12. Soren

12

SOREN

B y the time we got home, we were both famished. I parked in the garage at the house and then suggested we head over to the restaurant. The dining room was nearly empty by the time we arrived. Our hostess, a high school student named Mallory, greeted us.

"Mr. Moon, the kitchen's closed already. Do you want me to see if Caspian has anything he could feed you?"

"No need. We'll go on back to the kitchen ourselves," I said.

She nodded, smiling shyly. "Okay, Mr. Moon."

Caspian and Elliot were sitting at the staff table having a drink. Elliot, pregnant, appeared to be drinking a soda and lime while Caspian had a glass of red wine. By this time of the night, they were tired, but seemed in good spirits.

"What are you two doing here so late?" Caspian asked. "I thought you went into town."

"We did," I said. "But it was a bust. And we're starving."

"I have some soup of the day left," Caspian said. "And some bread. Will that work?"

"Sounds great," I said. "Anyway, beggars can't be choosers."

When Caspian got up to ask one of his kitchen staff to put together bowls of soup for us, Elliot turned to Finley. "What happened in town?"

I glanced at Finley, not wanting to share something so personal without her permission.

"It's kind of a long story," Finley said.

Elliot rested a hand over her round belly. "Yeah?"

"My twin's in town," Finley said. "Very unexpectedly."

"No way." Elliot said. "Your twin? The twin that sent you to jail?"

"The one and only," Finley said drily.

Caspian returned to the table, bringing an open bottle of wine with him. "You two want a glass?"

We both nodded.

"How did she find you?" Caspian asked as he returned to his seat. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who knew Finley's story.

"She hired a private detective," Finley said. She went on to tell them about the deal Danielle had made in exchange for her testimony against her boyfriend. "She said she wanted to make amends as part of her sobriety, but no sooner had she apologized and swore she'd changed than we saw her drunk at the bar. It was awful." Finley's voice cracked.

"She made a scene," I said.

"It was ugly," Finley said. "Reminding me why I left England in the first place. All I wanted was to get away from her, and all the pain she'd caused me."

"I understand," Elliot said, reaching over to pat her shoulder.

We all knew that was true. Elliot had had trouble with a sibling of her own not so long ago. Everything had turned out all right in the end, but it could have gone a different way. I shuddered to think what could have happened but didn't.

"Letting you take the fall for something she did is pretty unforgivable," Caspian said. "I can't imagine that you ever could."

"As much as I wish I was immune to her cruelty, I'm not." Finley shrugged, blushing. "The whole exchange tonight was completely embarrassing. I think the whole bar heard us arguing."

"More like her berating you," I said.

Finley dropped her face into her hands. "So embarrassing."

"I'm sure it was tame considering all the brawls, fights, and drunken behavior that happen on any given night," Caspian said gently.

"What are you going to do about her?" Elliot asked Finley. "Is she staying?"

Finley stared at the untouched bowl of split-pea soup in front of her. "I don't know. I doubt it. Once she sees she can't get anything out of me, she'll go." She shook her head. "You know, I actually thought she was better. She seemed so good when I saw her at the motel. I'm not sure anything she told me was true. She said she had saved up by working at a coffee shop so she could come find me. Now I'm thinking it was all lies. Just like it's always been."

"Is there anything we can do?" Elliot asked.

"I wish there was," Finley said. "Now that she knows where I am, I may never get rid of her. All these months, seeing how close all you Moons are, I've felt kind of guilty that I left her without any way to find me. I shouldn't have. My instincts were right. I'll never be free as long as she knows where I am."

"We're here for you," Caspian said. "You're practically a Moon yourself these days."

"Seriously, whatever you need," Elliot said.

"You guys are the best," Finley said. "It's nice to have somewhere soft to fall."

"That's what family should be," I said.

"You're my people," Finley said. "The family I've been looking for."

I smiled to myself, beyond pleased to hear her sweet words.

That's when it hit me. I was going to marry this woman.

Serene quietly blanketed the ranch as we walked along the flagstone path from the restaurant to the main house. A cricket played her song somewhere unseen. Above us the breeze whistled through the pines. Approaching the back patio, I took Finley's hand. We stopped to look up to the starlit sky, breathing in the crisp, fresh air.

She rested her head against my shoulder. A quivering sigh rose out of her chest. "I'm sorry our date was wrecked by my sister. I never thought I'd have to say those words ever again."

"I'm glad I could be with you tonight," I said. "There will be other nights. Other dates."

"I haven't ruined this before we even got started?"

"You've done nothing wrong. Your sister's a troubled soul."

"My whole life's been overshadowed by Danielle. Her problems. What she wanted. Her demands and drama. There was never any air left for me."

"You're in Montana now. There's plenty of air here."

