Recipe For Seduction (A Madewood Brothers Novel) (Entangled Brazen) (22 page)

“Do you love her?” Cal asked without turning his attention from the counter.

It was a long, complicated answer. But Finn figured he deserved to hear it.

“I was given away at infancy. I had a heart condition. No one wants to adopt a sick baby. I spent the first fifteen years of my life walking on eggshells, trying to be perfect and no bother, hoping someone, anyone, might adopt me. And then Vivian came along, and my brothers, and it was amazing. But I’ve come to realize that I spent the next fifteen years walking on eggshells trying to keep the peace in my adopted family. If we were all perfect and there was no drama, no bother, then there was no reason for Vivian to give us back. No reason for her to think she made a mistake taking us in.” He smiled wryly. “Sound familiar?”

Cal looked stricken. He swore under his breath.

“But where you decided to become an asshole as your defense, I chose to become what everyone else expected of me.” Finn leaned forward and let his palms rest on the counter. “The last couple of weeks, with Veronica and a few other things, that’s been kind of an experiment in finally doing what makes
me
happy, not what makes my brothers happy.”

“Having sex with Veronica makes you happy?”

“There’s a lot more to it than sex, Cal. But the simple answer is yes. And thanks to your sister, I’m not walking on eggshells anymore.” He didn’t realize that until this very moment.

“What are you guys going to do?”

“There’s nothing to do. We want different lives. It wouldn’t work out long term.”

Cal jerked forward in his seat. “Aren’t you even going to try? I’ve never seen her happier than the last couple of weeks.”

“You have a lot to learn when it comes to women, buddy. They want what they want. And your sister has made up her mind about me. No matter what I do, she has to be the one to change. I can’t force her.”

Although Finn agreed with the kid, he knew Veronica’s happiness had nothing to do with him. Veronica had been building the foundation of her new life, being more adventurous, owning her sexuality. Sex with Finn had only been a small component.

Besides, he had to think of the long term. Without a compatible vision for the future, the happiness they felt now would eventually turn into resentment and regret.

Chapter Thirteen

“Cole, today is your lucky day.”

Finn watched impassively from across the table as Cole listened to Jack’s words.

“The accountant said your idea is doable if we are strict with funding and find one more investor.” Jack, fresh off his acceptance speech for his Young Philanthropists Award, rustled a few pieces of paper on the table in front of him.

And then there was Neil, who sat to Finn’s left. He was clutching a copy of
Architecture
magazine to his chest—the issue that included the feature on Neil and Carson and the Madewood Farm project.
Visionary and magnificent
. Those were the only two words Finn remembered from when Neil read the article aloud as they’d waited for Gloria. Three times.

They had all gathered at Bistro this morning to go over the revised idea for Cole’s proposal for a Madewood Boys and Girls Club.

Cole smacked the table so the silverware jumped. “So, then we vote.” He raised a hand. “All in favor of the foundation backing the implementation of the Madewood Boys and Girls Club.”

Jack, Neil, and Gloria raised their hands along with Cole.

“It’s set, then.” Cole broke out in a smile.

“Wait. I haven’t voted,” Finn said. Foundation decisions needed to be unanimous.

Cole laughed and waved him off. “You always go with the flow, man.”

And didn’t that statement just anger the hell out of him. “Not this time.” He thinned his lips. “This is all happening too fast. We’re getting ourselves involved with other investors we don’t know. Remember how much planning went into the farm? It took years to get it off the ground. I’m not saying I will never say yes to this idea—it’s actually a great idea—just not yet. It’s too soon. We need to do a lot more research and strategic planning first.”

Cole stared at him incredulously. “What? Since when do you make waves?” His brother’s disgusted incredulity was an unfamiliar sight. “And why are you choosing today to do it?”

It was time for Finn to come clean. Time to get his feeling of inadequacy off his chest. “You’re always thinking about yourselves.” He mimicked his brothers. “I want to do this. I want to do that.” Their mouths dropped open at his impression of them. “What about everyone else?”

He glanced back and forth between his brothers. He had rendered them speechless. Poor Gloria sat quietly in her corner.

“I understand. Believe me,” he forged on. “We spent so many years of our lives being overlooked. It’s not surprising you all thirst to be noticed by an adoring public. But in your attempts to do good deeds that appear great in press releases and on award plaques, you’re forgetting the real priority. The actual people we’re supposed to be helping.”

Neil pulled at the lapels of his suit jacket. “And you’re always thinking about others?”

“When have I ever done anything for myself?” Finn waited, eyeing each one of them. “Tell me.”

“What about Veronica?” Jack muttered.

