Page 13 of His True North (Shattered Cove 5)

“No.”

Did she have anyone else?

Jasmine, Bently’s younger sister, walked down the aisle first, followed by Remy, and then Emma. Finally, the music changed and Charli seemed to float over the path in a simple, white lace dress.

“Your mother bought me that dress,” she pointed out.

Charli’s hair had been left down, with large curls added to her already wavy hair. Her eyes were done up in smoky eyeshadow and her lips shiny. “You looked amazing.”

The camera panned back to him, showing a stunned reaction on his younger face. It was like watching a twin he hadn’t known existed. In the video, his grin widened. The look on young Finn’s face was pure adoration and awe.

I must have really loved you.

Her body stiffened beside him. Shit. Had he said that aloud?

“Maybe you can again someday?” Charli reached out her hand to his. The touch sent a zing of electricity humming through his body. He turned toward her, her face only inches from his. Her scent and presence took up all the oxygen in the room. His fingers itched to touch her. But he barely knew her. His gaze dropped to her swollen belly. This was too much. He shot to his feet and set the phone on the table. “I—I’m gonna go find Bently.”

Her shoulders drooped, disappointment flitting across her expression. “Okay. He’s probably home today with his wife and kids.”

What? “Bently’s married? And has kids—as in, plural?”

Charli smiled. “Yeah. Took those two long enough, but they were made for each other. They foster teenagers. I’ll give you the address.” She grabbed her phone and tapped the screen before his phone buzzed in his pocket. “Keys to the car are hanging by the door. Unless you want to take your bike?”

“Umm, how do I . . .?” He held up the phone, not sure what he was supposed to do.

“Right. I forgot you aren’t used to this technology yet.” She grabbed the phone, angling it towards him to show him how to use the map setting and built-in GPS in the iPhone. “Take a right onto Starfish Avenue, then continue straight for one quarter of a mile,” the robotic voice of his phone directed.

“What was that?” Finn asked, confused.

“That’s Siri. If you aren’t sure how to pull it up to get home, just say ‘Siri, give me directions home’ and she should help you.”

He blinked a few times, still digesting that this was his life now—talking phones. What was next? A car that ran on only electricity?

“Just call me if you have any questions. I’m in your favorites under the phone icon.”

“Thanks.” He turned and walked out the door, not looking back. Bently was familiar. His friend could help him make sense of this.

* * *

Finn checked the address on his phone one more time to make sure he was at the right house. Red flowers of all different kinds surrounded the front path. A few hung from baskets on the porch. This place was a far cry from the trailer where Bently and his siblings had grown up. Finn knocked and waited.

The door opened and a woman in scrubs smiled at him. “Finn, you look good. How are you feeling?”

She spoke as if she knew him. “Good. Uh, I’m sorry, I don’t remember meeting you?”

“Oh, of course. I’m Belle.” She opened the door wider to welcome him in.

“Who’s here?” a deep but somehow familiar voice asked as he walked into the foyer. “Finn.” The man held out his hand and pulled Finn into a hug, slapping him on the back before releasing him. “How are you, bro?”

His friend’s face had aged, but he had the same jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes. His lean teenage body had grown into a man’s muscular frame. The other huge difference was a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Finn tucked his hands into his pockets and shuffled side to side. “Fine.”

Bently nodded. “Not sure how much you remember, but this is my wife, Belle. And the one over by the TV is Anthony, Gage has a book in his face, and Amara is upstairs somewhere.” From the way his friend looked at his wife, there was no question where Bently’s newfound spark came from.

“Wow. Things really have changed.”

Belle reached up and kissed her husband on the cheek. “I’ll leave you guys to it. I’m gonna go to work.” She grabbed a purse hanging on a hook by the door and waved. “Bye, guys. See you tonight.”

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