Page 61 of Dirty Little Secret
Willow
My hands are shaking,the bowl of potato salad I’m carrying feeling unsteady. Our house is full of family and friends, a multitude of conversations floating on the warm summer breeze. Kendall’s been by my side most of the day, helping with the food and making sure the punch bowl never gets below half full.
Which is turning into a bad idea since she keeps adding more and more alcohol and not much else.
She’s as fidgety as I am today. I’ve tried to get her to talk to me, more to distract me from my own nerves than anything else, but she refuses. Then she disappeared for thirty minutes earlier only to return a little less on edge, her hair a mess.
Well, if that didn’t confirm my suspicions that she’s secretly seeing one of our friends, nothing is going to.
I only wish I’d been paying closer attention to who else was missing from the party. The only people we’re waiting on to arrive are Finn’s parents. Then, Finn and I are going to pull Max aside.
I’m not ready.
After our text exchange this morning, I don’t feel as confident as I did. Finn swears he’s not second guessing our decision to go public, but I can’t help but wonder what has him concerned. He’s the one who’s wanted to tell Max from the beginning. He’s the one who was pressuring me to be honest with my brother.
And suddenly he’s what … having a change of heart?
Not that I think he doesn’t love me. I know he does. But something is obviously bothering him, and before we make our relationship official, I need to know what it is.
After dropping off the fresh bowl of potato salad on the buffet my mother and Evie set up this morning, I head in search of Finn for answers. He’s talking with Declan in hushed tones, his face flushed with anger. When he catches my eye and I nod my head toward the pool house, he shoots me a sly wink.
Skirting the side of the small building, I head down to the tree and wait for him to join me. The last time I was down here was the day of my father’s funeral. It was also the day our secret affair began. I knew there was no turning back the second our lips connected, and as scared as I am that he holds my heart, I also know we’re right together.
He’s my other half.
We are meant to be together.
Which means this conversation should be easy, but it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest.
“Hey, beautiful,” Finn says, taking a seat in the shade next to me.
“Hey yourself. I’ve barely seen you today. What’s going on with Declan?”
Finn grunts in disapproval but doesn’t answer my question. “What’s going on with you? You looked like you needed to talk.”
“I just … I don’t know. You’re hesitating. It makes me wonder if this is really what you want? Not me but telling everyone. Telling Max.”
Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he pulls me close, and I rest my head in the crook of Finn’s shoulder. He lets out a long sigh but doesn’t reply right away. When he does, his confession shocks me.
“I love you, Willow. There is no doubt in my mind. My heart belongs to you. When you walk in the room it screams in triumph.Mine!But I won’t lie to you. I’m scared as fuck to tell your brother.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper.
“You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. The dreams I’ve been having made me doubt telling Max.”
“Dream?”
Finn tells me about the nightmares that have woken him up this past week. The anger he saw on Max’s face. How we all stood by and watched as Max tried to kill him.
I’m holding back my laughter by the time he finishes telling me about the light saber incident, my body shaking in his arms.
“Not as funny as you think, LT. I was petrified when I woke up.”
“Yes, but,” I start, letting out a giggle, “you have to admit it’s a little bit funny. I mean, come on. Max might be mad, he might not understand … hell, he may not talk to either one of us for a while, but as far as violence goes, the worst that’ll happen would be his fist landing on your face.”
“That’s what you think. He’s always been protective of you and Evie. Since your dad passed, it’s only intensified. I get it, I do. I don’t have sisters, but if I did, I wouldn’t want anyone touching them either. Still, I wish he could see how much I love you. That I’d do anything to protect you. That to me you’re more than just a fling, you’re my everything.”
“And you’re mine,” I reply, lifting my head so our lips can meet.