Page 55 of Making Home with You

And like he knows he’s lit the fire, he comes to watch it burn everything in its path, because that fucking asshole has just appeared in the doorway to my office.

“I take it you got my email?”he asks casually, but the slimy tone of his voice grates on me, and I press my teeth together so hard I swear I’ll chip a tooth.

“I did.Why the hell would you think I have any interest in this?”

“Well, Sarah, isn’t that your boyfriend?”

“It is, but how would you even know that.”

“I know a lot more than you think,” he replies, condescendingly and he pushes his chin out and crosses his arms over his chest.“And I worry about you spending time with a man like that,” he adds, his hand flipping toward my computer.

I haven’t had a chance to read the article, but what I gathered on my initial scan was that Carla went to a reporter, a small Boston publication, some online bullshit and laid her story out.

She’s on a campaign to smear Finn and I’ll be damned if she’s going to win with this shit.The article made no reference to what she’s exactly claiming; everything vague and glossed over, but it does precisely what she wants it to do.

It puts Finn’s name in people’s ears, it makes them question his integrity, it makes them wonder who’s telling the truth.

I laugh so loudly at his comment; my laugh harsh and comically fake.

“What I worry about is your sick infatuation with me, and your roaming hands and your disgusting comments…”

I want to continue, but he cuts me off, “Listen Sarah,” he snaps, his eyes wide and for a second I think he fears me.“I’m going to let your remarks slide because I know you’re upset about your boyfriend, but remember who’s in charge here.”

I glare at him, a sick feeling rising in my throat and I wonder if I might vomit.Just the sight of his face, the sound of his voice evokes a feeling in me like nothing before.

I hate him.

“And don’t go running to HR,” he says rolling his eyes.“Been there, done that and no one gives a fuck.”

He leaves without looking back at me, the door slamming in his wake.

Chapter Sixteen

Finn

My phone chimes out with a text and when I glance at it, I’m surprised to see it’s from Ryan.It’s not that things have been bad between us since he found out about Sarah and me, he’s been totally accepting of the fact we’re seeing each other.It’s just we don’t usually randomly message each other like this.

But when I open his text, I immediately understand why he’s contacted me.And it takes everything in me not to lose my shit, march over to Carla’s place and sort all of this out, once and for all.

Ryan: you should look at this.

I click on the link he’s texted and it opens to some Boston news site, an article about a small-town police chief, A.K.A me, being under fire from one of the local residents, A.K.A Carla.

It’s completely biased, unresearched bullshit that belongs in the tabloids.As much as I know I shouldn’t give a shit about it, that I should let it go because really, who’s even going to read it, I can’t.

“For fuck’s sake,” I mumble as I scan through the article a second time.

It gives nothing away, no mention of what the so-called allegations are about, but there’s enough information there that anyone with half a brain could read between the lines and figure it out.

Fuck, I hope Sarah doesn’t see it.

Shaking my head, I text Ryan back.

Me: how’d you find this?

Ryan: Joe sent it to me.Does Sarah know about this?

I let out a long exhale.Hell, this is the last thing I need right now.