“Lorelei.” He nods his head in greeting. “Fancy meeting you here on Saturday.” He grins, and I return the smile. He says this to me every Saturday when I come in to work and he’s here. It’s kind of like our inside joke.
“How’s the mayoring coming along?”
He shrugs. “Pleasing the majority of my constituents and ticking the rest off. You know how politics are.”
Mr. Knightley Austen not only developed and now runs this law firm, but he’s also the mayor of Juniper Grove, which explains why he’s here on Saturdays quite often. He lost his wife in a freak snowmobile accident while they were on their honeymoon in Alaska. That was eight years ago, and I sometimes still catch him with tears in his eyes in his office. I think he works so hard to take his mind off her. Sure, they were only married for a short time, but before that, they had dated for a few years.
“At least the majority still supports you. Speaking of,” I lower my voice even though we are the only two in here, “are you going to run for reelection this year? It’s already March, and I haven’t seen you announce your candidacy.”
He shoves his hands into his jean pockets. “I plan to announce it in May on my birthday.”
“I’m glad to hear that. You’ve got my vote, of course.”
We exchange goodbyes after a minute, and I head back to my office to get to work on the last two case files that need my attention before Monday’s client meetings.
I’m back at my computer and staring at my dual monitors; I have a case file displayed on one while the other boasts a photo of Finley… wrapped in the arms of a curvy black-haired beauty.
I recalled Lucy mentioning something about Finley having a past while she heavily researched him over the past few weeks after Hadley hinted that she would set Lucy up on a date with him, but I tuned out most of it because it didn’t feel pertinent for me to know.
But now, as I click through picture after picture of Finley with different women, headlines of pop culture magazines deeming him the Prince of Hearts, I wish I would have listened to Lucy’s droning.
She still wanted to go on a date with him even knowing that he’s dated this much and has this reputation? I’m no longer certain she should. This version of Finley, though different from the one I met last night, is exactly the type of guy she’d be drawn to… and the type who would destroy her.
Which Finley is real?
The man I met last night was attentive, engaged, friendly, and well, I guess he was kind of flirty. Was our conversation regarding family, interests, and ambitions all a lie?
You lied to him, too, Lorelei. You pretended to be your twin…
I click to close the tabs I’d opened and end up shutting down my computer, wishing I could also shut down my brain.
Lucy has dated a myriad of men, so maybe that’s why she was okay with his past. But does he plan to tell her? Will he come clean about who he is?
I rub my eyes and tug at my ponytail. In fact, the band is squeezing too tight, so I let my hair down and massage my scalp with my fingers.
At that moment, my phone rings. Hadley.
“Hello,” I mumble.
“Well hello to you, too. What’s wrong, Lor?” She’s too peppy for my mood right now, but I clearly cannot tell her why I’m like this. I don’t even know what I am. Sad? Grumpy? Disappointed? Frustrated?
I can’t pinpoint the emotions. Nor the cause.
“Nothing. Just working through a complicated file at work.” Which is true. The case on the other monitor has been a doozy. The mom is a recovering drug addict and is fighting to get her kids back from the foster care system. I couldn’t promise her a win, but I pray every day that we will. Everyone deserves a second chance.
Even princes who’ve made the world their dating field…
“Ah, okay. Well, Lucy told me that you went on the date with Finley in her place last night. That was technically your first date, Lor. How did it go?”
Silence ensues for about thirty seconds as I think. How was the date? Aside from the rocky beginning, it was incredible, engrossing, and fun. So much so that I let the real me out too many times. It’s odd he was more receptive to me as myself than when I was acting like my sister. Then again, that’s probably just my bad acting chops. “It went well for Lucy.”
“Hm. For Lucy?” Hadley pauses. “That’s good, I guess. At least he’s already asked her on another date.”
“That’s nice. It’s what we wanted,” I state. “How much do you know about Finley’s dating history?”
Hadley doesn’t skip a beat. “To be honest, he never dated anyone while we were in college. After college, however, I lost touch with him except for a brief reunion in New Orleans and then again in South Carolina.” She takes a breath, her voice softening. “But yes, I’ve seen the stories, and I don’t know what he’s done to warrant them, but I do know Finley is a good man. We can’t judge him because his dating life makes headlines while Lucy’s only shakes up this little town.”
“You’re right,” I relent. It’s time to shake off this weird feeling and trust my best friend and sister. I saw for myself that Finley is a kind, intelligent, albeit flirty gentleman. Yes, his dating life is public, which means my sister may get dragged into the spotlight.
