Page 20 of A Hard Fit (Falling Hard #2)

Cali and Bryson

Finn squinted at his screen and read the email again. “Wow!” he said to Rory, who was flipping quesadillas in a frying pan. “Markos has invited us to the grand opening. Like, everyone. All of Breakpoint and their families.”

“No way!”

“It's the weekend Cali and Bryson are coming.”

“That’s perfect!” Rory hesitated. “That’s the weekend of Bailey’s party, too. It’s Sunday night.”

Right. Bailey’s party. They hadn’t talked about it since their Valentine’s Day fight.

“Oh. Okay. That will be so fun for the kids,” Finn said, tactfully steering the conversation away from the abyss.

Rory came to read over Finn’s shoulder. “I wonder if I can invite my extended family?”

Finn tried not to grimace. Because of course Rory would want to invite the entire family tree. “Park’s looking great though,” Finn said, changing the subject again, scrolling through the rest of Markos’ email. “What’s left for you to do before it all goes live?”

“Just have to submit to the app store and get approval, and we’ll do some dry runs at the park this week to see how it works real time in the kitchen. You?”

“Not much. I’m supposed to give notes on the new ride but they haven’t sent me the files yet. All the ads are live.”

“We’re in good shape,” Rory said lightly, going back to flipping the quesadillas. “It’s all going to be great.”

Finn’s stomach flipped, too.

* * * *

The next morning at work, Finn was walking back from the washroom when Morgan stalked by. He carried a box with a lamp poking out of it, his face bleak. Finn paused, eyebrow raised, waiting for Morgan to offer a quip or explanation of some sort, but he breezed by like Finn wasn’t even there. As soon as the petite blond disappeared around the corner, Finn turned on his heel toward Luka’s office.

He poked his head in. “Did I just see Morgan carrying a box of his shit?”

“Um. You sure did.” Luka exchanged a look with Thomas. “Do you want to grab a drink after work? It’s a long fucking story.”

* * * *

“Sorry”—Finn placed his hands flat on the table as if attempting to anchor himself to reality—“you were secretly dating Morgan last year?” His head was spinning and it had nothing to do with the pint sitting in front of him.

“Oh my God, I know.” Luka buried his face in his hands. “I can hardly believe it myself, and I was there.”

“I mean… Morgan ?” Finn said, voice climbing into his upper register.

“He…he could be really charming, okay? And…” Luka blushed.

Finn held up a hand. “So help me God, do not say ‘good in bed,’ or I’ll have to bleach my ears.”

Luka covered his face again. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“Fuck!” Finn shook his head and took a sip. “How long did it last?”

“Four months. And then one night, the restaurant messed up and they only sent Morgan’s food. He just sat there, eating his pad Thai, without even offering to share it with me, and it was like…what the fuck am I doing?”

Finn had to laugh. “So that’s what did it for you. You got hungry.”

Luka tried to glare at him but a chuckle escaped. “I guess so. I really love Thai.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“I know, I’m sorry. I wanted to, so many times, but we had to keep it a secret until we told HR, and Morgan didn’t want to.”

“Wait, so…how did this lead to Morgan getting fired now ?”

Luka took a sheepish sip of his Bloody Mary. “He blackmailed me.”

“He what !” Finn looked around for their server. “I’m going to need a stronger drink.”

Once Luka laid out the sordid details for him, Finn leaned back in his chair, mind blown. “Okay…I’m getting the reluctance with Thomas now.”

“ Thank you ,” Luka said, with an emphatic gesture. “I don’t need any more relationship drama with coworkers.”

“Cheers to that.” Finn drained his whiskey.

* * * *

It wasn’t officially spring yet, but it felt like it. The snow was gone, and the gray dirt that had piled up along the curbs had been swept away that morning, wet trails still visible on the asphalt. Small green daffodil shoots poked up here and there from damp gardens, and the birds announced the approaching equinox with great joy. Finn had taken the day off, although Rory had gone to work so Cali and Bryson could get comfortable and settled with Finn first. He spent the morning tidying up the yard, and was now freshly showered and pacing, waiting for his family to arrive.

My family .

It felt weird to say.

Then there they were, pulling up in a rusty, nondescript Honda. Before it had even come to a complete stop, a round, redheaded boy tumbled out of the back door and charged up the walkway. Bryson, obviously, even though he looked like an actual child and not the toddler entrenched in Finn’s memory. Finn opened the door before the kid could knock, and Bryson streaked right into the house.

“Where’s the bathroom?” Bryson squeaked, holding tight to his crotch.

“Uh…” Finn pointed down the hall, and Bryson was off like a shot. Finn stuck his head around the corner to make sure Bryson found the right room, then turned to head out onto the walk.

Liz was hunched over at the door Bryson had emerged from, collecting fast food bags and candy wrappers out of the backseat. Cali had not appeared yet. Finn shuffled forward to greet them.

