Heartbreaker(69)

“It was.” He looks at me in surprise. “I thought I should be there,” I say softly, remembering that day and how few people showed up. “For you.”

He squeezes my hand, then gets out of the car. I follow, but he stops me. “Give me a minute?” he asks.

“Take as long as you need.”

Finn nods, and then walks slowly through the small gate, down the pathway lined with headstones. I watch from the shade of the trees as he carefully picks his way through the graves, until at last he finds what I know is a simple black stone, carved into the granite. Hank McKay. 1965 – 2014.

Finn kneels down beside the grave. I can see his shoulders tense, his lips moving. My heart aches for him. All my goodbyes will be later, full of laughter and good wishes, but for Finn, this is the one farewell he needs to make more than anything. We’ll be back, for holidays and visits, and I know he wants so badly to be able to enjoy those moments without feeling the pressing burden of the past.

He deserves to be free from all that pain.

Not for the first time, I wonder what I would have done if Finn hadn’t strolled back into my life again. How long would I have stayed in my limbo and let my darkest, weakest moments define me? It makes me shiver to think of it, how close I came to wasting all my chances and throwing my future away.

I didn’t realize it, but I was still broken. He was the only one who could help me put the pieces together again.

After a long while, Finn straightens up. He places a hand briefly on his father’s headstone, then turns and starts the walk back to me. I can tell already, something’s shifted. He seems steadier, his pace stronger, and when he’s close enough for me to see the expression on his face, there’s an acceptance there that fills my heart with joy.

“Okay?” I ask, searching his eyes.

He nods, and reaches for me, pulling me into a tight hug. “Thank you,” he whispers against my hair.

“What for?”

“Bringing me back here,” he answers, voice gruff with emotion. “Making me see, I need to let go.”

We stand there a moment, just holding each other. Then Finn releases me. “Ready to go say your goodbyes?” he asks, smiling again.

I nod. “Just so you know, Dee threatened to hire a stripper.”

“A what?” Finn exclaims.

“I know. I tried telling her. But she swears we’re going to elope, and this is her only chance for a bachelorette party.”

Finn drapes an arm around me, and starts walking back to the car. “You tell her from me, when we get hitched, it’ll be with a white dress, and a church, and everyone watching.”

When. I sneak a glance up at him, and the promise in his eyes takes my breath away. “You seem pretty certain for someone who hasn’t even asked me yet,” I say, trying to hide the butterflies dancing in my bloodstream.

“Why, am I wrong?” he arches an eyebrow, looking too sexy and smug for words.

“No.” I nestle against him, perfectly content. “You’re not wrong.”



In the end, half the town turns out to celebrate us leaving, spilling into the backyard until our intimate BBQ becomes a real party. Finn mans the grill, Lottie rules the playlist, and we dance and party as the sun sets, everyone full of good wishes for the next chapter in our lives.

“You have to go to all the cool bars and shows, and tell me everything,” Delilah orders. “And get a place with a spare room, so I can come visit all the time!”

“I promise.” I hug her tightly, feeling emotional. “I’m going to miss you!”

“You too, babes.” Delilah squeezes me. “Work won’t be nearly as much fun without you there to talk to all day.”

“You’ll do fine without the distraction,” I reassure her. “I bet you’ll have Marcie pushed out and be running your own empire before we’re even back for the holidays.”

“True!” Delilah brightens. “And remember to line me up a hot rock star for when I come visit. I want a full run down of all Finn’s sexy friends.”

“I’ll do my best,” I laugh.

“I’m happy for you,” Delilah says, sincere this time. “You two belong together. It even gives some hope to commitment phobic lost causes like me.”

“Don’t say that!” I protest. “I’m not exactly a role model. It took us long enough to find our way back to each other.”

“You can say that again,” Edith agrees approvingly from behind us. I smother her in a hug.

“Good luck to the both of you.” She nods.

“But what about you?” I ask, feeling a pang of guilt. “How will you manage at the shelter on your own?”

“I’ll find a way.” She reassures me. “And Sawyer will stop by, help me keep the litter in check.”

I see him across the yard, talking with Dee and Lottie. I say goodbye to Edith and head over, meeting Sawyer with a hug. “So, Broadway awaits?” he says, offering me a soda.

“I don’t know about that,” I laugh. “But my old drama school is happy for me to re-enroll and finish out my degree. We’ll see,” I say, excited at the thought. “Maybe it’s not the right dream for me anymore, but at least this way I have a chance to figure it out for myself.”