Despite his argument with Mark being fairly contained, by now his brothers had to be aware of the relationship between him and Veronica.
Former
relationship.

“That’s none of your business, but yes. For the very first time I did something I wanted to do, consequences be damned.”

And he’d had a hell of a time doing it. But it was all over now. And he missed her more than he’d ever thought possible.

“I don’t need my name on a billboard,” he said sincerely. “Nothing splashy. I just want to be a man Vivian would have been proud of, a man worthy of a wife and children.”

But would the wife and kids ever come? He just didn’t know now.

“When you three fly off the handle, I’ve always been there to pick up the pieces and make sure they aren’t hurled at someone or something in a fit of rage. I’m always the one keeping the peace, and it’s exhausting. So, even though I’m going to be the cause of your anger, Cole, I can’t agree to this. Not yet.”

The sadness in Cole’s eyes was devastating. He had been defeated. At least for the time being. But Finn knew his fight wasn’t over.

“Fine.” Cole jumped up from his seat in the booth. “I don’t need your damn help. I have something else in place, anyway.” He picked up his red jacket from the table. “Forget I brought it up.” He pushed back his chair. It caught on the carpet and tumbled backward with a crash.

“Cole—”

But he was already gone, the back door banging behind him.

“That sound is becoming much too familiar,” Jack said as he played with the white gold band on his left ring finger.

“What’s the hell is going on with you, Finn?” Neil asked. “Screwing with Veronica? Going against the family?”

“I’m not screwing with her, we
were
screwing. And it was fantastic.” He’d had the time of his life with her. And he would give anything to have it again. ‘But it’s over.”

“Only if you let it be.” Jack’s eyes taunted him.

“Finn, honey…” Gloria leaned across the table and laid her hand on his arm. “Do you love this girl?”

He couldn’t lie, even though his first reaction was to push aside the truth. But he was so damn tired of hiding his true feelings about every damn thing in his life. So he nodded wearily. Even without looking up, he knew his brothers were exchanging shocked glances.

“What did you tell me last year?” Jack asked at length. “You’re the one who told me to get over myself and go after Sterling. You, with your heart on your sleeve, the only one of us who’s always believed in true love. And brother, if you’ve found it, you shouldn’t let it go.”

Finn shook his head. “No. We—”

“Just go and talk to her, for God’s sake,” Neil barked.

Jack hit him in the arm. “Despite his insensitive approach, Neil’s right. At the least, you need to repair your friendship. And your friendship with Mark.”

He hadn’t spoken to either of them since Jack and Sterling’s wedding. His brothers were right. He should at least try. After all these years teaching kids in the program never to give up, he’d done so all too easily himself. Maybe he should listen to his own advice.

He’d check the schedule and visit on a night Cal would be working. The conversation he wanted to have didn’t include a peanut gallery.

He had nothing to lose. They had already taken their relationship past the point of no return. How much worse could it get?

…

Veronica answered the persistent knocking on her front door in her pajamas. She was wiped. A food tasting had run long, the bridezilla’d had a freak attack, and even the groom hadn’t been able to calm her down.

Veronica wheeled the door open and was shocked to see Marjorie Clemens from down the street, trying to soothe her baby on her doorstep.

“Marjorie? This is…unexpected.”

“I’m sorry, Veronica. I don’t know what else to do.” The young woman shifted the baby in her arms and gently rocked it against her chest. It seemed to work; the crying lessened with every bounce. “I have to get to work. We’re doing inventory this weekend and Denny is away. My sitter cancelled on me last minute.”

“Ali is already gone. She started at university last week.” Ali was Marjorie’s usual babysitter.

“I know. Maybe Cal would be interested in making some money?”

Veronica shook her head. “He’s got a job now.”

“What about you?” The woman looked positively desperate.

“Oh, I—” Why not her? Veronica waffled. She didn’t have anything better to do since she’d broken it off with Finn. But did she really want to spend her day watching a baby?

“Please?”

Before she’d even decided for sure, her head was nodding, and a baby was thrust into her arms. It was warm and fidgety. Hell. Now what? She suddenly remembered she didn’t know the first thing about infants.

Marjorie dropped a car seat and an oversized bag inside her foyer. “I owe you one. I’ll be back around seven.” She kissed the baby on her forehead, and Veronica was staring at her retreating back as she hurried to her vehicle.

“What is all the racket?” Cal stumbled down the stairs with a painful expression on his face. “Where did you get a baby?”

“It’s Kylie. Marjorie and Denny’s baby from down the street. She had an emergency and needed a babysitter.”

“Sucker.” He snickered and walked past her into the kitchen.

“Aren’t you going to help me?” she asked in alarm.

