Page 26 of Give Me a Reason

I laughed, pleased he saw me. I wondered if he’d been watching me. The thought sent goose bumps over my skin. “I am.”

His head fell back. “I kind of want to take a nap.”

“Is Paisley at her mom’s?”

Finn straightened slightly, his fingertips brushing my bare shoulder. “I dropped her off on the way here. We have a shared custody agreement, but we work together so that I don’t need to get a sitter on a Saturday.”

“You get along with your ex?” From my experience, that was unusual.

“I do, but to be fair, we were never serious. It was a good relationship, but I think we were friends more than anything else. When she got pregnant, I wanted to get married. Looking back, I think it was so I could see my daughter every day. I grew up in a divorced family, so I knew how that was. But Naomi was the one to tell me it was a bad idea. We weren’t compatible, and now, she’s happily engaged to her boyfriend.”

“That’s good to hear. I feel like I see the other side of that story more often than not.”

“We have a great co-parenting relationship. I hate that Paisley has to go back and forth, but I think we make it as cohesive as possible. We don’t fight. We talk out any parenting differences and try to make it work.”

“That’s commendable.”

“I never thought I’d be in a serious relationship or get married, so to have a child is kind of amazing. I’m happy it happened. Paisley’s probably my only shot at this.”

“At parenting?” At his nod, I continued. “You don’t think you’ll ever meet anyone else you could have kids with?”

He moved so that his elbows rested on his thighs, one long leg rested against mine. “You know I don’t believe in that happily ever after stuff.” Then he gave me a heated look that told me exactly what he’d be up for.

Even though I wasn’t that kind of girl usually, my breathing was erratic, and warmth spread through my body. “I remember. I guess I just don’t understand it.”

“Why don’t you tell me why you believe so strongly in love.”

I laughed, some of the tension between us easing. “That’s easy. My parents are so in love. Despite all their hardships, they always had each other. They always said, ‘No matter what happens, we have each other.’”

“That’s sweet.” His words were genuine, and his eyes were intent on me, as if what I had to say was important.

“They’re an amazing example of what love should be like. I’ve seen and heard the other side of it.”

“What do you mean?”

I shrugged to downplay the seriousness of it. “In my neighborhood growing up, the houses were close together, and we could hear which couples were fighting.” It was more than simple arguments; it was closer to the physical fights I heard in the parking lot of my apartment building. It had been scary to hear when I was a kid because you occasionally heard a smack of flesh hitting flesh.

He straightened, stretching his neck, first one way and then the other. “Yeah, I grew up with a lot of fighting. Except it was in my house. Both of them. You don’t marry and divorce multiple times without some arguing. I think my parents enjoyed the turmoil.”

My nose scrunched, remembering how the smacking of flesh made my stomach hurt. “Kids don’t, though.”

“I agree. That’s why I want to do right by Paisley.”

I reached over to touch his thigh, the muscle bunching under my palm. “You are. She’s a well-adjusted little girl.”

Something sparked in his eyes, but I couldn’t look away, and I didn’t move my hand. Everything fell away—my responsibilities, the wedding, and Gia’s expectations—until it was just me and him. He moved closer, seemingly waiting for a response from me.

I squeezed his thigh as if touching kept me anchored in this moment with him. My heart rate picked up in anticipation of his lips touching mine.

Footsteps sounded in the hall just outside the door, and I snatched my hand back. Finn stood and looked out the window. If anyone looked inside, it would appear that we were taking a break from the wedding.

When the footsteps continued down the hall, we both let out a breath.

It wasn’t the right time or place, and Finn was the wrong guy for me.

He didn’t want anything serious, and I wouldn’t be distracted by a man again. The things I wanted out of life were too important. I had to remember where I came from and where I wanted to go.

“I should head home.” He turned to face me.

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