“I could have just driven here. You just mentioned that Finn’s house was on the way to the restaurant,” I said, slipping my coat off and hanging it on the coat rack by the door.
“I wanted to come get you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and studied me. “You look good, Reese. I think London agreed with you. Or it’s just that your new boyfriend makes you really happy.”
Here we go.
Should I tell him the truth?
My heart raced, and the words were on the tip of my tongue.
But for whatever reason, I couldn’t say them.
He was dating someone. Carl’s relationship was real. I wasn’t ready to admit that mine wasn’t.
“He does make me happy. And it appears Christy Rae Lovell makes you very happy.”
He nodded, but something in his blue gaze told me things weren’t that simple. This was exactly what I was hoping for. A chink in his armor.
“Come on. Let me get you a glass of wine.”
“I’m assuming your girlfriend is okay with me coming to your house for dinner?” I answered, following him toward the kitchen.
“I told her we were getting together tonight. I didn’t mention where we were going because it’s not important. She’s working the night shift at the hospital.” He poured me a glass of Cabernet and handed it to me.
“She hasn’t moved in with you?”
“No. You know how I feel about that. I didn’t want us to live together before we were engaged. I see Finn doesn’t mind making up the rules as he goes.”
“I think everyone’s allowed to make up their own rules, Carl. If you recall, I wanted to move in with you sooner. That was your rule, and I respected it. But I have my own rules that I live by now.”
And when we got back together, I would not hold back from sharing what I wanted moving forward.
“Just be careful, Reese. He’s not the kind of guy who wants to take things the whole way. I mean, have you not watched any of the interviews with Jessica Carson? He really did a number on her.”
I rolled my eyes. “I think I know Finn pretty well, don’t you think? He’d never do anything to hurt me. And Jessica Carson is just looking for her five minutes of fame. They never slept together. She’s making all of this up for attention.”
Those words came easy for me because I knew that they were true.
Defending Finn had never been difficult for me.
He put his hands up in apology. “I’m sorry. I overstepped.”
The doorbell rang, and he excused himself and went to the door to get the food.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Finn.
OMG! He took me to his house. It’s all working. He definitely misses me. Love you, Chewy.
Chewy
Fuck him. He’s got some fucking nerve taking you to his house without telling me.
I chuckled and tucked my phone back into my purse when I heard him close the door.
Once he returned, he set everything up at the modern table in the dining room and lit a few candles, which shocked me. Seemed a little over the top for two people who were no longer dating, but I wasn’t complaining.
Carl was trying. That much was obvious.
I carried my wine glass into the dining room, along with his sparkling water.
“I’m on call tonight, but I’ve got someone covering for me so I could spend some time with you. I just don’t want to risk it if there’s any kind of emergency.”
I respected the hell out of how seriously he took his job.
We spent the next two hours talking about London and all that had happened while I was gone. I filled him in on my plans to start my own business and told him about the spaces I’d been looking at. He seemed genuinely happy for me, and that felt good.
“Your mom says business is going well for them,” I said as he poured me a second glass of wine.
“Yeah, they’ve been busy, but they’re managing okay. I didn’t know you’d spoken to my mom since you’d been back.”
“Yes. I gave her a call yesterday. I didn’t want things to be awkward between us now that you and I aren’t together. I’m sure I’ll be running into them. I don’t want hard feelings.”
I’d been close with Carl’s family, but they hadn’t taken me leaving any better than their son had.
“Of course, there are no hard feelings. They’ve always loved you. You know that.” His gaze locked with mine, and I saw the sadness there.
“Are they close with Christy Rae—” I said, but he cut me off.
“Let’s just call her Christy. The three names are exhausting.” He chuckled. “And I know it’s her own fault, as she’s always insisted everyone call her that. But I can’t hear it one more time.”