Page 71 of Making Home with You
“Finn,” he starts, his tone serious as he briefly puts a hand on my arm.“What’s happened?”
I glance sideways at him, wondering how in the hell I’ve found myself in this situation.Not just this whole mess with Carla, although it’s clearly up there as one of the worst things to ever happen to me.But this coming to Beck for advice, for help on what to do.
I wasn’t even consciously aware that’s what I was doing when I left the station and walked in here just now.All I knew is I needed somewhere safe, somewhere that I had no chance of running into Carla or anyone else who thought I’d done the things she said I’d done.
It was pretty obvious by now, if you came into O’Loughlin’s, you believed my side of the rumors that were currently circulating around town.And while most people had no clue as to the full story, it was reassuring to know so many people were still on my side.A relief to know I wasn’t killing Beck and Ryan’s careers in addition to my own.
“Talk to me,” he says, when I still don’t say anything.
His words are enough though, because even though it’s been years since either of us has had to confide in each other about something serious, I know my brother means it when he says he wants to help.
Back when we were kids, it was mostly always him coming to me.A younger brother seeking advice from the older brother who had been there and done all of it years before him.And even though back then, most of that serious talk revolved around girls or school or whatever, I know it didn’t diminish the trust he had in me.
The trust I knew I could place in him in return.
“I got a text this morning,” I start, as a wave of exhaustion once again sinks over me.“It had a video embedded in it,” I continue, my eyes on the wooden bar, a finger tracing the grain line.“Somebody had filmed me through my living room window last Friday night.”
“What?”Beck asks, body tensing beside me.“What the fuck?”
I glance at him, an eyebrow raised.“That’s not even the worst part,” I tell him.
“Oh shit,” Beck says, as though he already knows.“Please don’t tell me…?”
“Yeah, was kind of a compromising position,” I admit.“And yes, it includes Sarah.”
“Fuck’s sake,” Beck says and I can hear the frustration and anger in his voice.“That woman will stop at nothing,” he adds.“Have you reported it?”
I shake my head.
“Finn, fuck, why not?”he asks, turning so he’s facing me now.“You gotta tell that Greenwood guy,” he continues.“This is exactly the kind of shit they need to hear about, so they can use it to end this mess.”
I nod.“I know, Beck,” I say.“Seriously, I know, but I just can’t do that to Sarah,” I tell him.“I can’t expose her like that, okay?They’re gonna want the video.”
“Jesus Christ,” Beck says, exhaling hard.“Please tell me she was at least stupid enough to send it from her phone?”he asks, a hopeful look on his face.
“No, of course not,” I tell him.“That would be far too easy.”
“You do a search at least?”he asks.
I shake my head.“I can’t, remember?”I tell him.“If I put in a request it makes me involved and I can’t be involved.”
Beck nods, turning away and staring at the rows of bottles that line the wall behind the bar.Neither of us says anything now, except my thank you to the waitress when she brings me my BLT.Eventually, Beck gives a quick nod before standing and turning to face me.“Leave it to me,” he says, meeting my stare.“I’ve got an idea.”
“You want to elaborate?”I ask.
Beck shakes his head as he offers me a grin.“Better if you’re not involved, right?”
I nod, taking a bite of my sandwich.“Thanks, Beck, seriously.”
His smile widens now as he claps me on the back.“Come on, you’re my brother, you know I’d do anything for you,” he says, before walking back around the bar and getting back to work.
It’s strange how close I feel to breaking down in that moment.
When I get back to work, I open up the notes I made from my run-in with Carla on Sunday night.After I add them to the running word document I’ve created of everything I can remember happening since this started, which uncoincidentally is also around the time I started dating Sarah, I attach it to an email and send it off to Detective Greenwood.
I don’t send or mention the video, not quite ready to go there yet.Even though I’m absolutely positive it’s come from Carla, who I’m sure has made copies she’s only too eager to share with the world, I’m not prepared to expose my girlfriend like that.No matter how much it might aid my own situation.
After I click send, I pick up my phone and send Sarah a text.