“Busy,” he yelled over his shoulder. “Things to do…people to see.”

“At least it’s not the other way around,” she mumbled.

“I heard that,” he called.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” she asked over the escalating scream of the baby.

He emerged with a bottle of water in his hands. “I am, but not until four.”

“So, you can help me until then.” Her entire body tensed. “Please, Cal.”

He laughed. “Sorry, sis.” He chugged on the water. “I’ll be out late. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Cal!” He didn’t even turn around as he shut the door behind him. This was probably the first day he actually wanted to go to work.

Her task would definitely be less stressful if she had someone else to help her—she knew from experience. Raising Cal and Ali had been much easier when Mark was actually around.

Kylie screamed in her arms. There were earplugs somewhere in the house—leftover from the nights when Cal and Ali had played dueling iTunes.

Two hours later—two hours filled with constant crying—she jumped when someone banged on her front door for the second time that morning. She didn’t want to answer. It was probably another frantic mother desperate for a babysitter.

The knocking persisted. She ignored it.

She tensed when she heard her name called impatiently from the other side of the door. Not a mother. The voice was male.

“Go away,” she muttered.

She settled Kylie into her car seat and shook a grubby stuffed duck in front of her face. It didn’t work. She still wailed at the top of her lungs.

“Veronica, open the damn door,” Finn yelled from outside.

What was he doing here? Hadn’t he done enough?

She whipped open the door and appreciated the cool breeze that washed over her. Without a word, he scanned her body from head to toe. His intense stare increased her discomfort tenfold.

Just great
. She’d spent the last two hours as a human receptacle. Pee, puke, and tears stained her clothing, and in some places, soaked. Exactly how she wanted the man of her dreams to see her.

But if she was honest, between pees and pukes, the little thing might just be adorable. Much more adorable than two tweens with fluctuating hormones. If only it would stop screaming.

“Doing some fall cleaning?”

“I— No. And Cal’s not here, if that’s why you’re here.”

He shook his head and his eyes grew wide as the ear-piercing wail of the baby carried from the living room.

“Why is the TV so loud?” He pushed his way through the front door into the living room and stopped short.

“It’s…not the television.” She gathered her hair at the nape of her neck and twisted, resting the mass on her left shoulder.

“Hey. What are you doing with a baby?” He turned and smiled at her. Why was he smiling at her misery?

“It’s my neighbor’s. Ali usually babysits, but the mother had an emergency and no other alternative. So I got the job.”

His lips curved at the corners of his mouth. “Having some trouble?”

Despite his teasing tone, she grabbed on to what tiny bit of sympathy she could, and broke down. “That baby is the spawn of Satan.” She choked back a sob. She wasn’t normally a crier, but two full hours of screams and wails would crack any normal person. Did the CIA take suggestions for torture tactics? This would drive even the most committed terrorist to confess.

“It’s just a baby, Veronica. You don’t have any practice.”

“And you do.”

“Sure I do. Gloria used to bring her grandchildren to Mom’s house all the time. Who do you think watched them while they were polishing off a bottle of wine?”

Veronica laughed at the memory. Those ladies did love their white wine. And Veronica had loved that despite their prominence and substantial financial portfolios, they hadn’t been pretentious or snobby. She remembered the stash of white wine in the basement—wine that came in a box.

“Doesn’t count,” she said with a shake of her head. “Her grandchildren were over the age of five by the time you started living with Vivian.”

He strode confidently into the living room and picked up the baby, cuddling it close to his chest. His soft, soothing sounds instantly calmed the little demon, who reached up and put her tiny hand on his face. Traitor! Okay, the baby was smart. Being swaddled against his strong, hard chest was the most safe, comfortable place in the world.

“What’s her name?” he asked.

“Kylie.”

He repeated her name in singsongy tones, gently bobbing her up and down. He even elicited a little giggle.

“Doesn’t seem evil to me,” he said with a grin.

You just wait, Finn O’Reilly.
She checked her watch. Only five more hours to go.

…

Kylie wailed. A supersonic screech Finn suspected was doing permanent damage to his eardrum.

Veronica watched from her perch on the couch with a sly grin. She was loving every minute of this. And in all honestly, so was he. But for different reasons. She loved that she was proving her point—babies weren’t all they were cracked up to be. But between the wailing and spitting up, there were moments when those little brown eyes connected with his, and it seemed as if everything in the world was right. That’s what he’d wanted, two little brown eyes of his own to love. Or maybe blue, like his.

“Do you think she’s hungry?” he asked. “Do you think she needs to be changed?”

He lifted the baby and sniffed gingerly at her bottom. He tensed and immediately held his breath. “The baby’s sick. That’s not a normal smell.”