She smiled, though her face bore signs of depression since Tim’s affair. “Let’s have a glass of wine.”
“Sounds good to me.” After their drinks were delivered, he said, “Tell me what you’re thinking about Tim.”
“I’m confused. He wants to come back and try to patch things up. Should I do that?”
“I’ve always believed anything but pedophilia can be forgiven.”
“Yeah, I know. Me, too.”
“There’s nothing wrong with taking your time deciding.”
“I’m afraid he’ll go back to her.”
“Then you’d know he’s an ass and isn’t committed to his family. But the question is, do you want to save your marriage?”
“I guess it’s something to figure out. I have to get past my anger.” She took a bead on her brother. “How can you be so sure you and Elise can’t be together? So decisive about it, when you feel so rotten?”
“Truth?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m wavering. I went to see her this morning to tell her about the bombing and she was sick. All I wanted to do was take care of her.”
“Did you fight?”
“Yes. She reamed me out for feeling sad about our split.”
She studied him. Then said, “I agree with her, buddy.”
He blew out a heavy breath. “I’m a mess.”
“Then we’ll have something fattening for dessert.”
He laughed.
“Do you want to talk about her more?”
“No, do you want to talk about Tim?”
“Nope.”
They were halfway through their Harvest Salads when the group of ten walked in. “Damn it,” Finn said when he saw them.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re the cast from the film.”
“That’s going to make you feel bad. We can leave.”
Finn watched as Elise entered next to a tall guy with sculpted muscles and a tan. Max, the man who’d been responsible for her migraine that night that started everything between them. They took empty seats and he slid his arm around her. She frowned and shook it off. Said something sharply to him so he drew back. But when she faced the others, she smiled broadly. Huh. She looked happy over there, which made him mad. Can’t be he’d upset her too much this morning.
“Finn, do you want to leave?”
“After we finish our meal. We can go to Abott’s for the fattening dessert.” He turned his back to them, heartbroken at seeing Elise enjoying herself when he was a hot mess. And, at that moment, he realized he was in love with her.
Chapter 9
Punch, punch, punch!
