“You sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
In response, Caroline reached for his hand, tugging him down beside her. The mattress dipped beneath his weight,bringing their bodies close again. She found his mouth with hers, answering his question without words.
Their second kiss was pure urgency. Finn's hands were everywhere at once - threading through her hair, tracing the curve of her spine, slipping beneath the hem of her blouse to find the warm skin beneath. Caroline matched it, fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, pushing the fabric aside to reveal the tanned skin and firm muscle beneath.
They fell back onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, the quilt bunching beneath them as clothing was discarded piece by piece. Caroline had never been an impulsive person - but here, with Finn's weight pressing her into the mattress and his mouth trailing fire along her collarbone, calculation gave way to pure sensation. His skin tasted of salt and cedar, a combination so quintessentially Nantucket that it made her smile against his throat. He noticed and pulled back slightly, his eyebrow raised in question.
"You taste like the island," she explained, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks at how silly it must sound.
His smile was slow and knowing. "And how would you know what Nantucket tastes like?"
"I'm learning," Caroline murmured, pulling him back down to her.
When they finally lay still,breathless and damp with exertion, she felt strangely anchored in the present moment. In Chicago, her mind was always racing ahead to the next meeting, the next project, the next flight. Here, with Finn's heartbeat gradually slowing beneath her palm, she found herself fully present, unwilling to analyze or plan. His arm curled around her, drawing her against his side while his fingers traced lazy patterns on her bare shoulder.
"That phone call," she remembered then, propping herself up on one elbow to see his face. "The one you overheard downstairs that made you so … angry.” Though given what it had led to, Caroline couldn’t be too annoyed about that.
Still, he needed to know.
Finn's face stilled, but his expression remained open. "What about it?"
"It was Nadine. That bride, Jessica Whitmore’s friend, the crazy wedding planner?”
"I know Nadine," Finn said, biting back a smile. “She’s not crazy - just … intense.”
Caroline nodded. “Good to know.”
“What did she want?"
"She wanted to propose something before I made any decisions about selling the store - which I should point out - I hadn’t,haven’t.” Caroline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, an unconscious gesture when she was moving into business mode. “But she wants to run Sea Glass Bridal."
Finn's expression shifted to one of surprise. "Nadine? Huh."
"Apparently, she was in fashion before she had kids. She's been feeling ... adrift, she said. Looking to reclaim some purpose." Caroline sat up fully, pulling the sheet around her. “Turns out she’s a trained seamstress and has some interesting ideas for modernizing the business model while preserving Ellen's approach. A website, social media presence, updating the stock, while retaining the vintage collection and continuing the tradition of holding dresses."
Finn sat up beside her, his back against the headboard. "And you're considering her offer?"
"Yes." Caroline met his gaze directly. “I'm not selling the shop, Finn. But I could restructure it," she continued, the plan crystallizing as she spoke. "Retain ownership of the building and the business, and bring Nadine in as managing partner, maybe.She has the talent, vision and personal connection to Nantucket that I lack. But what she doesn't have, is business expertise or capital."
Finn absorbed this information, his eyes never leaving her face. "So you'd remain what - a silent investor in the bridal business?"
"Not exactly silent," Caroline corrected. "More of a guiding partner. I can help with business strategy, financial planning, market positioning." She paused, suddenly uncertain. "It's all I'm good at."
“Not all …” Finn murmured, eyes sparkling as his fingers traced over her sheet-draped form.
Caroline felt heat rise to her cheeks but tried to stay on task. "The premises needs work though. The electrical system hasn't been updated since the 80s. Or so I hear,” she added mischievously.
Finn's face brightened, a slow smile spreading across his features. "AndIknow someone who could help with that."
“You know a decent contractor?" she teased.
He laughed, the sound warming something deep in her chest and then his hand found hers atop the sheet, his fingers intertwining with her own. "I could assess the building properly," he continued, his thumb tracing circles on her wrist in a way that made it difficult to focus on his words. "Draw up plans for the necessary upgrades, get you estimates from suppliers I trust. No island markup."
"You'd do that?"
“To keep Ellen's shop going? Absolutely." His expression turned serious. “Or your shop now, I should say. So, Nadine running day to day, you handling the business side, and me fixing up the building." Finn's eyes held hers, searching. "That could work if we want it to.“
Then he was kissing her again, the sheet falling forgotten between them as he pulled her against him. This was different from earlier - less desperate, but somehow deeper, laden with promises neither was ready to voice but both were beginning to feel.
