He tweaked her nose back and glanced away but still didn’t move. “Like you have some kind of secret you’re keeping from me.”
“Well, maybe I have.” Sam shifted away from him, her mouth dry. “But that’s for me to know and you to find out!”
“Finn!” Maya looked up from her phone and laughed. “You can relax! Now hurry up! Food’s ordered!”
Inside was loud, cozy and crowded. The relaxed décor of the chalet-style bistro along with a fantastic menu made sure that the place was a hit with competitors and spectators of the Games. It was right next to one of the three official hotels the Olympic Committee had set aside for the athletes and had instantly become the place to go for food and fun. Sam’s tummy rumbled and she was glad that Maya had had the foresight to book their large group some tables. Squeezing through the crowd she spotted her brother, Leo, with his arm thrown around her fellow competitor, Becky. Becky waved at them immediately, a warm smile on her pretty, sun-kissed face. Leo was, as usual, holding court at the warm pine table. He looked up and rolled his eyes as Sam and Finn sat down.
“Finally!” he leaned forward and bellowed down the table in Sam’s direction, interrupting Becky as she had started to say hey. “We thought we’d have to send out a search party for you two.”
“No need, we’re here now.” Sam smiled tightly at her brother. Just because he was six years older than her didn’tmean he knew everything, although he certainly behaved as if he did. Leo turned back to Becky and the two people opposite him and carried on with his conversation as if he hadn’t been rude to Becky only moments before. Sam blew out a long slow breath and slowly released her jaw. Ever since their father had left them in the lurch five years ago, right after the car accident that had paralyzed their mother and ruined Leo’s skiing career, Leo had become a right pain in the ass, dominating the family as if he actually did anything of use at all. Lately he’d been spending all his time with Becky. It was great. It meant that Sam and her mother had the house to themselves and didn’t have to listen to his snarky comments about girls’ movies, laundry or who’d take the bin out if it wasn’t for him.
Sam looked away from Leo, trying to keep the anger from bubbling up inside her. Who the hell did he think took out the garbage when he wasn’t around? She did—their mother couldn’t. Emptying the garbage was difficult for her in her wheelchair. She couldn’t lift her arms high enough to get the bag out. God knew what the hell Becky saw in him.
Finn caught her hand and squeezed it.
“Don’t let him get to you,” he whispered. “You know he’s only trying to rile you.”
“I don’t know why he bothers,” Sam whispered back. “God, I hate him sometimes, I really do. He’s … he’s …”
“He’s your brother,” Finn said. “He’s supposed to be a prick.”
“No,” Sam said. “He’s supposed to protect me, take care of me and love me. Like Maya’s brother does.”
“No one is as nice as Shawn. He’s one of the best.” Finnshrugged. “But I can be your protector …” His voice drifted as a large pizza was set on the table in front of him.
“Hold that thought,” he said. Sam looked at Maya who smiled back at her. When it came to food Finn was a lost cause. He had the ravenous appetite of a teenage boy and never seemed to stop eating. He took a large mouthful of a steaming-hot slice. A master of the art, he didn’t leave a long string of cheese behind on his chin as Sam always seemed to.
“Oh God,” Finn groaned. “This is good, this is the best—I’ve never had pizza like this before.”
“That’s because you’re in Italy,” Sam said. She swiped at her chin with her napkin.
“Fair point,” Finn said. His eyes followed a dark-haired Italian woman as she weaved her way past their table. “Is there anything the Italians can’t do?”
Sam nudged him with her elbow. “Italians do it better, they say.”
Finn’s eyes were still on the woman. She waved at him and mouthed the wordciao. “Is that a fact?”
“Well, Madonna said it in the Eighties,” Sam said. “And she wasn’t wrong!” The Italian woman’s dinner partner looked up to see what was going on and locked eyes with Sam. Sam felt her cheeks redden under his scrutiny. His full lips twitched. His eyes raked her over once more. A bubble of anticipation filled Sam’s stomach. Was he going to wave at her too? Dropping her napkin onto the table, Sam brushed a strand of blonde hair back from her face. She glanced down and then back up, just as she’d seen the Italian woman do. As she raised her eyes the bubble in her stomach popped.The Italian god was no longer looking at her. He’d actually turned his back to her and was engaged in an animated conversation with Finn’s object of desire.
“Looks like we’ve been weighed,” Finn said paraphrasing one of their favorite watch-together films:A Knight’s Tale.
“Measured …” Maya chimed in.
“And definitely found wanting.” Sam picked up another slice of pizza. “It’s not as if I’m after a relationship—I’d settle for a one night and one night only kinda thing.”
“I’d settle for a half-hour kinda thing,” Finn said. He sighed.
“Oh my God, Finn—are you that desperate?” Sam laughed.
“Ahem, Miss I’m Not Here For Fun I’m Here To Win—did I not just hear you say you’d take a one-night stand?”
“Yeah, but I was only joking!” Sam blushed.
“Has it been that long?” Finn nudged her with a laugh. “Oh my God, has it really been … since …”
“Shhhhh.” Sam glared at him. “You don’t need to announce it to the whole table.”
“Oh, okay,” Finn said. “I was actually trying to announce it to the whole room. Have you considered maybe going onLove Is Blind? Maybe going for someone not based on their looks might be the way to go!”
