I rose. “Finn, there’s nothing else to say. You knew most of this. Well, some of it. Maybe not how stupid I was. Or how I ruined a woman’s life.” I rose and made my way to the front door.
Inga stood on the other side with two boxes in her arms. She offered me a wide smile. “Doubly hungry tonight?”
“Company.” I took the boxes from her.
“Oh?” She subtly tried to look over my shoulder. Well, given how short she was, it was more like her trying to gaze around me.
“Friend.”
“Okay.” She attempted to look disinterested.
I wasn’t fooled for even a moment. “Thanks for coming.”
“Thanks for the big tip. Have a nice night.” She headed back toward the elevator.
I re-entered the condo.
Finn was in the kitchen, retrieving plates. He offered a grin. “Curious delivery driver?”
“You heard that?”
He nodded.
“Yep. Inga. Do you know her?”
“No one delivers pizza to my place. Well, there’s one place…but I don’t like their pizza.”
“Ah. So you either have to cook your own or head into town?”
He put the plates on the counter. “It’s called planning ahead. When you live as far out as I do, you make lists and check them twice. You figure out what you can get done before and after shift. I mean, I suppose I could run into town more often than I do. But I hate polluting the environment and wasting time. I love Domino’s, though. So good choice.”
“Ah. I don’t need to ask if this is the place that delivers but you don’t like them.”
“They don’t deliver my way, and I love them. When I’m treating the folks at the firehouse, this is what I pick. Others are okay…but these are the best.”
“You want carrots or celery or—”
“I just want pizza. But, thanks.” He waited for me to put the boxes on the counter.
Where I expected him to dive in, though, he didn’t. Instead, he held his arms open wide for me.
After a long moment, I stepped into the embrace.
“You’re not a bad person.” He whispered the words in my ear. “Maybe, eventually, you might be able to forgive yourself? Just something to consider.”
I clung to him. How many times had I tried to tell myself those exact words? That although I’d been stupid and naïve, I hadn’t been malicious. I hadn’t intended to hurt someone. Well, someone innocent. “I don’t know if I can. Forgive myself.”
“Which is why I think you need to reach out to her. But that’s between you and her.” He squeezed extra-tight. “Now…I’m fucking starving.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Finn
My mind wouldn’t settle.
Over and over.
Round and round.
