"Yes. I've had that done to me, and I've done it to a few friends. People are dicks. It's a common trait among most of us." He took a drink, too.
"Right. I'm scared shitless that after all the time and energy that I've put into my degree that I'll end up with nothing, being nothing." I took another drink. "I don't want to let you down, but I don't want to let me down, either."
"I don't see that future at all for you, but I understand your fears. I've had them for my own life."
"When you were a kid?"
"No. When your mother died. I wasn't sure where to go from there, but I figured it out. You will, too." He reached over and touched my cheek. "You're going to be incredible at anything you do because you’re brilliant and you’re passionate. It's a winning combination."
"I've fallen in love with someone since coming here and he broke my heart tonight." I finished the liquor and let out a growl. "It's been like nine days or something and I've never felt like this before. I don't love easily, and
I've promised myself never to love deeply, and yet..."
"You can't help yourself, right?" He gave me a knowing smile.
"Right." I tapped the glass on the counter. "More."
He filled it up again and I was grateful for him being home. It was weird, but simply getting the pain off my chest left me feeling better.
"If he's the one, then you're sitting in the wrong place right now. True love doesn't give up, baby." He pushed the glass back toward me. "Your mother broke my heart a million times before we were married, but I wouldn't stop. I was relentless, and you know what?"
"What, Dad?" Tears blurred my gaze again. Finn was angry because he was hurt. There was a reason behind it. It wasn't at all what I thought it was, but somehow, I was ready to throw in the towel and pretend as though I wasn't feeling the incredible pain that I was feeling over him. The pain was proof of the emotion that lay underneath it. Whether it made sense or not, I wanted him by my side. In my bed. In my life.
"The hurt faded over the years as your mother worked to show me how much she loved me. It took little time at all before we were completely and totally one in all things." He looked up at the ceiling and let out a painful sound. "I miss her so much."
"I know you do, but she would want you to move on. You know she would." I got up and walked into the kitchen to wrap my arms around him.
He wrapped his strong arms around me, too, and I sunk into his hold, needing it so bad.
"I know she would. I'm trying, but doing it all wrong. I'll work on it. You don't give up on this boy. Deal?"
I nodded as I held back my tears. "Deal."
Chapter 18
Finn
Kari could not have shown up at a worse time.
Did I really call Chloe a whore? I walked back into the restaurant as sickness rolled over me. No way I'd done that. I would never insult a woman that way – especially not someone like Chloe.
I had. Dammit.
"There you are." Kari moved up and slipped her arm through mine. "Who was that, really? I know you, and you do not have female friends."
I pulled my wallet out of my back pocket and laid a twenty on the table before jerking my arm out of hers.
"Kari. Stop. Shit." I looked up at her and put my wallet up. "Leave me alone. Okay?"
"Finn. We've been friends for a long time. Don't close up on me." She moved closer, but I held up my hand.
"I'm serious. Now is not the time."
"I just want to help." She puffed her bottom lip out in a pout.
"By sliding into the seat across from a girl I was with and pawing at me?" I knew my voice was getting a little too loud, but I was done with people using me. "Who were you helping? Yourself?"
She got in my face and pressed her finger to my chest. "Don't you try to get all high and mighty. You might be turning a new leaf, but you're still the same old guy. Always looking to score and break some girl's heart in the morning. We all have you figured out. That poor girl needed saving. I saved her."