“When in Rome,” he grinned.
“I think you mean Jackson Hole,” I winked, pulling a laugh from him.
We walked back toward the main house as the afternoon light started to soften, Finn’s hand finding mine automatically as we crossed the gravel drive.
Before we’d made it halfway to the porch, a curly-coated dog that almost looked like a poodle bounded toward us, her entire body wiggling with excitement.
“Maggie!” Finn squatted down as she reached us, her compact body practically vibrating as she licked Finn’s cheek.
“Hey, girl,” he laughed, accepting the assault of affection while trying to keep his balance. “Did you miss me? I was barely gone for a day.”
She had the most expressive dark eyes I’d ever seen in an animal, intelligent and warm, constantly tracking between Finn and me. When Finn stood up, she turned those eyes my direction with curiosity, head tilted at exactly the angle that made her look like she was genuinely interested in whatever I might have to say.
“Alex, meet Maggie,” Finn grinned, his voice carrying the same proud warmth he’d used for family introductions. “Maggie, this is Alex.”
I crouched down, holding out my hand for her to investigate. She approached without hesitation, sniffing once before moving directly into my space and pressing against my legs. Her curls felt perfect under my fingers; soft but with enough texture to be satisfying to touch, warm from the afternoon sun.
“Well, hello there, beautiful,” I whispered, and she let out a gentle huff of contentment.
“She likes you,” Finn observed, watching as Maggie leaned into my touch with pleasure.
“The feeling’s mutual,” I scratched behind her ears, noting how she relaxed into the contact, her steady and calm breathing making my own shoulders drop. “She’s not a poodle though,” I smoothed my hand down her back. “What are you, girl?”
“She’s a Pumi. Kinda rare, especially around these parts,” Finn smiled. “They’re normally herding dogs… but Maggie decided ‘beloved family pet’ was more her speed.”
“Smart career choice,” I decided, standing as Maggie positioned herself between us, clearly planning to supervise whatever came next.
Voices and laughter spilled through open windows as we climbed the steps, the warm scents of bread and roasting meat making me realize how hungry I was. Maggie trotted beside us, her paws clicking softly on the wooden porch.
As we entered the main house, my eyes were immediately drawn to the fireplace mantle covered with what looked like generations of family photos. Bridget disappeared toward the kitchen, and I found myself moving toward the display.
My gaze snagged on a formal photo: dress whites, officer’s cover, familiar features but younger, less scarred.
I looked closer.
United States Naval Academy. Class of 2016.
“Finn,” I whispered, my voice strangled as he appeared beside me with two glasses of water.
“Yeah?” He glanced at the photo I was staring at, then back at me.
“You went toAnnapolis?!”
His eyebrows drew together slightly. “I told you I went to the Naval Academy.”
“No, youdid not.” I kept my voice low but couldn’t keep the exasperation out. “You said you were in the Navy. Those areverydifferent things, Finn Walker!”
“You went to UCLA,” he offered, clearly confused.
“That’s not the same thing!”I hissed. “UCLA is—it’s a great school, but Annapolis is—” I gestured helplessly at the photo. “You’re telling me you got into one of the most competitive institutions in the country and just... never mentioned it?”
A small smile tugged at his mouth. “Didn’t seem relevant.”
“Didn’t seem—” I stopped, pressing my fingers to my forehead. “We’re discussing this later.”
“Looking forward to it, darlin’,” the smile had grown into a lopsided grin.
“There you are,” Bridget entered from the kitchen, ending our conversation. “Perfect timing. We’re just getting everything on the table.”
