Page 45 of Making Home with You

Beck wordlessly walks inside and heads straight for the kitchen.Taking two beers from the six pack, he turns and hands me one before opening his own and taking a long pull.When he’s done, he meets my stare and says, “You wanna tell me what that comment was all about last night?”

I exhale, opening my own beer.“It was nothing,” I say, swallowing the cold liquid.“An offhand remark.”

Beck straightens and takes a step toward me.“Bullshit, Finn,” he says.“Tell me what’s going on,” he adds, his voice softening a little.

I stare at my brother knowing there’s no chance I could ever fool him about this.Despite our years apart, he knows me better than anyone.Plus, he was a cop and he can read people, tell when their lying.We’ve both been trained in that.

“It’s Carla,” I eventually say.

“Yeah, I figured,” he says.“Kels told me there’s been some talk around town.”

I roll my eyes, frustrated at how this shit seems to get around.“That’s because she and her friends are a bunch of gossips.”

“Yeah, well we knew this,” Beck says, taking another sip of beer.“But what’s happened?”he asks again.“What’s changed?”

I mirror his action, emptying half the bottle as I brace myself for my brother’s reaction when I tell him the truth.“She’s made an accusation,” I eventually say, not looking away.

“Of what?”he asks, his body stiffening a little.

I finish my beer and immediately reach for another.“Sexual harassment,” I say.“Sixteen years ago.”

“What?”Beck asks, shocked.“That night at the party?”

I nod, but don’t say anything.

“For fuck’s sake,” Beck says.“I thought you said she started that?”

“She did,” I reply.

“Well, what the fuck is she on about then?”

I shake my head.“I don’t know,” I admit.“But I’m guessing it’s got something to do with the fact I’m seeing Sarah.”

Beck stares back at me, his face a mixture of shock and concern.“You haven’t told Sarah any of this, have you?”he eventually asks.

“No,” I say.“And I’d really like to keep it that way.”

Beck exhales, running a hand through his hair before he finishes his own beer and grabs another.“But you’re serious about her?”he asks.

I nod.

“Finn, you gotta tell her,” he says.“Especially if you feel the way I think you do.”

I stare back at my brother, unsure whether I can admit how I really feel about Sarah.It’s not like it’s something I’m afraid of.Weirdly enough it feels totally normal, totally right, even if love and a relationship and playing house with someone was everything I thought I didn’t want.

It’s that I don’t know how Sarah feels.Or how long she’s going to be around for now that she’s got this job in Boston.

“I will, Beck,” I eventually say, even if my words are a half-truth at best.“But it’s gotta come from me, okay?”I tell him.“Not you, not Kelsey and definitely not Erin or Ryan.”

Beck stares back at me, not saying anything as though he’s internally running through all the ways to convince me this is a bad idea.Just as I’m about to ask him again, beg him not to say a word, he nods.“Alright,” he says.“I won’t say anything.”

“Thank you,” I say letting out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“But in the meantime,” he continues.“What the fuck are we going to do about this situation with Carla?”

Chapter Thirteen

Sarah