Page 61 of A Hard Fit

“We work together,” Finn replied.

“Huh.” Griffin took a bite and studied them some more as he chewed. “I could never work with someone I was banging.”

“Griffin!” Lainey scowled. “We are at the dinner table!”

Griffin rolled his eyes and reached for a bun. “We’re all adults here, Mom. At least I didn’t say ‘fucking.’”

Finn tried not to laugh while Lainey glared at Griffin. Jonathan stuffed a rather large bite of salad in his mouth.Not a bad plan, Finn decided, and he followed suit.

The rest of the meal passed by with a steady hum around the table. Griffin rattled on about his ski trip, Jonathan talked more about work and Lainey filled them in on their upcoming trip to Tuscany. Rory peppered them all with questions and did their best to draw Finn into the conversation.

Finn had absolutely nothing to add.

* * * *

Finn was coming back from the washroom after dessert, slightly fuzzy from the champagne and full belly, when he nearly ran into Griffin, barreling around a corner in the dim hallway.

“Sorry,” Finn muttered, trying to sidestep him, but Griffin planted his feet in the middle of the hallway and jabbed a finger in Finn’s chest.

“I hope you’re treating Rory good,” Griffin said, with his beer breath.

Finn stared at the finger, trying to make sense of this man threatening him. “You’re worried about me treating Rory well?”

“Rory is…special. They deserve someone who treats them that way. And if you hurt them, I’ll kick your ass.”

Finn brushed Griffin’s finger away with a smirk. “You should know, Griffin…” He jabbed his own finger in Griffin’s chest. “I treat Rory like fucking royalty, and if you threaten me again, I’ll kickyourass.”

Griffin blinked at Finn for a second, then burst into laughter. “Fucking right.” He patted Finn on the shoulder and continued on to the washroom, still chuckling. “Fucking right.”

* * * *

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay over? Your room is always here…”

They were standing in the doorway, bundled into their winter coats and so ready to leave. This was Lainey’s fourth offer for them to spend the night, at least.

“No, thanks, Mom.” Rory kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you for an amazing dinner,” Finn said again.

She hugged Rory, then Finn. “Please visit again soon, Finn. You’ll come for Christmas dinner, won’t you? I don’t know if your own family will be gathering that day…?”

“Oh, yes—I mean, no,” Finn stammered. “I mean, I can come. Thank you.”

“I am so sorry about Griffin,” Rory said the second they were back in the car. “Trust him to show up. He can be so oblivious sometimes.”

“It’s fine,” Finn said. “He and I… We came to an understanding.”

“Oh, did you?”

“I might have threatened to kick his ass.”

“Yeah?” Rory started the car and cranked the defrost up to high. “He could probably use an ass kicking. But otherwise…you had fun, right?”

Finn leaned over to kiss Rory. “Right.”

As he buckled up his seatbelt, he realized it was the first time he’d lied to them. Because all the dinner had done was remind him that he did not belong in this family. Would he like to fit in, feel comfortable sipping champagne in front of a marble firepit on a covered deck while the chef made dinner and everyone loved and supported everyone else? Sure.

But he never would.

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