“Liz. Hi,” Finn said.

His sister stood and turned to face him. She looked older than he remembered, hints of gray on the crown of her head visible in the strawberry-blonde waves, laugh lines deeper around her eyes. Of course, Finn supposed he looked older, too.

“Hey Finn. Did Bryson find the bathroom?”

“Yup.” He wondered if he should hug her, but the awkward pause stretched on until they had passed the acceptable window of time for initiating such an action, so instead he looked into the backseat. Cali was lost in a book.

“Earth to Cali!” Liz said. “We are actually here, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Cali made an irritated noise and snapped her book shut. “I know.”

“Hi, Cali,” Finn said.

She sighed and unbuckled her seatbelt. “Hi.”

“What are you reading?”

She climbed out of the car, squinting at him and shouldering a backpack. “ Number the Stars , by Lois Lowry.”

“Oh, that’s a good one.”

Her look was pure skepticism. “You’ve read it?”

“Sure have. It was one of your mom’s favorites. I saw it lying around so much that I gave it a go.”

Cali’s nod was solemn. “Cool.”

“Cali has promised not to read the entire weekend, haven’t you, Cali?” Liz smoothed Cali’s hair. “Engage in conversation, even. I told her she was only allowed to pack two books.”

Cali rolled her eyes and ducked out from under her mom’s hand, muttering a response that Finn couldn’t make out.

“Anyway,” Liz said, slightly strained, “give us a hand with the bags, Cal.”

“I can help,” Finn said, following them to the trunk. “Which one is yours, Cali?”

“It’s okay, I got it,” she said, reaching for a worn blue duffel.

“Please, let me.” Finn hefted it out and nearly pulled a muscle. It felt like it was full of rocks…or books. Cali stared at him, tight-lipped. He winked at her.

Cali and Liz collected Bryson’s things and other road trip shrapnel from the backseat, then the three of them headed into the house.

Bryson was rooted to the rug in the front hall, staring up at Finn’s painting.

“Oh my God, Bryson, I had to carry your bag,” Cali grumbled, shoving his backpack at him.

“What is this?” Bryson asked, attention not wavering from the canvas.

Cali rolled her eyes. “A painting, stupid.”

“Cali!” Liz said through clenched teeth. “What did we talk about in the car?”

“It’s called Home ,” Finn told him, trying to set Cali’s bag down without a thump.

“Who painted it?” Bryson asked.

“I did.”

Bryson tilted his head. “What’s it supposed to be?”

“That’s rude,” Cali said.

“No, it’s okay.” Finn shoved his hands in his pockets. “That’s what’s so great about art. It doesn’t have to be just one thing. When I painted this, I was thinking about the feelings I get when I’m home.”

“You can paint feelings?” Bryson said, now tilting his head the other way.

“You sure can,” Finn said, smile tickling the corner of his mouth.

“Hmm.” Bryson looked up at his mom. “I’m hungry.”

Liz shrugged. “You ate all the snacks I packed.”

“It’s okay. I bought a few extra snacks,” Finn said. Rory had, in fact, teased him about all the snacks he had purchased.

Bryson lit up. “You did? What can I have?”

“That’s rude,” Cali said again, but she fell in behind Finn and her brother on their way to the kitchen.

Finn flung the pantry door wide. Bryson’s eyes glowed at the boxes of shiny wrappers laid out in neat stacks on the shelves before him. Even Cali looked impressed, up on tiptoe to check out the higher shelves.

“Oreos!” she squealed, right as Bryson spied the cereal.

“Frosted Flakes! Yes!” he cried

“And there’s more stuff in the freezer,” Finn said, grinning even bigger than the kids.

“Can I have some cereal?” Bryson asked hopefully.

Liz intervened. “Let’s get you settled first, then snacks.”

“Perfect. I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping,” Finn said. The bungalow only had two bedrooms, and one was jammed to the ceiling with canvases and tech gear. So, with Rory’s help, Finn had transformed the dining room into a guest room. On each side of the table he had laid out a mattress, then used tablecloths, blankets and chairs to turn each bed into a fort. At Rory’s suggestion, the inside was strung with fairy lights, and Finn had made some little shelves out of cardboard where he had left a bottle of water, a bag of crackers, tissue and a small box of Lego as a gift.

“This is awesome!” Bryson exclaimed, then dove headfirst into one side.

“So awesome,” Cali agreed, ducking into the other. She put her book on one of the shelves and lay back on the pillow, looking up at the fairy lights.

Liz hung back, smiling. “Thanks, Uncle Finn.”

“You’re welcome.”

There was something about the way Liz was looking at him—like she was…proud of him or some shit. He flushed and looked at his feet.

“I guess I’d better get going,” Liz said. “You have Beth’s number. She’s not too far away—I can be here in twenty minutes if you need me.” Liz was staying with a girlfriend in Oakport for the weekend, a nice little getaway for her, too.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Finn assured her.

