“Are you okay?” I asked, suddenlyworried.
Rocky pulled back, grinning as he wiped away a few stray tears. “Yeah, of course. I’m just so happy you came. When I saw your name on the guest list, I almostpassedout.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t come sooner, I’vejustbeen…”
What could I say? Busy? Preoccupied? Angry?Guilty?
“I don’t care, Indiana-Jones, I’m just glad you’reherenow.”
“Me too. And stop calling me that, Rocky-Balboa. You know I go byFinnnow.”
“Oh, right –HollywoodFinn.”
“No, Embarrassed that Shelby Named Me a Stupid-assNameFinn.”
“At least you got something cool – an archeologist explorer. I got named after ‘The Italian Stallion.’ And look at me! Do I lookItalian?”
“No,” I laughed. Rocky, with his fair hair and blue-eyed Scandinavian looks, was anything but. “Yeah, you really did get the shit end of thestick.”
“Well, at least I wasn’t born in a toilet.” The smirk on his face was wide andtaunting.
“Right, because the backseat of a Pinto was so much moredignified.”
We grinned at each other. God, I missed him. Why had I waitedsolong?
“What happened toyourhair?”
“You think I was going to step foot in prison with girly hair? I may be a lot of things, Finn, but I’m nodamnfool.”
I shrugged, not really knowing how to respond to that. Our lives were so different, and I had no idea what it took for his day-to-day survivalinhere.
“Speaking of that, you wouldn’t last a day in here with those shiny locks, Finny, and that pretty face of yours – woo-ee, your date card would be filleddaily.”
“And yoursisn’t?”
Rocky shot me his fiercest scowl, and honestly I was sufficiently awed. At six foot five with a mass of solid muscle, he was a force to be reckoned with. “Gotta look tough, brother. If they sense weakness, they pounce. I’ve got everyone in here thinking I’m the goddamn Viking prince, Regnar. They know to either worship the ground I walk on or get scooped up off it after I’m finishedwiththem.”
“Always thebully.”
“I’m only a bully if need be. In here, hell, itneedbe.”
“Just don’t get yourself in more trouble. You want out of here on goodbehavior.”
“I know. I know.” Rocky leaned in with a wicked grin. “I heard a little rumor that my big brother knocked up some rich girl… and not just any rich girl, but Jake McKallister’ssister.”
“She’s my fiancée, so be careful how you refertoher.”
His eyes widened, no doubt trying to assess if I was being real or not, then he slapped his hands down on the table. “Well, look at you, movingonup.”
That was Rocky – always trying to make me feel like some spoiled trust fund brat for wanting to have abetterlife.
“It’s notlikethat.”
“You’re telling me you actually love this chick… that it’s not just her bank account and famous brother that’s got you allworkedup?”
Years of pent up anger began to bubble over. This was how he’d been with me since I’d left atfifteen.
“Just stop. I get it, Rocky. You think I’m some privileged prick. Whatever. But I’m warning you now – leave Emma out of this, or you and I will never bebrothers.”
