Page 7 of Murphy's Laws of Attraction
“Okay good, I’ll go grab Paisley. She was resting with the heating pad for the cramps.” He whispered the last part like said cramps were going to get worse if he talked about them too loud. Poor guy had no clue how to deal with a teenage daughter on her period. I watched him walk down the hallway to Paisley’s room and I couldn’t help but think about how pinchable his ass was.
Omigod, I needed to stop looking at his ass, he wasn’t interested in me for anything but help with his daughter. Ogling him was a bad idea if I wanted to keep everything in the friendzone with my heart. I’d already been down the crush aisle with him, that ended with him married to my best friend and me crying into my pillow. Nope, no more ogling his booty. Okay, just one more peak and then I’d stop. God, his jeans molded to his ass like a second damn skin.
Just as I decided to stop staring at his ass Finn turned back around and caught me. The smirk on his face said it all. My face felt like a thousand suns were beating down on it and I was sure it was as red as a beet. Oh, he was totally going to bust me out in front of his daughter and then I’d be completely embarrassed and have to change my name and move to another country. Did they have something like witness protection I could use?
“Someone is a bit grumpy.” Finn motioned to Paisley who gave me a wane smile before plopping down in the seat next to mine. I blinked up at Finn a few times to be sure I’d heard him correctly. He hadn’t busted me out, he’d pretended like it didn’t even happen. I’m not sure if I should be angry or happy.
“Hey Ms. Gordan, thanks for saving me from having to go with my dad to buy stuff. There’s no way I wanted to go to the store with him. He’d probably ask a million embarrassing questions.” She looked over at her dad, sticking her tongue out at him and I couldn’t help but laugh at the interaction.
“Oh I would totally ask embarrassing questions, loudly. Thankfully your dad has amazing friends like Mira here. Even if we haven’t been friends since like junior high, it still counts. Hey, why did we suddenly stop being friends in high school?” His question takes me by surprise and I’m not sure how to answer it without giving away how I felt about him all those years ago.
“We were still friends; we just didn’t hang out anymore.” I try to be diplomatic about it, without giving too much of myself away. There is no way he needs to know how much of a crush I had on him growing up.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I barely had time for any socializing back then thanks to football, and what little time I had was spent with Savannah usually. Here we go ladies, I hope you broughtyour appetite because I made a big batch.” Finn set a giant pan of lasagna down on the table before turning around and grabbing garlic bread and a bowl filled with salad.
“Wow Finn, it smells amazing. When did you learn to cook?” I smiled as he handed me a plate filled with lasagna, salad, and bread. He wouldn’t stay single long if this was how he cooked on a regular basis. Stop thinking about him being single, he is not interested in you.
“Oh dad’s always been a good cook, it’s mom who can’t cook. It was mostly takeout and drive thru while he was deployed.” Paisley declares right before practically inhaling her food, guess she was hungry.
“Don’t mind her, she eats like a linebacker whenever I make lasagna, it’s her favorite. I wouldn’t say I’m a good cook, I’m passable and we don’t starve. Dig in and tell me what you think.” Finn laughs as Paisley growls at him before shoveling more food in her mouth.
“Omigod, this tastes as good as it smells. So, I’m just gonna move in and eat at your place from now on. Oh, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” I try to backpedal as Paisley laughs around another bite of food. I’m pretty sure she’s thinking this lady is crazy thinking she’s going to move in.
“It’s fine Mira, I knew what you meant, and I’m glad you like my cooking. You’re welcome to dinner anytime, consider this my open invitation.” He smiled warmly at me and I suddenly felt like I had a swarm of bats in my stomach. Of course I couldn’t have cute butterflies, nope I had to have giant bats flapping around inside my stomach when the hot guy talked to me.
Damn if Finn wasn’t the hottest guy I’d seen in a long time. He had a ruggedness about him that screamed experience. His shirt fit him like a freaking glove, molding to his chest where I couldeven make out his perky nipples through the fabric. Who knew guys got perky nipples too? Omigod stop looking at his perky nipples! I started to sputter a little, thankfully Finn thought it was from lack of fluids.
“Oh shit, I forgot to offer you a drink. I’d offer you wine, but you’re about to drive with my daughter so that’s out. How about sweet tea? Or maybe some juice, or a soda?” He was rummaging around in the fridge, and I was trying to make words come out, but he was bent over with his jeans snug to his ass and all the words failed me.
“Geez dad get her something before we have to call for an ambulance.” Finn kicked into overdrive and before I could blink, he was handing me a glass of something. His hands touched mine as he wrapped mine around the cup for me to hold, sending tingles of awareness up my spine.
“There you go, sorry about that. I’m so used to it just being us I forget my manners sometimes.” Sipping the drink slowly, like I’m not completely flustered by the man sitting next to me, I try to thank him.
“Oh that hit the spot, sorry about that. I promise I’m house trained.” Did I just say I’m house trained? What am I a damn dog? Please floor just open up and swallow me whole, end my misery. When I chance a glance at Finn, he’s trying very hard to contain his laughter. Great, now he’s laughing at me.
“I’m glad at least one of us is, because I’m definitely not house trained yet.” Finn bursts out and then we’re all laughing.
Chapter Seven
Finn
After dinner Mira and Paisley headed out to go shopping. Having Mira in the house was nice, no it was better than nice, it felt right, and Paisley actually seemed to enjoy herself. Over the past year Paisley has grown more and more angry with me. Maybe having Mira around would be a good thing. For Paisley, it is a good thing for Paisley to have her around I mean.
Okay, maybe a good thing for me too. I had to admit Mira was not bad on the eyes, the years had been good to her, very good. Just thinking about how good they’d been to her was making me need a cold shower. Mira was cute in high school, but all grown up Mira was a grade A fox.
Why was she still single? She was smart, funny, and sexy as hell, the trifecta of for a perfect woman. Maybe if I had pursued her in high school my life would have turned out differently. But then I wouldn’t have Paisley. When she came into this world, she took me from a cocky little shit that had zero responsibility to a responsible man in seconds.
I thought she’d been a turning point for Savannah too but thinking back that wasn’t the case at all. When I look back on our life together, I realize I was working so much that I missed the signs. I missed some of the things that were red flags, but I dismissed them because I loved her so much and I wanted to make our marriage work. Things that I dismissed as Savannah being lonely, tired, or just wanting attention hold new meaning.
Like the time she got drunk at the company Christmas party and tried to give Santa a lap dance. Or the time she forgot Paisley was in the car after grocery shopping. Luckily, I came home early and found her in the car crying. Savannah was in tears saying how sorry she was, and it wouldn’t happen again. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty and they are not wrong at all.
No, Paisley was my reason for being there was no way I’d start thinking about what could have been. Now what could be is a different story though. There could be something if Mira isn’t opposed to it. I’m definitely not opposed to there being something between us. She brings a smile to my kids face and makes my heart beat a mile a minute, neither of which I’m complaining about.
God damn it I feel like I’m back in high school. Should I give her a note that says ‘Do you like me? Check yes or no.’? Things were at least easier back in high school. I was a football star back then; girls were lined up. Savannah snagged me up quick though, and she was territorial. I thought it was sexy as fuck that she was so jealous of other girls being around me.
They say ‘speak of the devil and he will arrive’ apparently it works for ex-wives too. Just thinking about Savannah was enough to have her knocking on my door. I’d only called her a million freaking times earlier trying to get her to come help her daughter. Now hours later she was just going to show up.
“Hey baby.” She slurred as she teetered on her high heels and flung her arms around me, smelling like a brewery. I glanced outside and saw her shiny new man standing against the hood of his shiny sports car glaring daggers at me.
