Finn (Blue-Collar Billionaires 2)

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Later that day, I’m sitting in my usual booth with Luke glaring daggers at me. Then he suddenly narrows his eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me. I’m here just like I am every other damn day, aren’t I?”

My tone should have put him off but it seems to amuse him. “You’re crabby. You didn’t even flirt with the waitress when she dropped off your pie and then there’s the absolute proof that something is up.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that Sherlock?”

He points at my plate. “You still have pie left. In the entire time you’ve been harassing me, a piece of pie has never survived this long on your plate.”

“I’m starting to understand why most people think little brothers are annoying.”

Suddenly he sits back. “Don’t tell me a girl has you like this?”

His statement hits a little too close to home. “You’re just a kid so I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”

“I’m not a kid. I’m twenty-two.” He says this with the kind of pride you can only have when you’re that young. Not that I’m so much older at twenty-five but next to Luke, I feel like a bitter, washed up old man.

“Yeah yeah. You’ll be on Depends before long.”

“This girl must be something to have you looking like that. I mean, if even the pie hasn’t cheered you up.”

It makes me think. Why is Rissa affecting me this way? The whole purpose of this is to get her out of my system. To show her how wrong she was and make her regret her decision. It was supposed to make me feel better and give me closure. But there’s nothing final about how I feel for her.

“What’s so special about this girl anyway?” Luke is watching me with genuine curiosity.

It makes me uncomfortable. Like I’m some kind of math problem that he’s trying to solve.

“She used to be everything and then she was nothing.”

Luke is staring at me with newfound interest. “Damn, man. That’s deep. It sounds like she ripped your heart out.”

“Don’t trust women. That’s what they do. They rip your heart out.”

“What are you telling my baby?”

I jump when Anita appears at my elbow. Luke just gazes back at me innocently like this is all on you.

“Nothing. Just telling him again how lucky he is to grow up eating like this.” I give Anita my most charming smile. She just raises an eyebrow.

“Are you taking care of yourself?”

Great, now I have both mother and son watching me like I’m at risk of slitting my wrists any moment. All the hovering is making me claustrophobic. Coupled with all the worry coming my way from Tank, I’m starting to think all this family togetherness has a serious downside.

I smile up at Anita. “Haven’t you figured out why I’ve been coming here all this time? I’m hoping you’ll take me home with you.”

“Seriously, you’re flirting with my mom?” Luke looks disgusted. “All right. I’ll meet your brother if it means you’ll stop flirting with my mom. And the other ones. Just don’t expect some big happy family reunion or whatever. I mean, do they even know about me?”

“Yes, they all know about you.”

The bell above the door tinkles and I look up. Over his shoulder I see Tank. Then Emma. A few moments later, Sasha follows behind.

Shit.

“What’s wrong?”