stuff’s like making love in a canoe.”

Finch tilted his head, obviously trying to understand Gorden’s meaning. “What?”

“It’s fuckin’ close to water.”

A moment passed before Finch erupted into laughter. The unrestrained, joyous sound resonated off the walls and filled the air. It was infectious, causing Jolene to join in, their laughter mingling together in a harmonious cacophony. As Finch laughed, his body shook with each chuckle, and his face lit up with pure delight.

Jolene savored seeing him so carefree. It had been a long time since they’d laughed together. At least like that. Sure, she’d laughed at his looniness over the past couple of days, but it wasn’t like this. This was uninhibited. This was freeing. This was a release of stress and worry. Despite the weight of their looming troubles, for this one moment, they could forget it all and just laugh.

At one point during their evening, Finch stepped out to take a phone call, and the grilling from her dad began.

Gorden gave her that look. Like he could see everything she wouldn’t say out loud. “He’s a canny lad. Are you graftin’ him?”

“Jeez, Da. I’m not in high school anymore. I can be friends with a guy without you questioning whether I like him.”

“Dinnae be an eejit. It’s clear you two are more than friends.”

Jolene’s gaze was directed downward. Her hands rested in her lap while she picked at her thumbnail. “It’s complicated.”

“Isne everything? That’s life. Love is worth it, though.”

Jolene snorted. “I don’t think I’m destined for love like you and Mom had.”

“Haud yer wheesht. Dinnae talk like that. You are worthy of so much love. And with the way that lad looks at you, I’d say he wants a chance to show you.”

“Maybe.”

“There’s no mibbe about it. You can’t keep letting what that dobber did to you stop you from finding something special with someone else.”

“I’m not,” she insisted.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Seriously, I’m not. Finch lied to me about something. I’m working through it.”

“Aye. That sleekit bastard left you with trust issues.”

“Can we not talk about Harrison?”

“Mibbe we should talk about him. He was a right bastard. Unworthy of you. Whatever Finch lied to you about, I’m thinkin’ he had a good reason. There’s pain there. He’s suffered. But when he looks at you, that pain lessens. He’s a good man. I feel it in my bones. Give him a chance to prove it to you.”

“You tryin’ to marry me off?” she teased, uncomfortable with the serious turn of their conversation.

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