Finn smiled as if recalling a pleasant memory. “An old friend, aptly named Angelo, got my dad a job at his law firm as a legal librarian. The sign-on bonus, which I’m pretty sure came from Angelo’s own wallet, gave him enough for first month’s rent and a security deposit on a very cheap one-bedroom place in the Bronx. The steady paycheck paid the rest, and Jill and I learned to live with less. At that point, I didn’t care about toys anymore. I just wanted a warm bed and daily showers with hot water.”

My heart felt lighter. “Thank God it all worked out.”

“For a while anyway.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

He released my hand from his and took a pull from his beer bottle. “Nothing. My dad has had a lot of angels watching out for him, that’s all.”

I nodded, sensing there was more to the story but not wanting to push my luck. I was thrilled he’d opened up this much. It was enough for now.

He turned the movie back on.

My stomach growled. Chips weren’t going to cut it. “I’m craving a Shack burger.”

“Minetta Tavern is better,” he said, without turning away from the screen.

“Says who?”

“Time Out New York, for one. Me for another.” His eyes traveled in a little circle around my face. “You’re not into the movie, are you?”

“It’s not that. It’s just…” I hugged myself. “Kind of chilly. Maybe we can move the theater indoors?”

“I think that can be arranged.”

While I threw out the garbage, he shut down his computer and folded the blanket. Then we walked hand in hand back to the B&B. His thumb caressed my palm the entire time. I still had no idea if we had a future outside of Pleasant Hollow, but I did know we weren’t going to watch the movie.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sunday morning, we opened our eyes at exactly the same time, or at least within seconds. “Morning,” I said, sounding like there was a frog in my throat.

“Back at you.” Finn rubbed his bare foot up my leg under the covers.

My nerve endings sprang to life at the contact, even as the rest of me remained at the edge of consciousness. I nuzzled my face in his neck drowsily. “Sleep well?” I was enjoying that moment between sleep and full awareness when my mind was slow to overthink or second-guess anything.

He mumbled, “Mm-hmm” and using one arm, pulled me into the curve of his body.