“Did Trey leave you?” he whispers in my ear.
I’m torn. Do I tell Finn about his asshole of a best friend or pretend it never happened? I don’t want to cause problems with him and his boss, but someone has to put a stop to the snake.
“Your hot chocolate, Madam.” Trey’s voice brings me from my thoughts and I raise my head to see he’s holding a tall yellow mug in front of me. Steam rises from the top, so I gingerly take the beverage and place it on the table. I can’t take my eyes from him and his complete 180-degree behavior with Finn back.
Trey passes a similar tall, but green mug to Finn. “She passed, man. You two have a nice night. I’m out,” then he turns on his heels and heads toward the front of the store. The bell dings as he makes his exit.
I close my mouth, but it soon falls open again. Finn eyes me and hesitates with his next comment.
I decide to beat him to the punch. “It was a test?” I’m not even positive what his words mean, but I’m pretty sure I have a right to be pissed here. We’ve been back together for less than twenty-four hours and he’s testing me. What. The. Hell?
Finn’s face falls, and his lips part slightly in shock. “Oh no. What did Trey do?”
I give Finn the rundown of what happened between Trey and me while he was gone. I expect indignation or anger, but when I finish, he leans back letting a short sigh escape. “You have to understand he’s rather protective of me. My friends don't want to see me get hurt again.”
“So, you’re okay with what he said about you?” I can’t wrap my head around the fact Finn doesn’t care his so-called friend is talking so horribly about him.
“Who said what about you now?” a deep voice asks from the other side of the couch.
I was so wrapped up in digesting the entire episode with Trey I didn’t see him. His approach interrupts the conversation and Finn jumps on the chance to change the subject.
“Grant!” he calls a bit too enthusiastically. “This is, Aspen. Aspen, this is Grant. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without him.” Finn stands and they both beat each other on the back in a typical man greeting. “You want a coffee?”
He walks around the sofa and sits on the one to our left. “Nope. I only stopped in to meet the woman who has captured Finn’s heart.” Now, this guy I could put my support behind.
He’s not as tall as Finn or Trey, but he still has a few inches on me. His face isn’t hard, but playful. In a way it matches Finn’s. He has some scruff on his face like he's trying to grow out a beard. With the facial hair, a striped brightly colored sweater, and worn Pike Place baseball hat, he reminds me of a few frat guys from college. His appearance screams boater and I wonder if he has one in the bay. Although, I can’t imagine what the marina prices are in San Francisco.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I lean to shake his hand across the space for lack of anything better to do.
“You too.” He takes my hand, but rather than return to his seat he leans deeper and grabs Finn’s mug. Finn doesn’t make a move. Grant takes a drink and then the mug is quickly placed back on the table. “Shit! That was hot. Warn me next time.”
Finn laughs at his friend’s pain. “Get your own next time.” The mild response from Finn leads me to believe this is regular behavior on Grant's part.
“Has the newest Marvel come in yet?” Grant asks.
“I haven’t checked. We haven’t been here long. You barely missed Trey. He’s peachy as ever this evening.”
Grant leans back in his seat and props his feet on the table, just as Trey had earlier. “Yeah, the man needs a vacation. We need to see what we can do about it. The stress is getting to him.” He flashes Finn a look as though there is more to tell, but he won't with me here.
“Yeah.” Finn stares out in front of him, lost in thought. “It’s almost all finished up. Then I’m going to send him on a nice relaxing vacation. Somewhere warm.”
“So you mean, he isn’t always such a pleasant asshole?” I ask before I stop myself.
To my relief both men laugh.
“He gave Aspen…the test.” Finn tells Grant, using air quotes around “the test.”
“Ahh, I see. He’s worried about you and decided to show it by being a dickhead. Classic Trey.” Grant doesn’t seem off put by Trey’s behavior and doesn’t ask for more details. “Trey’s always a little high strung, but lately it’s been worse,” he finally answers my earlier question.
About thirty minutes later the boys’ conversation breaks up and we all stand to leave. Finn waves off a few people as we make our way out the door.
We stop on the sidewalk out front. “Now what?” I ask.
“Now, we stroll.” Finn takes my hand in his and sets a leisurely pace down the street.
We walk through the streets hand in hand for blocks. I comment on some of my favorite Queen Anne style houses and their bright colors. The Giants Stadium is visible in the distance, and as we pass, Finn and I both stop to peek through the fence.
