Page 43 of Strictly Business
“Be a good girl and go home, Shortcake.”
Be a good girl.
The words stir the fire in my core and from the smirk on his lips, that’s exactly what he meant to do. That fucker.
“Josh, thanks for coming, man.” He shakes my brother’s hand before returning to Knox, who has since started showing the little boy how to play one of the carnival games involving a water gun.
“Asshole,” I whisper. “How can someone so obnoxious and rude think they can run a nonprofit to help foster kids? He doesn’t even know the first thing about them!”
“I think he knows more than you,” Josh scoffs. “He was one.”
Chapter Twenty
FINN
"SO, HAVE THEY GOT you hooked up with a little brother yet?” Colin asks, securing the strap of his bag over his shoulder.
“About four weeks ago. Cool kid. A little quiet but he just needs help coming out of his shell. Reminds me of you. I took him to the Coney Island buyout you bailed on two weeks ago.”
“Hang out with you or go visit Saylor.” He uses his hands to weigh out the options, and clearly, the Saylor option wins.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m not as pretty as she is.” I flip imaginary long hair from my shoulder as we step out of the gym onto the streets of SoHo. "How's Mama June doing, by the way? Anniversary’s coming up."
Colin shrugs. "I mean, she's happy. Tom has been really good for her, but it's always hard around this time of year."
"How are you holding up? This year is what, fifteen years?"
“I’m trying to focus on the positives. That's what Dad would want. Oh, before I forget, Shey told me to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner when she gets back next week.”
"Just tell me when and I'm there."
"You are being ridiculous!" A deep voice catches our attention. Across the street, a man towers over another person as he berates them. This isn't the typical place for this kind of scene, so it draws attention. Passersby try to act like they're bothered, but they just want to know what's going on.
"Probably an assistant who got the wrong coffee," Colin snickers.
"Why can't you act like an adult for once in your life — is it really so hard for you?" The man shouts again.
"Or not."
The other person finally seems to break free of whatever hold the man has on them stepping into view and I feel like I've been punched in the stomach. You've got to be kidding. Is that... "Michaela?" I shout without thinking, catching everyone's attention.
"You know her?" Colin follows me across the street.
"Mic, hey! That is you."
"Who the hell is this guy?" Asshole glares down at her.
Who the hell is he?
"Finn, what are you doing?" Michaela ignores him. Dark circles I've never noticed hang under her eyes. She's dressed in bike shorts and a hoodie, her honey-blonde hair pulled into the messiest bun I've ever seen underneath a baseball cap – drastically different from her normal attire.
"I was over at the gym and–"
"Who's this — your newest fuck?" Asshole interrupts me.
"Hey, watch your mouth," Colin straightens to his full height — at least two inches taller than me at five-eleven, and I stand at least two inches taller than Asshole. I watch Asshole's eyes widen slightly. "There's no need to talk to a lady like that.”
Colin, ever the gentleman.