Page 22 of The Nicest Thing

Startled, I followed his gaze and saw exactly who he was talking about.

At some point, Carlos and Louis had been joined by Derek and Angelo.

They were scowling, staring at Finn. Hard.

Not waiting to see what they'd do, I grabbed Finn's arm and tugged him toward the food table.

It was where most of the people were. It would be easy to get lost in the crowd—or so I hoped.

Plus, there was a nice tree that would provide some cover.

I pulled Finn down beside the dessert table.

"Uh, what are we doing?" Finn asked.

"Avoiding the inevitable," I muttered.

He laughed.

"I'm not kidding. Those guys are my cousins. And they were most likely plotting your demise."

"We can't hide forever, Rose."

"Can't we?"

Finn chuckled again, and I shot him a look.

"This isn't funny," I said.

"You protecting me from your family is pretty hilarious to me," he said.

I just shook my head, gazing back out at the yard to keep a lookout for Derek, Angelo, Louis, and Carlos.

"You know, I took French in college," Finn said.

"I didn't, but that's cool."

Where the hell were they?

How could four guys as big as they are just disappear?

"But in high school, Dex took Spanish."

"Ah."

"I learned it, so I could help him pass," he added, and I froze. "Got pretty good at it. They even asked me to be the president of the Spanish Club."

Slowly, I turned to face him. "No…"

"Yeah"—Finn grinned—"I agree with yaya. Our babies would be gorgeous."

My eyes closed on their own. Was there a word worse than embarrassed? Humiliated? Mortified? I was all the things as Finn continued to tease me.

"Your hair and eyes, my strong hands…they'd be so pretty. People would automatically hate them for it."

"Ugh, please stop," I groaned.

"Okay, but just one more thing."

He leaned closer and spoke the words directly into my ear.

"Eres hermosa cuando te sonrojas."

Damn.

Even when I knew I must be red as a tomato, Finn's voice calling me beautiful when I blushed sent soft shivers down my spine.

I was so lost in him that I almost didn't notice the four shadows that suddenly fell over us.

Finn did, though. He looked up, and as we stood, he placed himself slightly in front of me, for protection, I guess—which was kind but totally unnecessary.

If anyone was in danger, it was him.

"You must be Finn," Carlos said. "We've been looking for you."

"Been here the whole time," Finn said.

"I'm Carlos."

A nod. "Nice to meet you, Carlos."

This caused my youngest cousin to snicker. "So polite. Hope you remember those manners when you're with our cousin."

I rolled my eyes.

"He better," Angelo said.

"Come on, guys," I said.

Carlos looked Finn up and down then scoffed. "Guy looks like a frat bro."

"Nah," Angelo said. "He's got that cocky jock vibe. I hate jocks."

"You wouldn't like my brothers then," Finn replied. "I am in a frat, but unlike the majority of the guys, I'm no jock. But don't you think it's kind of stupid to hate someone because they play a sport?"

"Did you just call my boy stupid?" Carlos said.

"No, just questioned the validity of his statement."

"Ah, a brain. I hate those."

"But we all have one…"

"I know that."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Carlos squinted at Finn as if trying to figure out if he'd been insulted, and I bit back a laugh.

"Lay off, Carlos. Look at those pretty-boy looks," Louis cut in with a nod. "Finn's obviously not a threat."

"To her"—Finn nodded at me—"no. But you? That depends on how you treat Rose."

The other three ooh'd and ahh'd, but Derek stepped right up to Finn until they were chest-to-chest.

"You threatening my cousin?" he said.

My best friend shrugged. "I think I just stood up for her, but I'll let you be the judge of that."

Derek stared down at him for a few tense seconds. Then his mouth tipped up into a small grin. He held out a hand. "Name's Derek."

"Finn."

"Want to participate in a friendly competition, Finn?"

"Sure," he said as they shook.

Carlos nodded, rubbing his hands together like some kind of villain, wearing a shit-eating grin. "Well, alright then. Let's go."

I didn't trust that smile for a second, but it was too late now. Finn had already agreed.

"What are we doing?" Finn asked belatedly.

"Having second thoughts already?" Carlos asked.

"No way. Just curious."

"Chili pepper eating competition," Louis said. "It's a family tradition."

"What do I get if I win?"

"Bragging rights and the rest of the empanadas."

Finn arched a brow as he looked at me. "Did you make those?"

I nodded. "Yes, but I'll make more for you. You don't have to do this."

"Yeah, I do," he said, reaching out to touch my cheek. "Hey, don't look so worried. The O'Brien competitive streak is legend. I've got this—and I'm twice as stubborn as my siblings."

"Finn, you don't have anything to prove here."

Instead of answering, he said, "Hold my jacket would you?"

"Sure."

"I think it's about to get hot in here."

"Ha ha," I deadpanned.

Angelo stepped up with a smirk. "FYI, I dominate every year, Finito."

