He pulls me back against him again. Part of me wants to just sob at the pleasure of feeling him here, next to me but that would take more energy than I have to expend. For now, it’s enough just that he’s here.
“I missed you. So much. Don't stay away from me, Finn. I know you think it's best for me but it's not. This is what I need.” At another time, when I’m not so sleepy and satisfied, I’ll probably regret my candor. But right now I don’t care. It’s how I feel and I’m tired of pretending.
"I need you, too. And I won't be staying away from you for much longer. There's just something I have to take care of first."
"What do you have to take care of?" I ask but the question is interrupted by a giant yawn.
His lips brush over my forehead. "Right now, you need to sleep. Close your eyes, angel. I'll still be here when you wake up. Then we'll talk."
* * * * *
The next morning I roll over and clutch the pillow I'm holding tighter. I always sleep like the dead after I've had a migraine and last night was no exception. Especially since Finn was there. I always sleep better when he's there.
I open my eyes and frown at the empty space next to me. I prop myself up on my elbow and look around. The house is quiet but the pillow still has the slight indentation where his head rested. Why would Finn sneak out in the middle of the night? Then I catch a glance at the clock on the dresser and scramble to get out of bed. It's almost nine, way later than I usually get in to work. I only hope the other girls haven't needed me for anything.
After a lightning fast shower, I dress in a white T-shirt and jeans, pulling my Maid-4-U logo apron on over it. I pick up my purse and pull out my cell phone. I frown. There are little red flags everywhere. I've never had so many unread texts, voicemails and emails simultaneously before.
I quickly scan the texts. The oldest one is from Finn. He had some meeting this morning and didn't want to wake me. The rest are all from Daphne and Tara. Same with the voicemails. Once I see that my emails are mainly from my partners, too, I call the office with a sinking feeling in my chest.
Daphne answers on the first ring. "Thank god, Rissa. You have to get in to the office."
"What is going on? I have so many messages to listen to."
Daphne pauses. "We just got a call from Mercers. They've been sold and the new owner isn't renewing our contract."
I clap a hand over my mouth. We knew this was a possibility. I'd heard rumors over the years that the owners of Mercers wanted to sell and relocate but they were being really choosy about potential buyers. They wanted to sell to someone with long ties to the community and there aren't many people in this area with that kind of money.
For some reason that thought causes a curl of dread to unfurl in my belly. "Well, this sucks for sure but maybe we can change the owner's mind. They might just be saying that because they want to keep their options open."
Daphne doesn't say anything and the dread in my stomach explodes. "Who is it, Daph? Who's the new owner?"
"Are you coming in? We have a lot of stuff to talk about."
It's a classic Daphne evasion tactic. She hates conflict and she'll do anything to avoid it. Tara and I have been teasing her for years that she could probably teach the military about escape and evade maneuvers. It's usually amusing but then again I'm usually not on the receiving end of it. I take a deep breath so I won't end up yelling at one of my best friends. Then she'll cry and I'll really feel like an ogre.
"You're avoiding the question, Daphne. That doesn't make me feel too good so just spit it out."
"I really think you should come in to the office," she squeaks.
"Daphne!"
She's quiet and then whispers, "I'm sure he has an explanation."
My head is still slightly fuzzy from my extended sleep from the night before. It takes a minute for what she's saying to even register and for me to realize what "he" she's even talking about. When I finally get it, I fall back onto the bed, my legs suddenly unable to hold up my weight anymore.
"Oh god. It’s not possible." That's truly how I feel. How could it be possible for Finn to have done something this underhanded? This manipulative.
I think back to what he said to me in the elevator earlier this week about not being a good guy. I'd taken it as a sign of self-deprecation but maybe he was trying to warn me. He told me he was an asshole and I didn't listen. I should have heeded the warning.
"I'm so sorry, honey." Daphne's sorrow comes over the line and blends with mine. She hates giving bad news and this is probably even worse for her since she knows how I feel about Finn.
"This just can't be real. Are you sure?"
"Tara said the new company's name is the same one on our paperwork when we did the deal with Finn. Unless this is all a really big coincidence."
"Or he's been playing me this whole time."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
RISSA
Daphne, Tara and I have closeted ourselves in my office. I've looked at the contract we've signed a dozen times, hoping that the letters on the page will rearrange somehow and form something else. But there's no denying that the name matches the new owner of Mercers.
The owners were super helpful when I called back and very apologetic about everything. I'm sure they know how important their contract is to our business so I could tell they felt bad about the effect this will have on us. But it's not their fault that I trusted the wrong man.
