Also known as Reynolds’ party food.
It was like the Super Bowl but even better because it was my brother we were going to be cheering on.
“Finn seems nervous,” I whispered in Georgia’s ear, and Lila leaned forward and nodded.
“I think he is. I hope we love it because he’s going to be watching us closely,” my baby sister said.
“What if it’s awful?” Cage asked, and everyone turned in his direction.
Hugh barked out a laugh as Gracie sat on his lap. “Smooth, dude.”
“What? I’m just asking. I’m not good at faking it. So, what do we say?”
“I guess you tell me the truth, ass—” Finn turned around and glared at him before his eyes moved to our niece. “Uh, ask me if you have any questions.”
“That was my only question.” Cage shrugged, and my mother chuckled when she settled beside him. “Okay, time for you to go to Grammie and Pops room to watch your movie.” Cage carried my niece down the hall to my parents’ bedroom.
“It’s going to be amazing, Finn. We’re so proud of you,” I said, as I popped a pizza roll into my mouth.
We all agreed, and my father used the remote to put the Roman shades down and darken the room. My parents loved watching movies, so they’d made this room the coziest space in the house, with all the movie theatre vibes.
Once Cage returned, we started the show.
And the next two hours were a bit jaw-dropping.
Finnegan Charles Reynolds was going to be the biggest news in Hollywood in a couple of months.
I had a lump in my throat as I watched him, forgetting that he was the same guy who’d turned my doorknob around in high school and locked me in my bedroom from the outside because he thought it was hilarious.
He’d always been a prankster.
Funny and easy.
But after watching him in this role… Finn was officially an actor.
The credits rolled, and we all sat in silence as he flipped on the lights.
Georgia had tears streaming down her face, and I knew it was more than the car accident that had just happened in the pilot episode. It was pride for our brother, who was about to see his entire life change.
Maddox had his arm around Georgia and shook his head at Finn. “Get ready for what’s coming, brother. That was fucking amazing.”
“Yeah?” Finn asked, his gaze moving from each of us.
“Finn,” I croaked. “I’m so proud of you.”
“This is your moment, Finny boy.” Hugh pushed to his feet and pulled him in for a hug.
My mother wrapped her arms around him next, and my father just sat there, shaking his head and telling him how impressed he was and going on and on about how breathtaking the scenery was, as well.
Everyone took turns congratulating him. Lila went on about his chemistry with Jessica Carson, his costar. Georgia and I hugged him, making a Finny sandwich. And then it was Cage’s turn.
He wrapped an arm around Finn and shook him a little. “You’re a goddamn movie star, brother. Don’t forget us little people over here once the world knows who you are.”
Lila and I were gushing about the horses and how impressed we were with my brother’s riding skills. My mom went to go get Gracie out of her bedroom, but she’d fallen asleep watching The Lion King, so she’d returned empty-handed.
We sat around talking and laughing and eating all the food as we gushed about how talented our brother was.
I couldn’t wait for the rest of the world to find out.
“So, you proved to be honest about your claim of being an open book,” I said, as I settled across the table at Reynolds’ with Breen Lockhart. We’d spent the last few hours walking down to the cove, to my favorite place on the water, where we sat on the sandy beach and chatted for a bit. I’d taken him to all my favorite spots downtown earlier today, and now we’d just arrived at Reynolds’ for dinner.
“I told you so. And thanks for showing me around town. I like it here. Aside from that bookstore,” he said. I’d laughed at how antsy he’d gotten at my favorite bookstore downtown.
He shivered dramatically, clearly making a point. “I hate books. I hated school. Hockey’s the only thing I ever really shined at. And it’s quite clear that I really shine. But don’t include the stuff about my struggles in school in the article.”
“I would never include anything you didn’t want in there. But I think it’s nice for young kids who look up to you to know that everyone struggles with different things. Even the biggest hockey player in the NHL has struggles.”
“I guess so. I tend to focus on all the areas where I thrive, though. The bookstore definitely wasn’t my favorite part of the day,” he teased. “Everything else was damn good.”
“Well, you were a trooper. And you made Mrs. Short’s day by stopping in, so thank you. She’s owned Once Upon a Time since I was a kid.”
“How about your day? Did I make it a good one?” he asked.
Breen was my age, but he appeared younger than me in many ways, mostly with his cocky attitude and the way he bragged about himself any chance he got. He’d been flirting his ass off, and I knew he was a player. But he wasn’t awful, and I’d be friends with him as long as he understood that it would never be more than that.
“It was a good day. I think I have plenty of information to get this article written. I’ll send it to you before I submit it to make sure it’s good to go.” I smiled as Danielle brought us each a glass of wine.
“So, this is what it’s like to have a female friend?” he asked.
“I guess so, Breen.” I’d made it clear the first time he’d been completely inappropriate when we were having lunch and asked me if he could spend the night with me.
“Ahhh… I’m not used to women not wanting more. But I can live with it. You’re beautiful and cool as hell. So, I guess you can be my first.”
I chuckled. “You make it sound so dirty.”
“Any time you want to make it dirty, you just say the word. I’d lose my playboy ways for a girl like you.”
“I’m sure you say that to all the girls.”
“He does,” a deep voice growled, and I looked up to see an annoyed-looking Lincoln Hendrix standing in front of our table.
What the hell was he doing here?
And why was my heart racing at just the sight of him?
It had been over a week since I’d seen him, and I’d actually been disappointed that I hadn’t run into him.
Why did he look so angry?
And why was I so happy that he was here?
six
Lincoln
Breen fucking Lockhart was not a guy I cared for. And for whatever reason, seeing him with Brinkley Reynolds had my blood boiling.
Was this her fucking boyfriend?
“Lincoln Hendrix? What a pleasant surprise,” the dickhead said as he smirked at me.
We were two professional athletes who lived in San Francisco, so we’d met several times. He’d also fucked my ex-girlfriend while we were together and made sure to tell me when we’d run into one another shortly after our breakup a year ago. I’d been happy to be out of the relationship, and there were no broken hearts there, but a dude who was proud to tell you that he’d hooked up with your girl while you were together was not a good guy in my book.