Shit, shit, shit. I freeze, knowing it’s Raven.
“Presley, please open the door. I owe you a huge apology, and I’m not going to leave here until I look you in the eye and say I’m sorry. I’ve been a monster to you, unreasonably. All the things I’ve said and done have been unwarranted, and you have every right to hate me.”
“That’s an understatement,” I mutter.
“It is an understatement.”
Are these doors made out of fucking paper? How the hell did she hear that?
I straighten my shoulders and take a few deep breaths, then walk to the door and open it with slightly shaky legs. No matter what happens, this woman means a lot to Finn and I owe it to him to hear her out.
“Can I come in?” she asks nervously.
“Why don’t I come out?” I pass her and go sit in one of the chairs in the living room. From the corner of my eye, I see Tripp still in the kitchen, finishing the dishes. He gives me a chin jerk in encouragement.
“Presley, I’d like to start over. There is absolutely no excuse for my behavior any of the times we’ve been around one another. I’ve misjudged you for no other reason than protection and jealousy.”
“I’ve heard,” I reply blandly. “To put it mildly, you’ve been a first class bitch with a vendetta since the first time you saw me. But what I don’t understand is why? What did I do to you?”
“Nothing at all. You won’t understand this because my actions prove differently, but this is tremendously unlike me. For the first time in my life, I’ve felt extremely off-kilter, and you were the easy one to lash out against. To me, you were an outsider, and once I heard bits and pieces of your background, I jumped to the conclusion you weren’t good enough for Finn.”
“Damn, way to punch me in the gut and magnify my own insecurities,” I mumble, feeling her words sting. I’ve always felt that I wasn’t good enough for Finn, but hearing it from one of his best friends cuts deep.
“That isn’t what I meant to do. In actuality, I know now he’s the fortunate one.” She looks down at her lap and starts to wring her hands. “I’ve been so awful. He loves you, and I’ve acted heinous.”
“Before you say anything else, I have to know, given your history with Finn, is it me personally or any woman who warms his bed making you jealous?”
She inhales sharply and looks at me with complete astonishment. Shame washes over her face. “I deserve that, but it’s not what you think. I’m not jealous in that way. I’m deeply and passionately in love with my husband. What I was jealous about is not being involved. I also haven’t been myself lately, which is a lame and petty excuse. I knew about you from all over—my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, my friends. I felt excluded, so I took it out on you in the most immature and callous way possible.
“We’ve all been close forever. But after the accident, Finn and I became extremely close. He was with me every step of the way with my relationship. I always thought I’d be there for him, too.”
Well, SHIT! Why the hell am I such a softie? This woman’s actions and words have caused me heartbreak, but it’s obvious she loves Finn in her own way. What’s not to love? He’s perfect.
Suddenly, I don’t see her as a threat for his affection. He’s told me where he stands and that he’s in love with me. I have a choice here: be the bigger person and try to move past her behavior or wallow in the past and risk Finn being torn.
Fuck! Sometimes it sucks being an adult!
I speak up before changing my mind. “Raven, you’ve been busy. And not that it’s any of your business, but Finn and I had to muddle through some muddy waters. I was reluctant to get into a relationship because of all my responsibilities and also because of a hang up I have with having a safety net. Finn’s history and his current job are anything but safe.”
“But you’re good now, right? I mean, you’ve obviously decided to give him a chance. He’s crazy about you,” she says sincerely with a hint of worry in her voice.
“He’s pretty persuasive. He knocked down my resistance quickly.”
Her lips twitch slightly, trying to fight a grin. “I’m glad.”
I repeat the words over in my head, and a giggle bubbles up from my throat. Before I know it, I’m doubled over, howling. Tears start streaming down my cheeks, and I fight to catch my breath. It’s useless. Pretty soon, I’m wheezing to get air as I continue to laugh uncontrollably. Tripp’s big hand covers my back, patting lightly as he tries to soothe me, which sends me into another fit of giggles.
“What the fuck is going on in here?” Finn’s voice booms through the room, and I raise my face in time to see him rushing over.
Tripp moves away, and Finn lifts me, cradling me in his lap like a child as he kisses along my temple.
“Why the hell is my girlfriend hysterical?” Anger radiates off Finn’s body, and I suck in a deep breath to try to calm down.
“I-I-I’m okay,” I spit out. “It’s not what it looks like.”
I lift up and see his face is stoic, watching me closely. Raven has gone pale, and Tripp looks terrified.
“I swear, nothing’s wrong. But for some reason, the irony of our relationship just hit me like a ton of bricks.”