Page 25 of Making Home with You (The Rockport Beach #3)

The panoramic sunroof moves open, exposing the cloudless sky and this time I do as I’m told. My eyes gravitate toward the darkness that is dotted with points of light.

“See that,” he says pointing out over the water and up into the sky at what looks like a star. It almost appears to be illuminated from behind, like it’s glowing.

“Yeah,” I say.

“That’s Mercury and if you look just a little bit to the left that’s Venus. It’s not nearly as bright, but you can tell it’s not a star. Stars twinkle, but planets glow.”

I laugh a little, thinking this doesn’t seem like the kind of thing a macho, hard ass policeman would know. But I find it endearing, a side of Finn I imagine very few people know.

“How do you know this?” I ask.

“When I was a kid, my mom used to take me down here and show me where the planets were. She could find all the constellations and she had stories to go along with all of them. I loved sitting here with her. It made me feel like we were the only people in the world.”

Finn leans down and nuzzles my neck, pressing a few soft kisses as he lets out a deep sigh.

I don’t know what to say to Finn. I know his mom passed away when he was young and I don’t deal well in these types of situations. I’ve never been one to know just what to say unless it requires a snarky comeback.

“I’ve never brought anyone here before,” he says and I smile, but still feel my heart break just a little. This was something he shared with his mom and something he obviously still holds close to his heart.

“I’m honored that you want to share this with me,” I say, choking back the tears I feel forming.

Finn wraps his arms around me, pulling me even closer as he whispers in my ear, “I want to share everything with you, Sarah.”

“I do too, Finn,” I say, turning so I’m facing him, eyes now off the stars and on the small glow of the night sky that illuminates his face.

There’s a sadness there and I know it’s not just from talking about his mom, and I lean in and press a soft kiss to his lips.

All the sexual tension from before has faded and that’s okay, because I think we both just need each other.

“I hate my job right now,” Finn whispers, his eyes closed as he rests his head on my shoulder.

His admission is huge, and I know that.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“I know it will be, but even if it’s not…” He trails off and I finish his sentence.

“You’ll always have me no matter what.”

The next day, I walk into the office bound and determined to stand up to Andrew should the need arise. I’m not going to let this asshole make every day of my life a miserable mess. I nearly let him ruin it yesterday, but today is a new day and I’m done with his shit.

I flop down at my desk and start up my computer. I know he’s already here, but I will not greet him. He can fire my ass if he wants to.

I open up my email, and the first message I have is from Andrew and it’s a link to a news story and I roll my eyes.

I’m sure it’s some fucking puff piece about what an amazing leader he is, something he probably paid someone to write about him, because every word that comes out of his mouth is either harassment or bullshit.

I mock his voice muttering to myself as I open the email. “Sarah, CC everyone under the fucking sun about how awesome I am. Make sure to include the article link. Send it to all my clients.”

Dickwad.

But when I open the article I’m met with the headline “Small Town Police Chief Under Fire”.

“What the fuck!” I practically yell and I clamp my hand down over my mouth when I realize how loudly the words flew from my mouth.

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.