Page 71 of A Hard Fit

“Good, man. Good. You’re here just in time. Jackson’s trying to talk about work.”

“Griffin, you aren’t wearing shoes. Honestly…” Lainey stood in the door holding a beverage that appeared to be a mimosa. “Hello, darling. Hello, Finn. How nice to see you again.” She air-kissed their cheeks and ushered them into the house. “Davis will take your coats.”

An older man in a white shirt and black vest was by their side before Finn could blink.

“Davis, how are you?” Rory asked, handing him their coat.

“I’m well, thank you, Rory,” Davis replied smoothly. “How are you?”

“I’m great. Davis, this is my partner, Finn Owens.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you…?” Davis trailed off, eyebrow raised.

“‘Mister’ is fine,” Rory supplied. “Finn uses he/him.”

“—Mr. Owens,” Davis finished with a polite head-bob.

“Er…you too,” Finn stammered.Davis? ‘Mr. Owens?’

They followed Lainey and Griffin toward the living room, the latter leaving wet footprints on the marble while the former tutted.

Finn leaned over to murmur in Rory’s ear. “So that’s…”

“Yup.”

“…the butler.”

“The butler.”

Finn nodded.The butler.Of course there was a butler. But no time to dwell on that, he was about to…

“Ro-ro!” came the high-pitched squeal, as a tiny human flung herself into Rory’s arms the moment they entered the living room.

Rory didn’t miss a beat, scooping her up and tossing her in the air. “Min-min!”

Lainey chuckled, heading to the bar to top up her beverage. Griffin flopped onto the sectional.

Damn, Minnie was even cuter in person in her red reindeer sweater and shining brown curls. She wrapped her arms tight around Rory’s neck.

“Minnie,” Rory said solemnly, holding the little girl so she could see Finn. “I would like to introduce you to someone really special. This is my partner, Finn.”

Minnie leveled her serious brown eyes at him. “It’s nice to meet you,” she intoned, measuring out the words with care.

“The pleasure is all mine, Minnie,” Finn replied. “Ro-ro has told me so many good things about you.”

She scrunched up her face as Rory set her down. “Like what?”

“Like…how you always beat them at Snakes and Ladders.”

“That’s true, I do,” she said, brushing her curls back. “Ro-ro is pretty bad at Snakes and Ladders. They always land on the snakes and I always get the ladders.”

Rory gasped with mock outrage. “I beat you once!”

“I let you win that time, Ro-ro.” Minnie giggled.

Rory ruffled her hair. “You munchkin. I’m going to beat you today.”

A heavier-set man clutching a bottle of beer came in. His reindeer sweater matched Minnie’s. “Amy is just putting the baby down,” he said to Lainey. “Oh, hey Rory.”

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