“And they can call me before bed if they want.”

“You bet.”

“Come here and give me a hug,” she called to the kids, who were into the Lego boxes. They clambered out of their cubbies to wrap around their mom. “You’d better be good for Uncle Finn,” she said, blinking rapidly and kissing the top of their heads.

“We will!” the kids chorused.

Liz pulled back to stare into their eyes. “I mean it.”

The three of them waved to Liz’s car until it turned the corner. There was no time for awkward silence because Bryson started jumping up and down. “Frosted Flakes! Frosted Flakes!”

“Let’s do it,” Finn said. If all it took to make kids happy was food, this was going to be a piece of cake.

* * * *

“Can we bake cookies, Uncle Finn?” Cali asked before she had even finished her bowl of cereal.

“Um, sure,” Finn said, wondering if it was the best move to start baking cookies only a couple hours before dinner, but he wanted to give them a fun weekend, and if Cali wanted to bake cookies…they were baking cookies. Just like he used to do with his grandma. “What kind?”

“Peanut butter!”

“Excellent choice.” Finn looked up a recipe on his tablet and propped it on the counter for her. “Do you bake a lot at home?”

“Sometimes,” Cali replied. “Mom doesn’t like it when I make messes.”

“What’s in the freezer?” Bryson swung his legs under the chair like a puppy thumping its tail.

“The freezer?” Finn asked, looking over the cookie ingredients.

“You said there were more snacks in the freezer!”

“Oh, right. You can look,” Finn told him while he collected assorted boxes and containers from the pantry. “Can you come grab the baking powder and baking soda, Cali?”

Bryson hopped off the chair and pulled out the freezer drawer. “Freezies!” he exclaimed. “Please, please, please, can I have one?”

Finn dropped his armful of supplies on the counter then dug in a drawer for the measuring cups. Rory had recently rearranged all his drawers and he could never find anything now. “I don’t know, maybe after d—”

“Pleeeeease, Uncle Finn! Please! We never get to have freezies! It’ll count as my dessert! And I promise I’ll eat all my dinner too.”

That little pleading face… Fuck . “Okay,” Finn relented. “If you promise.”

“Yes!” Bryson screeched. He tore through the box of freezies and pulled out a grape one.

There was a bang from the pantry.

“Oops,” Cali said mildly. “I dropped the baking powder.”

Finn scurried to help her collect the rest of the ingredients and sweep up the white powder.

“Can you help me open it?” Bryson said, appearing at Finn’s side. He’d found the scissors somehow and held them up for Finn.

“Sure.” Finn snipped the end off the freezie and got him a paper towel to wrap around the bottom. “The peanut butter is in the fridge, Cali.”

Once they had everything they needed, Cali measured out the wet ingredients while Finn watched and Bryson sat happily slurping in a kitchen chair.

“Can we add chocolate chips, too?” Cali asked, leveling off the flour with a careful hand.

“Sure.” Finn retrieved them from the pantry and placed them next to her bowl. “Maybe use the quarter cup?”

“Umm…” Bryson’s legs had stopped swinging and he was holding up one purple, sticky hand, staring at it like it belonged to an alien.

Not only were Bryson’s fingers purple, so was his shirt, and…the upholstered beige chair he was sitting on. “Oh, no no no…” Finn gasped. He dove for a roll of paper towel and wrapped a few sheets around the leaking freezie, then lifted Bryson off the chair.

“I’m sorry!” Bryson wailed.

“It’s okay,” Finn said, blotting at the purple stain.

“I might have used too many chocolate chips.” Cali frowned at the bowl.

“What? Did you use the quarter cup?”

“Yeah.”

Finn grabbed a wet dish cloth and glanced in the bowl on his way by. It was more chocolate chips than dough. “How many did you put in?”

Cali chewed her lip. “Four?”

“You put in four of these quarter cups?”

“It might have been five.”

“That’s…that’s a lot.”

Bryson continued to cry while Finn soaked the stain, then worked on blotting up the rest.

“I really like chocolate,” Cali said, lower lip pushing out.

“Yeah, but…I meant—” He stopped when her eyes started to water. “It’s okay, we’ll just add a bit more peanut butter so they stick together.”

“Can I have the rest of my freezie?” Bryson said in a trembling voice.

“Yeah, bud. How did this start leaking?” Finn unwrapped the paper towel over the sink. There was a clean slice in the plastic along the bottom. Finn started at it, puzzled. “How did this get cut?”

Bryson sniffled. “I tried to open it myself.”

“You—” Finn took a breath. “That’s okay. I’ll put it in a bowl for you. Maybe you can eat it with a spoon. Also you’d better change your shirt—oh, Cali, no, hon, that’s way too big for one cookie…”

The backdoor opened and Rory came in. They froze when they saw the mess.

“Hey, Rory,” Finn said weakly. “Welcome home.”