Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
He leans on the shovel, a smug grin spreading across his face. “I’ll take that as a thank you.”
“Don’t push it,” I warn, but there’s no bite in my tone. “Seriously, though, Finn. This means a lot. You didn’t have to do this.”
He shrugs, his gaze softening. “I wanted to. Figured I owed you.”
“Let’s not go crazy,” I tease, but my voice wavers slightly. His kindness, though unexpected, hits me in a way I’m not ready for.
As the afternoon drifts on, we settle onto the porch, Shep at my feet and a glass of iced tea in my hand. The warmth of the sun contrasts with the coolness of the drink, and for the first time in ages, I feel completely at peace.
“I was up half the night thinking,” I say suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.
Finn’s head tilts, his attention fixed on me. “That doesn’t sound good.”
I laugh softly, swirling the ice in my glass. “Not in a bad way. I just... it’s crazy, isn’t it? You’re the boy who taught me to ski. I couldn’t stop replaying that memory.”
His expression shifts, softening in a way that makes my chest tighten. “It’s unreal,” he agrees, his voice low. “But I’ve learned that fate works in mysterious ways.”
“Fate... and love,” I whisper before I can stop myself.
Finn’s eyes sharpen, but he doesn’t call me out on it. Instead, he leans back, his hand resting casually on his knee as he studies me. “Tell me about those days,” he says. “What was it like, visiting your grandparents here?”
A smile spreads across my face as I think back. “It was magical. Those holidays were the best part of my year. My grandparents loved this place so much, and I loved it because they did. We’d hike through the woods, build snow forts, and bake cookies in that tiny kitchen. I remember thinking there was nowhere else in the world like Devil’s Peak.”
“That’s why you came back,” Finn says, his voice thoughtful.
I nod. “After Andy...” My voice falters, but I push on. “After everything fell apart in Breckenridge, this felt like the only place that could put me back together.”
Finn’s jaw tightens at the mention of my ex, but he doesn’t interrupt. “Thank God he was an idiot,” he says after a moment. “He made room for me.”
The sincerity in his voice takes me off guard, and for a moment, I can’t speak. Instead, I reach down to scratch Shep’s ears, grounding myself in the simplicity of the moment.
“My grandparents would have loved you,” I say softly. “They passed away when I was in high school, and after that, we stopped coming here. Holidays were never the same. But I feel them here, in these woods and mountains. It’s like... their love for this place never left.”
Finn nods, his gaze distant. “This rock is special,” he says. “The only place I’ve ever wanted to live.”
I turn to him, curiosity sparking. “How long have you been back?”
His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he won’t answer. Instead, his eyes drift to Shep, who’s now sprawled on his back, soaking up the sun. “Four years,” he finally says, his voice gruff. “Came back after twenty years in the Army.”
There’s a heaviness in his words, a weight I can’t quite identify. I want to ask more, to peel back the layers of this man who’s both infuriating and captivating, but something holds me back. Instead, I reach out, my hand brushing against his.
“Thank you for the flowerbed,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He looks at me then, his green eyes filled with something I can’t name. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words and unacknowledged feelings. And yet, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. It feels like... possibility.
Finn clears his throat, breaking the spell. “You’re welcome,” he says, his voice rough. “Now, let’s get those flowers planted before Shep decides to make this bed his new napping spot.”
I laugh, loving how easy every moment is between us. When this man isn’t driving me crazy, that is. He’s without a doubt all wrong for me, so rough-around-the-edges and reticent, but still…there’s something about him…in these moments I start to believe that maybe my sexy neighbor-from-hell is Mr. Right.
Chapter Ten
Finn
The late afternoon sun filters through the trees, dappling the porch in golden light. Shep sprawls out in his usual spot, tongue lolling, his tail swishing lazily whenever Tessa glances his way. I sit in the chair I’ve claimed as mine, one leg stretched out, the other bent, resting my elbow on my knee. I’m nursing a cold beer, but my attention isn’t on the bottle. It’s on her.
She’s kneeling by the new flowerbed I built, her fingers working the soil as she carefully places the last daffodil into the earth. The curve of her neck as she leans forward, the way her hair falls loose over her shoulder, the soft hum of contentment she doesn’t realize she’s making—it’s all so achingly beautiful, it ties my gut into knots.