Page 27 of Give Me a Reason

“And I should get back in there.” I didn’t want anything to go wrong while I was taking a break. I shouldn’t have let my guard down with Finn.

He moved toward the doorway, and I wanted to call him back, to pull him back into that moment where it seemed like he was going to kiss me. But that would be reckless and stupid.

He paused in the hallway. “You deserve to be happy. To find someone you could love.”

Was he saying that he wasn’t that guy? I’d already come to the same conclusion, but it hurt to hear him say it. Did he think of himself as unlovable or unworthy? His parents’ legacy wasn’t his, but before I could ask, he was gone.

With a jolt, I realized it was one of the first times we’d had a real conversation outside of my visits to his house. We hadn’t argued about my views about weddings and marriages. Instead, he’d said I deserved to find happiness.

His words created a pinprick of light in my chest that spread to every part of my body, fanning out until I felt hopeful. I’d find the guy meant for me, and whatever this thing was with Finn, it couldn’t go any further than coworkers and boss-employee. It would violate Gia’s rules, and besides, Finn didn’t want the same things out of life. It would be a mistake to think I could be the girl to change him.

Maybe we could be friends, but nothing more.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Finn

I thought about that moment I was alone with Aria for the rest of the week. I was physically attracted to her, but it was more than that. I was drawn to her lightness and to her eternal optimism that everything would be okay.

I’d thought she romanticized relationships and weddings, but her comments that night revealed another side of her. One that had seen the darker side of life but still believed in a better one.

She had a depth to her that I’d missed when we’d talked previously. I thought she was like most girls who only wanted to plan the perfect day and didn’t care about what came later. Girls grew up watching movies where the heroine wanted to get married. Then they wanted the wedding, the house, and the white picket fence. And all I could think about was that it wasn’t me, and I needed to stay far away from her.

When she touched my thigh, I wanted her, despite all logic. It was stupid and reckless and didn’t make sense in my head. I should remember she wasn’t the kind of girl who had flings or meaningless hookups.

She wanted it all, a boyfriend, a relationship, and commitment. Everything I avoided. She wasn’t the girl for me, so why couldn’t I get her out of my head? I was determined to avoid her and not find ourselves in dark rooms alone. Nothing good could come from it.

When she babysat the next time, I kept our interactions brief and professional. She was there to watch my daughter. We weren’t friends, and we wouldn’t be anything else. I ignored the confusion swirling in her gaze.

I went to work, feeling unsettled. I went through the motions of teaching my kids in their small instrument lessons and music classes, but my heart wasn’t in it. Something was off, but I couldn’t figure out what it was, and I chalked it up to being tired.

Paisley hung out with me after school was dismissed since she went to the same school where I worked. When it was time to go home, we headed out to my SUV, and my phone rang.

“Aria?” I answered when I saw it was her.

She sucked in a jagged breath. “Finn. I can’t—I’m so sorry. I never do this. But I can’t watch Paisley tonight.”

“Why not?” My voice was sharp. I needed someone dependable to care for Paisley.

“I’m dealing with something.”

“What could you possibly be dealing with?” I ran a hand through my hair. Had I misjudged her? Was she not as responsible as I thought?

“My apartment was broken into. I’m not the only one, but it’s a mess. The police are here. I have to deal with this. I’m so sorry.” Her voice was small.

“Your apartment was—?” I started to clarify before shooting a look at Paisley. I didn’t want her to worry.

“I need to go. The police want to talk to me.”

I had so many questions. How bad was it? Did they take anything? Was she hurt? My mind raced with possibilities.

I should have been thinking about what it meant for my gig tonight, but instead, I was worried about her.

A male voice said something in the background, and Aria said to me, “Let me call you back.”

I didn’t even know where she lived. I couldn’t do anything about the situation, and it was driving me crazy. I drove home, my fingers tight on the steering wheel.

“Is Aria coming tonight?” Paisley asked.

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