"I never knew stars could twinkle so brightly." Finley tilted her head, studying the inky, silver-dotted sky. "In London, there are too many lights."

"I've looked at this same sky all my life. Sometimes I can still see it when I close my eyes. Do you see the Milky Way? And there's Orion, Taurus, and Cassiopeia." I swept my hand above my head, as if I were painting the sky with the pads of my fingers. "When I was a kid I thought God had put them there just for me."

"What's it like to have lived somewhere for such a long time?" Her voice sounded wistful, matched by the howl of a coyote.

"It's hard to explain, since I've never known anything else," I said. "This land's in my blood, as familiar to me as the back of my own hand."

"Do you ever regret staying?"

"Here? God no. This is where I belong."

"I've wanted to belong somewhere. And to someone," she said softly.

I wanted to say— Belong here. Belong to me. I didn't, afraid to frighten her away with my premature suggestions. Whatever was happening between us seemed almost sacred, as if I'd been waiting for her since the day I was born.

Twigs snapped somewhere in the trees to our left. She shivered.

"Let's go inside," I said.

When we entered the house, Dog wasn't in his bed, but we soon heard the click of his nails on the hardwood floor. He appeared in the doorway, wagging his tail. Finley dropped to her knees and held out her arms. Dog went to her, licking her hands as she murmured something in his ear. Lucky Dog.

"You tired?" I asked as she stood to shrug out of her jacket.

She managed a smile despite the tears that shimmered in her eyes. "I'm exhausted. Yet I feel restless and anxious. I'm sure I won't sleep a wink."

"Do you want warm milk? That's what Mama used to give us when were kids."

She shook her head. "No, thanks. Have I thanked you yet for taking me out? Most guys would have been long gone at the first sight of my drunken, belligerent sister."

"No need to thank me." It's my job to look after you. Again, I kept that to myself. Instead, I drew her into an embrace, holding her tightly against my chest and kissing the top of her silky head. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"Yeah, okay."

We moved through the dimly lit kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor, Dog following closely behind. When we reached her room, she hesitated before going in, taking a deep breath and looking up at me, her vulnerability making my heart ache.

"I don't want to let you go," she said.

"You don't have to."

I leaned down, my lips brushing hers in a tender kiss that quickly deepened. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer, and I lost all capacity for clear thought.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, my eyes never leaving hers. "I'd like that."

She opened the door and pulled me inside, then turned on a lamp by the side of the bed. Dog, of course, followed us, heading straight for the bed Finley had ordered for him. He curled up with his face in his paws and let out a shuddering breath, then closed his eyes.

"Will we scar Dog for life?" Finley asked, laughing softly.

"Hopefully not. But I'm willing to risk it."

I kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the sweet taste of her mouth. My hands moved to her waist, lifting her effortlessly as she wrapped her legs around me. I carried her to the bed and set her down gently. She fell backward, and I followed, stretching out beside her. I caressed her soft cheek and stroked her hair, then nibbled at the spot below her ear. "Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked, my voice thick with emotion.

"I'm quite sure. There's just something about you I can't resist."

"You're so beautiful. I can't get enough of you."

"I feel beautiful when I'm with you," Finley said.

I sat up and turned off the lamp. The last thing I heard before losing myself in the moment was a soft whine from Dog.

When I woke to the first light of morning, it took me a moment to remember where I'd slept last night. Slept and other things. A lot of other things.

I have always been a man who listened to my own instincts, finding wisdom in the natural order of things. That said, I was a cautious person, treading lightly so as not to ruin the balance of nature and the universe. A sudden move like the one I'd taken last night was unusual to say the least.

I lay there for a moment, waiting for the panic to set in—the urge to run—but it didn't come. Instead, a sense of peace settled deep in my chest. When had I fallen in love with Finley Baker? As much as I'd like to pinpoint the moment, I couldn't. She'd sneaked up on me, pulling me into her sweet web before I knew what had happened.

I turned to my side to take in the angel beside me. She slept on her side, a peaceful expression on her pretty face. Her tousled hair covered one cheek.

I could watch her forever, but it was not an option. Instead, I carefully slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake her just yet. Dog lifted his head from his bed in the corner of the room, his tail thumping softly against the floor. I motioned for him to follow me.

Once we were in the hallway, I closed the door. "You ready for some breakfast, bud?"

He tilted his head and wagged his tail before trotting behind me down the stairs and into the kitchen. It occurred to me that I could make Finley breakfast in bed. Caspian had done that on occasion for Elliot when they still lived here. Honestly, I'd always thought it was kind of silly. However, this morning, making breakfast for the woman I adored seemed like a romantic gesture. Anyway, if I were to fully win her heart, I had to cast aside my grumpiness and embrace my inner Romeo. Finley deserved the best I had to offer. Which meant I had to step up my game.