“I missed you. So much. Don't stay away from me, Finn. I know you think it's best for me but it's not. This is what I need.” At another time, when I’m not so sleepy and satisfied, I’ll probably regret my candor. But right now I don’t care. It’s how I feel and I’m tired of pretending.
"I need you, too. And I won't be staying away from you for much longer. There's just something I have to take care of first."
"What do you have to take care of?" I ask but the question is interrupted by a giant yawn.
His lips brush over my forehead. "Right now, you need to sleep. Close your eyes, angel. I'll still be here when you wake up. Then we'll talk."
* * * * *
The next morning I roll over and clutch the pillow I'm holding tighter. I always sleep like the dead after I've had a migraine and last night was no exception. Especially since Finn was there. I always sleep better when he's there.
I open my eyes and frown at the empty space next to me. I prop myself up on my elbow and look around. The house is quiet but the pillow still has the slight indentation where his head rested. Why would Finn sneak out in the middle of the night? Then I catch a glance at the clock on the dresser and scramble to get out of bed. It's almost nine, way later than I usually get in to work. I only hope the other girls haven't needed me for anything.
After a lightning fast shower, I dress in a white T-shirt and jeans, pulling my Maid-4-U logo apron on over it. I pick up my purse and pull out my cell phone. I frown. There are little red flags everywhere. I've never had so many unread texts, voicemails and emails simultaneously before.
I quickly scan the texts. The oldest one is from Finn. He had some meeting this morning and didn't want to wake me. The rest are all from Daphne and Tara. Same with the voicemails. Once I see that my emails are mainly from my partners, too, I call the office with a sinking feeling in my chest.
Daphne answers on the first ring. "Thank god, Rissa. You have to get in to the office."
"What is going on? I have so many messages to listen to."
Daphne pauses. "We just got a call from Mercers. They've been sold and the new owner isn't renewing our contract."
I clap a hand over my mouth. We knew this was a possibility. I'd heard rumors over the years that the owners of Mercers wanted to sell and relocate but they were being really choosy about potential buyers. They wanted to sell to someone with long ties to the community and there aren't many people in this area with that kind of money.
For some reason that thought causes a curl of dread to unfurl in my belly. "Well, this sucks for sure but maybe we can change the owner's mind. They might just be saying that because they want to keep their options open."
Daphne doesn't say anything and the dread in my stomach explodes. "Who is it, Daph? Who's the new owner?"
"Are you coming in? We have a lot of stuff to talk about."
It's a classic Daphne evasion tactic. She hates conflict and she'll do anything to avoid it. Tara and I have been teasing her for years that she could probably teach the military about escape and evade maneuvers. It's usually amusing but then again I'm usually not on the receiving end of it. I take a deep breath so I won't end up yelling at one of my best friends. Then she'll cry and I'll really feel like an ogre.
"You're avoiding the question, Daphne. That doesn't make me feel too good so just spit it out."
"I really think you should come in to the office," she squeaks.
"Daphne!"
She's quiet and then whispers, "I'm sure he has an explanation."
My head is still slightly fuzzy from my extended sleep from the night before. It takes a minute for what she's saying to even register and for me to realize what "he" she's even talking about. When I finally get it, I fall back onto the bed, my legs suddenly unable to hold up my weight anymore.
"Oh god. It’s not possible." That's truly how I feel. How could it be possible for Finn to have done something this underhanded? This manipulative.
I think back to what he said to me in the elevator earlier this week about not being a good guy. I'd taken it as a sign of self-deprecation but maybe he was trying to warn me. He told me he was an asshole and I didn't listen. I should have heeded the warning.
"I'm so sorry, honey." Daphne's sorrow comes over the line and blends with mine. She hates giving bad news and this is probably even worse for her since she knows how I feel about Finn.
"This just can't be real. Are you sure?"
"Tara said the new company's name is the same one on our paperwork when we did the deal with Finn. Unless this is all a really big coincidence."
"Or he's been playing me this whole time."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
RISSA
Daphne, Tara and I have closeted ourselves in my office. I've looked at the contract we've signed a dozen times, hoping that the letters on the page will rearrange somehow and form something else. But there's no denying that the name matches the new owner of Mercers.
The owners were super helpful when I called back and very apologetic about everything. I'm sure they know how important their contract is to our business so I could tell they felt bad about the effect this will have on us. But it's not their fault that I trusted the wrong man.
