“It’s not an ambush, it’s… group therapy.”
Teddy snorted.
“Unless you’re really not interested and would rather end things here.” Rose let his wrist go but hovered near the door expectantly.
It wasn’t a careful, calculated plan, but it sounded better than going home to ruined dinner alone with Smudge.
“Why not?” Teddy said, feeling braver after his mother’s pep talk and yet another chance encounter. “But we’re stopping at the pharmacy to refill my pain meds before this numbness wears off.” He waved his bandaged hand at her.
“Just give me ten minutes to change and hand in your file, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
Rose and Blaise had a lovely home, near the beach but not directly on it like Teddy and Finn.
Finn, who was about to be ambushed, because that’s what this was no matter what Rose said.
There was nothing quite as nerve-wracking as showing up to a party uninvited, even if Teddy had been invited by someone and it wasn’t a party. Still, Finn’s face when Teddy entered the kitchen behind Rose was not encouraging.
“Teddy,” he said like the air had rushed out of his lungs. It had certainly rushed out of Teddy’s.
Finn looked incredible in a long-sleeved black shirt. Why had Teddy never considered how good he would look in black? Why was Finn allowed to look that good despite being startled and wary and clearly upset with his sister’s audacity?
“Hi!” Blaise cried with exaggerated exuberance, also quite handsome considering the last time Teddy had seen him he’d been in an apron. “It’s good to see you again. Are you joining us for dinner?”
“Rose insisted after I ruined my own dinner plans.” Teddy raised his bandaged thumb.
“Oh my God.” Finn’s disapproval vanished in lieu of concern. “What happened to your hand? Did you need stitches?” He flew to Teddy’s side to take his wrist and inspect his thumb like he’d been compelled by a force entirely outside his control.
Teddy’s heart trip-hammered at the contact, which was ridiculous when Finn touched him all the time, had touchedhim just last Friday at their appointment, but that had been necessity, not compulsion.
“Who would have guessed your sister would be the one to sew me up? Actually, I should have. This town is incessantly small.”
Finn laughed, then seemed to realize he was holding Teddy’s hand and shrank away. “I, uh… heard about your car too. Why didn’t you mention it?”
“Didn’t seem important.”
“I guess there were worse things.” Finn glanced away.
“Finn….”
“Why don’t you two set the table?” Rose came forward when Teddy trailed off. “I’m starved. Thanks for making dinner, sweetie.” She turned to Blaise to kiss his cheek.
Blaise grinned like they were still in their courting days. “Finn helped too.”
Unfortunately, Rose’s ploy to get them alone while setting the table only amounted to small talk.
“How’s your car?”
“How did you get that cut?”
“Did Erina make it back to the city okay?”
With the last one, Teddy had to remind Finn that they’d already discussed that on Friday—during another round of stilted small talk when the silence had stretched too long. This was Teddy’s chance, likely his last chance before things between them became irreparably damaged. If Teddy wanted to get Finn to drop the walls he’d erected, he needed to push harder.
“Was today the same emergency patient as Friday?” Teddy asked once they were seated at the table. It sat four but could accommodate more with an extended leaf. As it was, Teddy and Finn sat kitty-corner as a delicious-smelling chicken piccata was served.
“Yes,” Finn said with a groan, twisting his pasta around his fork. At least Teddy could tell it hadn’t been a made-upexcuse. “She’s recovering from back surgery, and I am totally sympathetic, but she is getting chronic now with the tiny little things she comes in for. I’m trying to ease her mind and ease her off thinking she needs a checkup every time she feels a twinge, but she’s this super sweet old lady without any family and—”
“And Finn is a pushover,” Rose said.
