Page 62 of Sunshine
“Fuck off.” I take a long draw of water to give me a moment to think, but by the time I swallow, I’ve decided to confess all my sins. “And also…yes.”
“All right.” Finn gives Dakota’s head a final stroke before he settles back against the sofa and extends one thick arm along the back. “So…you want to know if she likes you back? Should I write her a note for you? Something likeDo you like Dylan? Check Yes, No, or Maybe.”
“You’re funny,” I retort. “And no. I already know she likes me. That’s the problem.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? Because you’d be damned lucky to land a girl like Poppy, especially with a face as unfortunate as yours. What the fuck is with the beard?”
His barb barely lands, and I drag a hand down my stubbled jaw. I wear it like this on purpose now because Poppy likes it.
“The problem is we’re fooling around—and that’s it,” I say. “That’s all it’ll ever be, so I need you to not tell anyone what you saw on our hike yesterday.”
“You mean the handholding and the heart eyes?” When all Finn gets is an unamused raised eyebrow in reply, his mouth turns down a little. “You’re serious. Okay. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
I sigh and shift forward, setting my water bottle on the coffee table, and then my elbows on my knees. Beside me, Dakota snores quietly.
“I don’t even know how to answer that. Like I said, we’re spending time together. Having fun.” I stare at the marks onmy palms, the lines I was born with and the scars of my trade. “But she’s leaving in June for a summer job in Europe, then relocating to Maine in the fall, so it’s not like it’s anything serious.”
“Are you sleeping with her?”
I hesitate as my answer hovers betweennoandnot yet.
“Don’t fuck around with Poppy.”
Finn’s tone is firm enough that I raise my head to check if he’s joking. He’s not.
“What? I’m notfucking aroundwith Poppy.”
“Good. You’re my brother, and I love you, but Poppy’s family too. You break her heart, and I’ll break your fucking kneecaps.”
I thread my hands through my hair, elbows on my knees, and stare at the worn woven rug between my feet. Why does it feel like the heart at risk in this situation ismine?
“There’s more,” Finn guesses. “There’s no reason to keep this thing between you two a secret unless there’s more.”
I sigh and straighten up. “There’s more,” I agree. “The first is I’m trying to keep Izzy out of this. I don’t have the luxury of falling in and out of bed with women, inviting them into a life that includes the affections and attachment of a six-year-old girl, only for them to leave her behind. Izzy’s confused enough by the relationship she has with her mother. I don’t want to further complicate her world with the idea that her dad is involved with her nanny.”
Finn nods slowly, his jaw tensing as he processes the risk that my bad behavior could have on Izzy’s well-being. “All right. I’m with you so far. But Izzy’s a kid. We’re adults. Why hide from everyone when you could just keep the truth from her?”
“Because Poppy promised Daisy she’d never get involved with her brothers.”
Finn blinks, and those minuscule shadows of emotion are the only indication he’s hiding some kind of reaction. Part of histraining as a SEAL. He’s quiet so much of the time and prefers his own company, but when necessary, Finn knows exactly what to let show on his face—and what to hide. It’s enough to make me squirm.
He leans forward and turns an ear toward me. “She didwhat?”
My sigh is exhausted because admitting this part out loud only drives home how stupid it sounds.
“Poppy promised Daisy she’d never touch me. Touch any of us.”
Finn clears his throat like he’s trying not to laugh. “I’m starting to think I was onto something with the note, only I’ll address it to Daisy, and the question will readCan Dylan date Poppy? Yes, No, or Maybe.”
I fall back against the sofa and rest my head along the back. “Shut. Up.”
Finn hoots with laughter, making Dakota startle and look up at him with disappointment. “No. This is too good. It’s like we’re in high school again. And before you ask: yes, you have to finish your homework, and no, you can’t borrow my car.”
“Itwasback in high school,” I admit, indignation burning across the back of my neck as Finn smacks his thigh with satisfaction that he was right. “And you’re going to feel like a dick in a moment, because it was just after Mom died.”
That shuts him up. Finn was twenty-one when our mom passed, and he’d already been in the military for close to three years. I was nineteen, the two girls were juniors, and Finn wasn’t around when Daisy, Poppy, and I were finishing high school. He missed that part of our lives.
I lean forward again. “Daisy didn’t take it well. I mean, none of us did, but Daisy was barely sixteen, and she freaked out. She made Poppy promise to not date any of her brothers. An insurance policy against any of us breaking the bond between them.”
