Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)(79)

On the one hand, Finn appreciated Stephen’s maturity. On the other hand, this was the wrong time for it to show up.

“Stop,” Aurelia said. She stepped between them and separated them, holding them at arm’s length. “You’re family. Try to remember that.” She looked at Stephen. “Please let me do this. Finn doesn’t mean anything bad. He’s worried about you and that’s a good thing.”

“I’m worried about you,” Stephen told her. “I don’t want him to upset you.”

Aurelia shook her head. “It’s not him. It’s what’s happening around us.” She turned to Finn and dropped her arms to her sides. “You’re right. I did come on the show looking for something. A lot of it was about my mother, which I’m not going to get into now.” She managed a slight smile.

Her whole face changed when she smiled, Finn thought. She went from plain to pretty. There was an intelligence in her eyes. He could see why Stephen found her so appealing. But that didn’t make the relationship right.

“I should have thought this through,” Aurelia admitted. “When they first put me with Stephen, I was so embarrassed. He’s younger and attractive and outgoing. Everything I’m not. But I was afraid to walk away. It would just be another rejection. I also wanted the twenty thousand. I want to buy a house of my own.”

She clutched her hands together in front of her waist. “I know you can’t understand. You’ve always been successful. Look at what you’ve done with the family business and with your brothers.”

She glanced at Stephen, then back at Finn. “I’ve never had the courage to stand up for myself. I’ve always been so afraid. Being around Stephen has shown me who I can be if only I’m willing to take the risk. He’s taught me to be brave. I didn’t know I could be.”

“I’m sure this would be very compelling to someone who gave a shit,” Finn told her. “But I—”

“I wasn’t finished,” she told him firmly, staring directly into his eyes. “I would appreciate it if you would let me finish what I have to say.”

“All right,” Finn said slowly, surprised she was willing to take him on. He was pretty sure he had intimidated her, so this act of courage was unexpected. It was possible it made him like her a little.

“I’m not a cougar. I wasn’t looking for a younger man. I don’t know what I was looking for, and maybe that’s the problem. I never thought I would find anyone. I never thought I was good enough. But I am. I deserve love as much as anyone else.”

She raised her chin slightly. “It was never my intention to be caught in a passionate embrace on television. I apologize for that and any embarrassment it may have brought your family. But I don’t apologize for loving your brother. I don’t apologize for caring about him and wanting the best for him.”

She drew in a breath. “I know he’s too young. I know he has a lifetime of experiences waiting for him and I shouldn’t get in the way of that. God has nothing if not a sense of humor, because I can’t help being in love with him.”

Finn had been with her right up until she said she was in love with his little brother. But before he could speak, Aurelia turned to Stephen.

“Your brother is right. You don’t belong here with me. Go home. Finish your degree. Get a job doing what you love. Live your life.”

She sounded sincere, Finn admitted, if only to himself. Under any other circumstances, he would’ve believed her and been impressed as hell.

Stephen moved toward her. Finn knew what was going to happen. His brother would yell and stomp and pout until he got his way, his actions proving that he wasn’t ready to be in a relationship. But it turned out Finn was wrong.

Stephen cupped Aurelia’s face in his hands. “I know that’s what you believe. I know you think being with me only hurts me. But you’re wrong. You are everything I have ever wanted. I will go to college and finish my degree. I will get a job. But I’m going to do it here. With you. There is nothing you can say to make me go away. I love you.”

Finn could feel the emotion between them. He felt like an outsider caught staring at something intimate.

Stephen turned to him. “I was wrong to run away. Coming here the way I did only reinforced your idea that I wasn’t a man. I was acting like a kid and I deserve to be treated like one. I’m sorry for screwing up. I’m sorry you had to come after me. I know you have a business and responsibilities. But I didn’t think of any of that. I only thought of myself.”

Finn wouldn’t have been more stunned if Aurelia had morphed into a squirrel and started dancing. “It turned out okay,” he said roughly.

“Not yet, but it will.” Stephen faced Aurelia again. “I want to marry you. I know it’s too soon, so I’m not asking. I’m just letting you know where I think this is going. I’m going to finish school and get a job. I’m going to keep on seeing you. A year from today I’m going to ask you to marry me. And on that day, I’ll expect an answer.”

Finn waited for the fury, but there wasn’t any anger. There wasn’t even a mild annoyance. If he had to name the emotion surging through him, it was regret. Not because his brother had grown up, but because he, Finn, didn’t have anything close to what Stephen had with Aurelia. His kid brother had won the prize.