"It's true," Louis said. "Last year, he downed 24 before chucking it all up."

"In my flower beds," Derek added, throwing a menacing glance Angelo's way. Just looking at him, you might've assumed that tatted-up Derek wouldn't care about nature. You'd be wrong. The only thing he loved more than his kids, family, and tattoos was his garden. But my other cousin simply shrugged.

"That's the price of greatness," Angelo said.

Derek grunted.

"Not everyone can be a winner."

"Not everyone is dumb enough to eat 24 of the hottest chili peppers known to mankind in under an hour," he shot back.

I turned to Finn, but he seemed undeterred.

"It's not too late to back out," I said.

"Yeah," Carlos said. "No shame in admitting you're a coward, Finito. It is what it is."

I frowned at the nickname. "Uh, we are not doing Finito."

"I think we are."

"See you in few," Finn said to me, and as they led him away, he didn't even look nervous.

I was questioning his self-preservation skills while admiring the way his broad shoulders moved as he walked when my aunts and Ana joined me.

"So," Aunt Monique said, "Finn's hot."

"Um hm," I said back.

"I met him in the house," Collette put in. "Very nice, Rose. Like literally, the guy is so nice."

"I know."

"Is he single?" Aunt Maria asked.

Ana scoffed. "You're too old for him."

"Um, that's rude—and I know, Ana. I was asking for a friend. Namely Rose."

I tried to ignore them, but it was impossible.

Margot, the bluntest of them all, pursed her lips. "Why haven't you locked that down yet? I would've a long time ago."

"Because we're friends, and he doesn't see me that way," I said.

"Then you make him."

I frowned at that. "How?"

She released a gusty, put-up on sigh. "I don't know, Rose. You use what you've got. Throw your tatas in his face."

"Oh yeah, why didn't I think of that?" I rolled my eyes, and Margot sniffed.

"Someone else will take him if you don't."

My heart panged, but I knew she was right. I'd always known. Finn was way too good to die single.

Unlike myself.

I gave a mental sigh, and almost as if she'd heard it, Ana linked her arm with mine.

"Back off, Margot," she said. "She's working on it."

"Clearly," Margot snarked, gesturing to the other side of the yard.

We watched as the chili pepper eating contest commenced.

The other guys were hamming it up, flexing, cracking their necks side to side.

I shouldn't have been surprised. But Finn didn't flinch.

Even as he ate the third chili pepper. Then a fourth…

seventh…thirteenth. I lost track after that, wasn't sure how many they were on, but it came down to Angelo and Finn.

The others were talking smack as they stared at each other.

Angelo was sweating bullets, but Finn looked relatively cool as they both popped yet another pepper.

And then suddenly Angelo's eyes went round.

He made a beeline for the flowers—but before he could get there, Derek tackled him to the ground. I thought I heard him say, "Not today, asshole," but I couldn't be sure. My senses were all focused on Finn. He wore a smile as Louis congratulated him, and Carlos begrudgingly gave him a fist-bump.

The surprises didn't stop there.

They played cornhole, and Finn won by a landslide.

That wasn't a shock, but instead of being pissed, my cousins actually looked impressed. He dominated, and they liked him better for it. Crazy. After making the rounds, saying goodbye to everyone, we slipped out of the house, and I brought up this conundrum as I walked Finn to his car.

"You whipped my cousins' asses," I said with a laugh, "and they loved you anyway. You really are magic, Finn O'Brien."

"They respected my competitive nature," he said with a happy sigh. "That went both ways."

"I thought they'd tear you apart."

"Should I be insulted?"

"No," I said, nudging him with my arm. "I knew you'd survive—though I was worried after all the chili peppers."

Finn groaned. "Please, Rose. Never mention those words again."

I laughed quietly.

As we reached his car, Finn turned to me and gently pulled me into a hug.

I clung to him, enjoying the thrill being in his arms way too much.

"Drive carefully, okay?" I said.

"I will."

"I mean it. I need you for Romance or Die."

He nodded. "Wouldn't want to lose your assistant."

"Yeah, plus, I like you."

"Your grandma liked me," he said after pulling back with a smile. "I liked her too. Your whole family."

"They couldn't stop talking about you," I murmured. "Finn O'Brien magic."

"See you tomorrow, Rose."

With that he got into his car, and I walked a few paces away before remembering. Rushing back over, I took off Finn's jacket.

"Hey," I said, handing it back to him through the window. "Don't forget this."

Unable to stop myself, I leaned in and laid a kiss on his cheek. Finn's eyes were piercing when I leaned back.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Thank you for tonight," I said.

"I should be the one thanking you. I love your family."

"I love y—them too," I said, cutting myself off midway through, hoping he didn't notice. "Goodnight, Finn."

"Sweet dreams, Rose."

As I watched him drive away, his taillights getting dimmer and dimmer, I wondered if he knew the truth.

And I wondered, for the millionth time, if I'd ever find the courage to tell him.