That settled it. Vern was getting a year’s worth of beer on Finn’s dime.
Vern’s casual dismissal of the mayor only seemed to enrage Dick more. His face reddened even further—which, to be honest, Finn hadn’t thought possible. His fists were clenched at his sides, and he kept darting his gaze to the bystanders, all of whom were now gawking at their mayor.
He gestured wildly in Finn’s direction, his voice a barked command. “He’s not even a real member of this community. He might be bringin’ a business to the square, but y’all’d do well to remember exactly what that business is. There’ll be drinkin’ and partyin’ goin’ on till all hours of the night, all thanks to him. Exactly what we fought for years to keep out of our quiet little town. Shouldn’t be a surprise, though, given where he came from. Where they all came from.” He glared at Finn and his team, who now stood behind him, supportive even in their silence. Dick looked him up and down, a sneer marring his face. “Just ’cause you were born here doesn’t mean you belong.”
Willow gasped, drawing Finn’s attention to her. In the time her daddy’d been throwing his tantrum, she’d walked closer and now stood just on the other side of her father. “Daddy!” she snapped. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“I don’t have time for this nonsense from you, Will.”
Willow’s eyes narrowed the smallest bit. It was a tiny tell, really. One only Finn probably noticed, but he knew what it meant. He’d been on the receiving end of it enough times to know she’d reached her breaking point, and her daddy’d just shoved her over it.
She squared her shoulders and stepped up to her father, something Finn hadn’t ever see her do before. “Consideringyou’rethe one who interrupted the game for thisnonsense, I believe you do have the time.”
Dick’s eyebrows shot up, his mouth dropping open. “Excuse me, young lady? I’ll not have you talkin’ to me—”
“And I’m not gonna stand by and listen to you disparage one of our own. Finn grew up here, same as me. Same as you.”
“He’s nothin’ like us! He’s—”
“Opening a business that’ll help Havenbrook thrive. A business you might not be fond of, but one this town desperately needs. We are bleeding residents, and any new businesses that’ll help prevent that are a benefit to Havenbrook. He has as much right to be here as any one of us.” Willow crossed her arms and stared at her father. “Stop being such a sore loser about it all.”
Murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd as a hurricane of emotions flooded Finn. His chest swelled with pride over Willow finally standing up to her father. And doing so forhim? Well, he didn’t want to pour gasoline on an already raging fire, but he desperately wanted to stride over to her, take her in his arms, and kiss the living daylights out of her. Right there, in front of everyone.
Except it turned out he didn’t need to walk to her at all. Instead, she took cautious steps toward him, her eyes full of a thousand questions. He hoped he answered them all as he watched her step up to him. She hooked her finger through his, her lips quirking up at the side a moment before she pressed up on tiptoes to brush her lips across his.
As the whole town watched on.
A few gasps went off, but he stopped hearing them after a moment. How could he pay attention to anything else when Willow’s mouth was on his? He reached up and wrapped his fingers around her nape, bringing them closer. She might’ve started this kiss, but he sure as hell was going to finish it.
With his friends at his back, Willow in his arms, and the entire town paying witness to her very public declaration, Dick’s check burned a hole in his pocket. Where earlier Finn had been dead set on shoveling a heaping pile of humility into the mayor’s lap, now he just wanted to be with Willow. And as much as he loved this bit of PDA, what he really wanted to do to her wasn’t fit for public consumption. He wanted to spend an hour kissing every freckle and birthmark on her body. Wanted to spend all night between her thighs, showing her over and over again how much he loved her. Wanted to tell her everything so they could finally start the rest of their lives together.
Tonight couldn’t get here fast enough.
At the start of the day, Willow certainly hadn’t intended to make her feelings for Finn quite so…known. Or make them known quite so loudly or so publicly. Yes, she’d made the decision to stop hiding her relationship with Finn. It was childish and stupid, and she was done with that. But she’d assumed it’d get around like everything did in Havenbrook: someone would see them together, laughing or talking or walking a little too close for friendly acquaintances, and so-and-so would tell someone else, and pretty soon it’d spread like wildfire.
Hadn’t happened exactly like that.
But, hell, she’d been so damn mad at her daddy, she hadn’t stopped to think. A fact which her sisters hadn’t let her forget since they’d dragged their asses away from the baseball diamond—losers for the first time ever.
Willow, her sisters, and their gran had escaped to Rory’s house since it was closest to the square, their momma staying behind to try to calm down their father. Like that’d ever happen.
“Tell me somethin’, Will,” Rory said, pouring four glasses of lemonade. “Did you wake up this mornin’ and think, ‘What can I do to royally piss off Daddy?’”
Willow rolled her eyes as Gran snorted.
“Lay off her, Rory,” Mac said.
“I’m serious. What in heaven’s name coerced you into behavin’ that way?”
Because,of course,her older sister would think Willow had been the one out of line. While she and Rory had had fun the couple of times they’d gone out since their understanding, their shared secrets tying them together in a way they hadn’t been before, apparently it was too much to ask for an entire personality transplant for her sister.
“He was acting like a spoiled child,” Willow said, struggling to keep her voice level. “I simply spoke up about it.”
“I wish I’d had my phone with me.” Mac smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Nat would’velovedto see video of that. She hasn’t responded to my text yet, but I hope you’re prepared for her.”
“As prepared as I’ll ever be,” Willow mumbled before taking a sip of her drink.
“I just…” Rory shook her head, perfectly manicured nails—despite the afternoon playing softball—tapping the side of her glass. “Don’t you think there were better ways to handle that? Instead of tellin’ Daddy off in front of the whole town, embarrassing him and our whole family, then makin’ a spectacle of yourself with Finn?”
