Page 101 of Where We Belong

“Like what?” I ask.

Lil grins even wider. “In love, Lexie.”

My breath catches in my throat, and for a second, all my senses dim, as if I’ve stepped into a fishbowl, the sounds muffled and my vision blurred. Then, everything comes back into focus. The word “love” is so often used yet so rarely understood. What they see as love might only be affection, and the glances they think mean longing could simply be a deep sense of appreciation. They can’t know what he truly feels.

“It’s not like that.” I’m not sure if I say it because I believe it or because I don’t want to get my hopes up.

Lil shrugs, although she doesn’t seem to believe me for one second. “I can’t make you see it, but what I can do is tell you I’ve never seen Finn look this happy in his life. Not when he was traveling, and not when we go out, and not even when he took over the farm.”

“And I’m probably the worst person to try to give you advice, when I didn’t notice my husband’s feelings for months, but from an outsider’s perspective, it’s different. Trust me.”

I swallow against the knot in my throat. Could they have a point?

I’m about to answer something—anything—when someone taps my shoulder. I jump a little, then turn to find Finn’s sister.

“Hi,” she says. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m—”

“Francesca,” I say. When we met, I didn’t take the time to take a good look at her, but now that I do, I notice she has the same eyes as Finn, with a similar chin and cheekbones. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Shelli wasn’t sure whether she’d be here today, but I know nothing will make Finn happier, even if she arrived late.

“Me too,” she says. Then, she greets Lil and Wren, and once she’s done, she asks them, “Would you mind if I steal this one for a minute?”

“Go ahead,” Wren says before leaning forward and whispering in my ear, “Think about it, hmm?”

I pause, then nod and follow Francesca toward the pool area, where it’s quieter and we can dip our feet in the warm, blue water.

“I guess now’s the time to say sorry for that awkward first encounter,” I say once we’re settled.

She chuckles. “Please. Embarrassing my brother is my favorite thing to do.” Her waist-long brown hair flies into the wind and sticks to her glossy lips, so she picks it up into a ponytail. “Although I do wish we’d had the chance to talk then.” Shifting closer she says, “Finn’s told me about your ruined first date.”

My back straightens. I never thought that story would get out, and especially not to his sister.

“And I wanted to tell you that it’s my fault.”

Francesca proceeds to tell me about the absolute horror of a guy she was with, who she’s finally dumped for good, and how Finn dropped everything to be there for her the night of our first date, when she called him in sheer panic.

“I’m sorry,” she says once she’s gone over everything. “If I’d have known it would ruin things for him, I would’ve let him tell you, but I’m the one who asked him to keep it a secret.”

I gape at her, all the while feeling terrible. To think I chastised him for not being there for me when he was helping his little sister with something like that… Now that I know, I’m actually happy he ditched our date. It brings him even higher in my regard. In fact, I should’ve known it was something like that. When else has Finn disappointed me?

“That’s not your fault,” I say. “And I’m glad he was there for you.”

“Me too.” She smiles, then glances at Finn, who’s now chatting with Aaron’s parents, Martina and Dennis, by the patio table, moving his arms animatedly and making everyone laugh. “You know, I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t fully believe it, but my brother’s one of the good ones.”

Flashes of moments bombard my mind in an instant. Finn showing up on my mother’s front porch in Phoenix when he knew I didn’t want to go in the first place. Him being there during my competition, even when I didn’t ask him to. The relentlessness he used to get me to hold on to the dream I was ready to let go of. The care he’s taken with every single one of his touches, like I’m made both of glass and diamond.

And it’s with those images I realize something: he’s not just one of the good ones. He isthe one.I’ve never been happier than during the months I’ve spent by his side. Never been this excited to make someone laugh or smile or even simply look my way. And while that scares the living hell out of me, it also brings me back to the conversation I just had with Lil and Wren, and again, I wonder if there’s a fragment of truth in what they said.

I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted anything more.

Chapter 37

Finn

“Needahand?”

My mother’s hands drip in soap suds as she twists in my direction and presses them to her chest. “Jesus, you scared me.”

“Sorry. Didn’t think you were so entranced by your dishes.” I grin as I give her a quick side hug. “So, need a hand?”

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