After scooping some kibble into Dog's bowl, I set to work. There were only two pieces of bacon in the refrigerator, but I went ahead and put the slices in a frying pan. While they cooked, I scrambled eggs, brewed fresh coffee, and toasted several chunks of peasant bread I'd taken from the day-old supply at our restaurant.

There was a tray somewhere. I just had to remember where it was. After opening a few cabinets, I found it near the serving platters. Once everything was ready, I tried to channel Caspian as I arranged the food on the tray.

Balancing the tray carefully, I made my way back to the bedroom. Dog must have finished his breakfast, because he shadowed me back up the stairs. As I entered Finley's bedroom, my foot caught on the edge of the rug, and I stumbled. The tray slipped from my hands, and in a split second, breakfast was airborne. Plates, cups, and bacon scattered across the floor.

Finley screamed and sat up abruptly, her eyes wild. In that split second I understood that she was not here in the room with me but back in her prison cell.

"Sorry about that," I said sheepishly, looking at the mess and then back at her, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "That was supposed to be your breakfast."

Dog, ever the food enthusiast, darted forward and started gobbling up the bacon before I could stop him. Finley laughed as she pulled the sheet up and over her bare chest. "Apparently Dog likes bacon."

I couldn't help but laugh too. "Smart pup."

"Will it make him sick?"

"There were only two slices left, so he's probably fine." I knelt to pick up the broken dishes and spilled food. "I'm sorry. My foot got caught on the rug. I think, anyway."

She waved my concern away with a flick of her wrist. "It was a gallant gesture," Finley said. "Don't you have your chores to attend to?"

"The guys can handle one morning without me."

She scrambled out of bed, donning the robe that hung over the back of the easy chair. "I'm starving. Let's go down to the kitchen and put a second breakfast together."

I grabbed her in a quick embrace, kissing the tip of her adorable nose. "I am at your service."

Soon, we had a breakfast made and sat down to eat at the kitchen table. We must have been hungry from all our activities the night before, because neither of us spoke as we gobbled up eggs and toast. There was no bacon left, thanks to Dog, but neither of us missed it. We were too busy smiling at each other to worry about a couple of slabs of salty fat.

After we were finished with our meal, and I'd poured us each another cup of coffee, Finley looked at me from across the table, her expression serious. "About last night…are we okay? Did you wake up with any regrets?"

I shook my head, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand. "Not a single one. You?"

She sighed with what sounded like contentment, a small smile playing on her lips. "None whatsoever. But I can't say I didn't wake up feeling a little anxious."

"I'm sorry about the tray. The noise clearly frightened you."

"Not because of that." She pushed her plate aside, looking pensive. "As I've mentioned, I have trouble believing that anyone I care about will stick around for long."

I took a deep breath, considering my words carefully. "It's perfectly understandable that you would feel that way. The three people you loved the most left, in one form or the other. I can only point to my record of steadfastness. Example A, still living in my parents' house."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Technically, it's your house now. It's not like you're a thirty-year-old in your parents' basement."

"I'd never linger long in any basement," I said.

"You don't think I'm being overly dramatic?" Finley asked.

"No. Why would you ask me that?"

"My old boyfriend used to pull that card whenever I wanted to talk about something emotional."

"I can't confess to being the most articulate guy in the world or the most sensitive, but I'd say that was a him problem, not a you problem. Whatever and whenever you want to talk about anything, I'm here. I can't promise I'll always say the right thing, but I will always do my best."

Her eyes brightened, and she leaned in to kiss me softly. "That's all I can ask. I'll do my best as well, but sometimes I'll fall short."

"We all do. As trite as it may sound, no one's perfect."

My thoughts drifted back to her terrified reaction earlier. Had she been dreaming? Or was it just the sound of the crash that had scared her awake?

"What?" Finley asked. "You've got a question mark between your brows."

Between my brows? I loved her so much.

"I was thinking about what happened when I woke you up. Wondering if it was a bad dream and if it happened a lot."

She didn't speak for a moment, clearly deciding how to answer. "The noise woke me up. In prison, I was often wakened to screaming and crashes. Cell doors slamming. Guards' heavy footsteps. Alarms and buzzers. Intercom announcements. But the crying and screaming—those were the worst."

She paused, taking in shallow breaths like someone trying to get rid of hiccups.

"You never have to go back there," I said.

"I know that logically, but inside, my fears and memories of that time haunt me. Some nights I don't want to fall asleep for fear of the nightmares."

I scooted back from the table and held out my arms. "Come here."

She did as I asked, snuggling into my lap.

"You're going to be fine," I whispered in her ear. Just stay right here with me.