“Not a draw.” He kissed the end of my nose. “We both won.”
That was so true I happy-sighed. “You know, we still have a bit of time before they get back.”
“Something in mind?”
“I’m thinking I could grab that ice cream and bring it in here, then I take you up on the offer to try a different room.”
“If you bring the ice cream in here while you’re naked, I’ll have ideas of my own.” He ran a hand idly up and down my arm.
A shiver ran down my spine. “I like the way your mind works. Okay, ice cream then we try shower sex.”
He grinned. “Perfect.”
Chapter Fourteen
Scarlett
Finn was sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table, blowing into various reed flutes he’d made, making notations on the sheet of paper beside him. After weeks of comparing the sounds that came out of each, depending on where he put the air holes, his notes were the messiest mess of any mess there ever had been. I’d given in and made him a spreadsheet template, which he’d printed out and was making notes on. Messy notes, naturally.
“I have some news,” Billie said, coming in through the kitchen, licking at a spoonful of peanut butter.
Finn grabbed his water glass and looked up. “Cool, what is it?”
“I’m dropping out of uni.” She cleared her bangs from her eyes with a quick movement.
It was lucky Finn hadn’t started drinking or he might have choked. As it was, he froze, and all the color left his face. It was no secret he thought education was important, but I also now knew it was part of his plan for his sisters—once they finished a degree, they would be adults, responsible for themselves, and he would have succeeded. It was his indicator his job was done.
From my spot on the sofa, I turned to Billie, needing to say something to cover for Finn. “This is sudden, isn’t it?”
She took one last lick of the peanut butter spoon and stuck it, handle first, into her back jeans pocket. “Yeah, I guess so, but when you know, you know, right?”
“Know what?” Finn said, his voice tight.
“Whether it’s your bliss or not.” Her voice, always a little husky, also had a touch of dreaminess to it now.
Finn’s stormy gaze swung to me. “Your bliss?”
Billie was unperturbed. “I don’t think university is going to be the right path for my life’s journey.”
My stomach fell. I recognized those words. I’d heard them often during my life and by the look on Finn’s face he recognized them from the same place I’d heard them—their source.
“Been talking to Scarlett’s parents, by any chance?” he said.
“They were great,” Billie said, leaning back against the wall. “They talked me through it all while we were stargazing last night. I hadn’t realized before our chat how discontented I was.”
“So you were fine until they made you question your life? Look, Billie,” he said, his voice softening, “maybe you still are fine. You always wanted to study science. Why not take some time to think this through a bit more?”
She shrugged. “I appreciate the concern, but it’s all clear to me now.”
I jumped in before Finn said something he’d regret later. “What do you think you’ll do instead?”
“Maybe some traveling. Move around, get to know myself.”
Finn looked from me to Billie again, like he’d been handed a lifeline. “That’s going to cost a bit. How about we make a plan for this? What if you finish your degree, and in the meantime, I’ll put money aside. When you graduate, you can use the money for a year off and travel then? Maybe you could even pick up a bit of locum science work along the way, to supplement the money and keep your hand in.”
Smiling, Billie covered the space between them and crouched to hug her brother. “Thanks, Finn. You’re the best. But I think it’s time I stood on my own two feet. I’m twenty-one and you’ve had responsibility for me for too long—heck, I’m older now than you were when you took us on. And you still have Amelia on your plate.”
He hugged her back, his palm cradling the back of her head as if she were a small child. My heart ached for him, trying to do the best he could in a role that, in a just world, he shouldn’t have had to cope with for many years yet, not until his own children reached adulthood.
“I don’t mind about what else I have on my plate,” he said, his voice thick. “I’ll always be here for you, and I’ll always do whatever it takes.”
Billie released him then sat beside him, her back to the coffee table. “I know you will, and I love you for it. But I need to do this alone. I need to prove something to myself.”
“Completing a degree will prove something to yourself, too,” he said, but by the tone of his voice, he clearly knew it was a lost cause.
She punched him lightly on the arm. “I won’t be taking off straight away. I’ll look for a bit of casual work first and save up.”
“I don’t like this,” Finn said. “But if you’re sure, I’ll support you.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thanks, big brother.” Then she left.
Finn glanced up at me, his expression slowly morphing from confused and bereft to serious. “We need to talk about your parents.”
I winced, knowing he was right. “I’ll have a word with them.”
“I think we’re beyond that.” He stood up and joined me on the sofa. “Since they’ve arrived, a stray dog moved in, my youngest sister has been educated about porn, and now my other sister is dropping out of uni to find her bliss. If they stay any longer who knows what sort of damage they’ll wreak?”
Leaning back against the cushions, I sighed. He was right. Even given they were my own parents, I found them hard to take in large doses—I was surprised Finn had managed to put up with them this long.
“What do you want to do?” I asked.
His shoulders slumped a little, the earlier fight seeming to leave him. “I was hoping you’d have a solution.”
“They’re pretty resilient.” In fact, they were pretty impossible to insult—they saw life through a different lens than most people. “We could explain the situation to them.”
“They thought they were helping,” he conceded. “I don’t want them to feel bad. Besides, they’re your parents.”
He reached for my hand, interlacing our fingers, and I understood. He didn’t want me put in an impossible position—having to choose between supporting him and hurting my parents. Even in this, he was protecting everyone around him.
“They need a reason to move on,” I said, refocusing on finding a solution.
Finn brightened. “We could buy them tickets for somewhere.”
“Actually, I have a better plan.” I grabbed my cell from my bag at the end of the sofa and dialed my brother’s number.
He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Scarlett. What have they done?”
“How do you know I’m calling about the parents?”
He chuckled. “Because I’ve been waiting for this call. You saying you’re not calling about them?”
“No, you’re right. They’ve stepped over the line a couple of times with Finn’s sisters. In fact, right this minute, Billie is dropping out of uni so she can follow her bliss.”
“Shit.” Thomas blew out a breath. “How’s Finn taking it?”
I peeked at the other end of the sofa and found Finn watching me. “Pretty well, considering.”
“Do you want me to invite them to stay?”
“That would be great.” I gave Finn a thumbs up. “I was hoping you’d offer.”
“Consider it done. Say hi to Finn.”
I disconnected and tossed the cell onto the coffee table. “Thomas is going to invite them to stay with him. And he says hi.”
Finn pulled me in for a hug, leaning his chin on top of my head. “Thank you.”
Just in case anyone walked in on us, I pretended this was a friendly hug and I wasn’t luxuriating in the feel of being pressed against his chest, and almost succeeded. From the way his grip tightened and the hardness starting to nudge my hip, Finn was even less successful me. My hand seemed to make its own way to his chest and began to trace patterns through his pale blue polo shirt.