I can almost understand it now, the way all these women fall under his spell, the way they drop their guard for him without a second thought. If he weren’tGrey, I could see myself doingthe same. He’s so big, broad and towering over me in a way that makes me feel small, which I rarely do. The clean smell of him is almost intoxicating, and I’m not sure why when I know it’s just laundry detergent and cheap bar soap and him. His pale blue eyes look almost pearlescent in the dim light of the foyer. Having his attention focused squarely on me is heady, like the moment you dive into water, and it’s everywhere all at once.
The moment is broken when a head of blond curls appears at the end of the hall, and I hear my niece shout, “Aunt Finley!”
I turn my attention to her and take a full breath of the apple cinnamon smell of Mom’s house the minute Grey backs up, taking the clean laundry scent with him. “Hey, June Bug.”
She barrels into my legs, her arms wrapping around my waist, acting as if she didn’t just see me yesterday. Her endless enthusiasm for me has never worn off. I could crumble with the gratefulness of it. If I had her with me, I think I could have stayed single as long as Holden did too. She has a way of making you feel like you don’t need anyone else. It’s my favorite thing about her. I hope she never, ever thinks she’s not enough.
I squeeze my arms around her bony shoulders, marveling at how tall she is. I swear just yesterday she was two, chubby cheeks and wobbly legs and more confidence than I can muster on my best day, and now she’seight. Closer to a teenager than a toddler. It makes a knot form in my throat, and I fight to shove it down.
“How was your day, sweet girl?” I ask, pressing a kiss to her mess of curls. Ever since Wren took over June’s hair routine, it’s been much more tame. It’s less tangled and filled with ringlets, but it’s still thick and heavy and wild. I don’t think she will ever grow out of that, no matter how much curl cream Wren puts on her head.
She pulls back, bright blue eyes meeting mine. “Wren is having a baby!”
My gaze snaps up to meet Grey’s, and from the surprise written on his features, this is news to him too. Wren appears at the end of the hallway, a patient, happy smile on her face. Holden is right behind her, his hand on her waist.
“Well, I guess you heard the news,” Wren says, laughter tingeing her voice.
June swivels to face her, eyes comically wide. “Oh no. I wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
The grin on Wren’s face widens. “You absolutely should have. You’re going to be a big sister. That’s, like, the biggest news ever.”
Pure delight lights up June’s face, and she turns back to me. “I’m going to be a big sister.” She says this with the kind of childlike wonder that all of us would give up every privilege in adulthood to be able to muster again.
Tears prick the backs of my eyes as I look between her, Wren, and my brother. Holden’s gaze is firmly planted on Wren, and I’ve never seen him look quite this happy. The first time I saw him hold June, maybe, or his wedding to Wren. But I’m not sure even those times compare to the joy on his face now. It’s almost painful to look at. I want to crush him in a hug. Tell him how proud I am of him for all the small and big decisions he’s made. All the bravery it took to get right here. He deserves every bit of it.
Mom appears behind them, silver lining her eyes. “Isn’t this the best news?”
I nod, the knot in my throat too thick to speak.
Wren claps her hands together. “Let’s celebrate.”
If I thought Wren and Holden’s announcement would distract from the news that Grey and I are in a fake relationship, I was dead wrong. We spend the first two and a half minutes of dinner discussing the pregnancy—Wren is six weeks, due in the spring, and feeling pretty good except for being tired—before Mom turns her laser focus on me.
“You’ll never guess what I heard today.”
I dip a chip in salsa, giving her nothing, and wait.
She looks between Grey and me, where we’re sitting across from each other at our usual spots at the table. “Grey, your aunt called me to tell me that you and Finley are dating.”
I roll my eyes. “We’re obviously not actually dating.”
Grey’s knee bumps mine beneath the table as he leans back in his seat, propping his hands behind his head in an effortlessly relaxed pose. “Yeah, Jodi. That would be ridiculous.”
I spear him with my gaze, shoving my knee harder into his. “Don’t know you? Grey finds me annoying.”
Everyone at the table, with the exception of June, groans, and I have to suppress a grin. Grey sits up, taking the heat of his knee with him, but the toe of his sneaker nudges my sandal. “This again, really?”
“Yes, I haven’t forgiven you.”
“It was fifteen years ago,” he yells.
I fight my smile harder. Sighing, I prop my chin on my hand. “Feels like yesterday.”
The truth is, I’ve mostly gotten over it. Itwasfifteen years ago, after all. But I was sixteen and crushing on my older brother’s hot best friend when I overheard him telling Holden that I was annoying. I was crushed. I’d reacted exactly in the way an annoying sixteen-year-old would have, by calling them both out on it. And I’ve basically never let it go, but not because it still upsets me. Mostly because it upsetsGrey, and that’s too fun to pass up.
Maybe there’s a little part of me that never fully healed from it, although I’ll go to my grave with that secret. I’m not still hung up on him or anything, but shortly after that incident was when he started his serial dating. It was the first time I’d ever felt like I wasn’t enough, even if I couldn’t name it as that at the time. I liked Grey, and he was willing to dateanyonebut me. So yes, I’m over it, but the scar is still there, and I’m just petty enough to keep reminding him of it.
Before he can respond, Mom changes the subject, eager to cut this off before we really get going. “So how did this rumor come about, then?”
