Page 108 of A Hard Fit

“You do?” Her face was shining like a candle glowed from within. She had painted the Ferris wheel with the harbor behind it in broad, bright strokes, the sky a heady mix of blues, and each car packed with boldly-colored people in emerald greens, sunflower yellows and poppy reds.

“Absolutely. Would you let me keep it? I have the perfect spot.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re going to hang it? On yourwall?”

“Of course. Bryson’s too.” Bryson had painted a swirling mass of cotton candy on a red-and-white-striped stick, but had since gone back to his Lego in the dining room.

Cali bounced on her toes. “Where?”

“I’ll show you.” Finn collected the canvases. “Follow me.”

He went into the dining room and took a set of prints off the wall that he’d picked up at the farmers’ market when he’d first moved to Oakport. Cali and Bryson’s paintings looked much better in that spot.

Bryson crawled out of his fort, Lego spaceship in hand. “What are you guys doing?”

“Uncle Finn is hanging up our paintings!” Cali replied.

“He is?” Bryson stood and gaped at his painting on the wall. “Cotton candy is art, too?”

“Anything you enjoy creating is art,” Finn told him.

“That’s so cool,” Bryson said, voice grave. He held up his creation. “Even Lego?”

“You bet.” Finn ruffled his hair as the doorbell rang.

“Mom!” the kids cried in unison and went tearing toward the front door.

Rory had just opened the door, but before they could say anything, Bryson and Cali were hurling themselves into Liz’s arms.

“Hello, my babies!” Liz pulled them close and kissed the tops of their heads. “I missed you so much! How are you?”

“Good!” they chorused.

The news came at Liz in a flurry.

“We went to Thrill Island!”

“I rode all the roller coasters!”

“I won a snake at the arcade!”

“And I won a teddy bear!”

She nodded and oohed as appropriate while the kids bounced around her.

“Would you like to come in for a bit?” Finn offered once they ran to grab their prizes and he was able get a word in.

“Sure, thanks. No hurry for us.”

“Liz, this is my partner, Rory,” Finn said. The word ‘partner’ echoed in his head. Were they telling people? Should he tell Liz? He shot Rory a questioning look. Rory nodded, so Finn corrected himself. “Actually…Rory and I got engaged last night.”

Liz gasped. “You did? Congratulations! That’s so exciting. And it’s so nice to meet you, Rory.” Liz shook Rory’s hand. “Hope you didn’t mind my crew invading your home for the weekend, especially on the night you got engaged!”

“Not at all,” Rory said. “They’re great kids. We had tons of fun.”

“And the engagement wasn’t exactly planned,” Finn added.

“Mom!” Bryson came running toward them waving a rubber snake. “Uncle Finn and Rory helped build one of the rides! It was so cool, it crashed you around like—” He made an explosion noise and threw himself on the couch.

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