“Knock yourself out, kid,” he smiled. “I’m the same way.”
I spent the next few hours reading and making notes on what felt like hundreds of pages of legal and technical information. I heard people enter and leave the house while I focused on the proposed legal strategy and contemplated how crazy I had to be to take on a large gaming company that had been responsible for a good chunk of our success. Maggie eventually wandered in and stretched out at my feet. Sometime around noon, I assumed, Nolan left the office to get lunch.
I turned another page, skimming, highlighting what I wanted to come back to, making notes, and turning to the next page.
Read, mark, note, repeat.
“You need to eat, sweetheart.”
I jumped at the sound of Finn’s voice, my eyes shooting up only to be caught by his amber gaze. He set a sandwich and a glass of water on my desk.
“Mom made meatloaf sandwiches,” he shrugged. “Didn’t really ask if you liked them so much as commanded that I bring it in here.”
“Would you have come in if she didn’t?” I raised an eyebrow. Itsmelled amazing and my stomach announced its agreement loudly.
“Not if you didn’t want me here,” he whispered, glancing out the window. “Don’t want you to think that I’m trying to crowd you.”
“I know you wouldn’t do that,” I watched him shift uncomfortably. I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or pain. Maybe both. “Did you get something to eat?” I asked softer, noting the exhaustion around his eyes.
“Mine’s in the kitchen,” he tossed his thumb over his shoulder. “Unless Jack has eaten it already.”
A laugh escaped my throat. Then quiet. Awkward this time instead of the comfortable silence we were used to.
“Small talk’s the worst,” I murmured, my cheeks warming as I straightened the papers in front of me before moving them to the side so I could eat.
“I’m sorry you had to sleep in the other bed,” Finn responded.
“It’s…” I stopped. It wasn’t okay. It wasn’t fine. But I didn’t want him to worry. “There are two beds, it just made sense. Besides, I had so much room to stretch out, I might have to do it again.” I tried to force a lighter tone, but from the look on his face, it hadn’t landed.
“If you need the space, you should take it,” he added slowly. “I know I hurt you.”
“And I know you didn’t mean to.” Obnoxious tears threatened to overflow again. “I just… I might need a little bit of time.”
“Your choice, every night,” he repeated what he’d said the day we’d arrived.
“Dinner with the family tonight?”
“I don’t know if it’s an intervention or what.” A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth before he continued, “then we should probably talk. I…” He took a deep breath, body tightening. “I just need to check in with you about… everything. Need to tell you some other stuff.”
“There you are, son,” Nolan appeared behind Finn, making him jump. “Sorry. Are you ready for your injection?”
My stomach dropped. Injection? What was Nolan talking about? Finn hadn’t mentioned anything about—
“Paperwork says you shouldn’t be skipping them, and you missed it earlier this week,” Nolan continued. “Probably part of why yesterday was so rough.”
“Yeah. I’ll be there in a minute, Dad. Thanks.” Finn’s eyes slid to me, his cheeks turning crimson as I narrowed my gaze at him. Something else he’d been keeping from me. Nolan disappeared again as Finn looked at the floor.
“What injections, Finn?” I asked quietly, hearing the low buzz start in my ears.
“Can we talk about it tonight?” he asked, scratching at some invisible mark on my desk. “Please?”
“Fine,” I crossed my arms, pinching myself as a reminder to not lose my temper. It wouldn’t do either of us any good.
“Anyway, I should…” he swallowed. “I’m going to go eat lunch, see Dad, and then go back to the room. I’m required to report… incidents. And I think I need more sleep.” He dragged a hand over his face as he turned to leave, Maggie getting up to follow him.
He turned at the door, looking at me one more time. “Alex?”
“What.”
