Page 3 of The Summer Arrangement
I’m surprised when it’s my brother-in-law Ryan who chimes in. “You’re amazing with kids. I watched you wrangle the Spencer twins last summer.” Shaking his head, a laugh escapes. “Those two werewild,and you had them towing the line without breaking a sweat.”
I shake my head at the memory. “Oh, there was plenty of sweat, trust me.”
Travis and Trent made me earn every penny last summer. Apparently, I was the only one who could keep those seven-year-olds out of too much trouble. With their dad traveling for work and their mom working different shifts at the hospital, I was first on the list when their parents needed a sitter.
“You made it look easy to me,” Jax adds. “Emily watched those boys only once a few years ago, and that was enough for her.”
Emily is Jax’s younger sister. She’s about my age, and like Jax, a local to Seaside. She’s been away at college since Sloane and Jax got together, so I haven’t spent much time with her, but after my time with the boys last summer, I’m sure he’s not wrong.
Before anyone can say another word, the front door to the house bursts open, and my sister Raven’s voice gleefully fills the room. “Honey… we’re home!”
“We’re in here…” Lanie calls back. “Hope you’re hungry. I’ve made plenty of food.”
“Thank God. I’m starving,” Finn grumbles as he comes into sight. “This woman,” he points with his thumb to my sister beside him, “had me traipsing all over town for hours. There wasn’t a vacant house in this vicinity we didn’t look at.”
“You’re the one who insisted on doing thisalltoday,” Raven reminds him. “I’m not the one who’s hell-bent on finding a place of our own immediately.”
Plopping down in a chair, he reaches for the plate next to him and fills it with lasagna, salad, and bread. Before saying another word, he places it in front of my sister. “Eat. Hangry Raven isn’t good for any of us.”
“Uh-oh,” Sloane says under her breath. “I take it you didn’t have any luck?”
Sloane and Raven stare at one another for a moment, and they have some sort of unspoken conversation between them. It’s quite useful to them being twins, but as their younger sister, I get frustrated when I’m not invited to the conversation.
After Finn dishes up a plate for himself, he says, “Yes. We found a few actually.”
“So, what’s the problem?” I ask when I can’t figure out what’s got my sister in such a grumpy mood.
“First, she hasn’t eaten all day. Second, I may or may not have told her I’m not interested in renting after seeing what was available.”
“And third, this idiot just put an offer on a house,” Raven spits out.
“What?” I can’t have heard her right.
The room erupts in several conversations at once, however, my attention ping-pongs from Raven to Finn. Simultaneously, his face breaks out into a triumphant grin while hers purses as if she’s just bitten into a lemon.
It’s Sloane who finally gains the focus of the room. “I don’t get it. Why is this a bad thing?”
Raven’s nostrils flare. “This… this… annoyingly perfect man just bought my dream house… like… paid for it out right… who the hell does that kind of thing?”
All eyes turn to Finn, and he simply shrugs. “What? Fiduciary planning people… Did you think I’ve blown all my adult money just because I’m a rockstar? I’ve worked my ass off for the last ten years, living well below my means and doing what I love. God knows being a musician isn’t always steady work… In my early days, I made day trading my bitch and put that business degree my mom insisted I get as a backup to great use.”
The moment Finn reaches for Raven, her features soften, and it’s suddenly as if they’re the only two in the room. “What’s really going on here, babe?”
“I… I’m… just in shock. Who the hell goes out to look atrentalsand comes back a homeowner? Since it was a cash offer, we close on itnextweek.” Looking to the room for help, she asks, “Who the hell does that?”
Cupping her cheek in his hand, he asks, “Do you not like the house?”
Pulling back with wide eyes, Raven gasps. “Of course, I do. It’s been my freaking dream house since I was a kid. But it’s so much… andallyour family is in South Carolina. Are you sure you want to buy a place in Seaside?”
“Raven…” he says sternly. “You’re here. Your family’s here, and it’s time we put down rootshere…together.”
Oh, my freaking heart.Did he really just say that?
“Roots…” she whispers as tears fill her eyes.
My sister never cries, so this must have some hidden meaning for them.
My gut clenches, and I hold my breath waiting to hear what he says next.
