Page 61
“This isn’t the way we wanted to tell you,” I say. “But since you’re curious …” I take a deep breath and go for it, spilling all the words at once. “Finn and I are fake-engaged.”
“What?” Layla asks, her eyes widening.
“It’s a long story,” Finn says, amused by my delivery. “And it just happened yesterday. But after the Exposé article came out, some things happened that we can talk about later—nothing bad—and it made a lot of sense to do this. We both benefit from it.”
“I bet you do,” Branch says, smirking.
“This is one of those moments that I can’t believe I’m witnessing, but also that I feel like was always going to happen,” Layla says. “Minus the fake part.”
Finn sighs. “So, now that the cat is out of the bag, I have an extra bedroom that Sunny can use. She can have her own space, and no one will trip over her. And, Poppy, your office is technically closer to my house than yours.”
“Yeah, but I won’t be going in if I have Sunny.”
“I don’t have anything two days this week. So I can keep her, and you can go in if that helps.” He smiles. “It’ll be much easier to tag team this if we’re in the same house.”
“Finn Finn!” Sunny says, wiggling her fingers at her uncle. It’s like she’s cosigning his idea.
I’m not sure what to say to that.
Excitement ripples through my stomach. The idea of actually caring for Sunny—the reality of it, the mechanics of it—hasn’t really set in until now. It was just something that I had to do, and I was going to do it.
But doing it with Finn?
He’s so good with her, so calm in emergencies. What if she chokes? What if she cries for hours on end? What if she develops some weird disease and I don’t pick up on the symptoms fast enough?
I’m relieved to share the responsibility with Finn, and I secretly love the excuse to get to stay with him for a few days. I hate that I need to justify it to myself. I hate that it makes me more comfortable being there if he thinks I’m there because I need to be, instead of because I want to be. It’s ridiculous. Finn always wants me to stay over, and I’m always the one pushing back. Mostly, because I’m scared if he’s with me too much, he’ll see through me and stop asking me to stay.
That would destroy me.
It’s so much easier not to arrive at that destination.
Branch’s phone rings, and he pivots toward the stairs as he answers it.
“I need to finish packing,” Layla says. “And I need to get some stuff together for Sunny.”
“How about I put her car seat in my SUV?” Finn asks, looking at me. “You’re probably going to need to go home and get a few things, right?”
“Yeah,” I say, thinking about more logistics. I only have enough clothes and sex toys to get me through tonight. Which I probably won’t need now. I sigh. “I need my computer and extra clothes.”
Finn nods. “Okay. Why don’t I take Sunny home with me, and you can come by when you’re ready?”
I shrug. “Sounds good.”
“The stroller is in the garage,” Layla says. “And her Pack ‘n Play is in the bedroom downstairs. Could you grab it, Finn?”
“Sure thing.”
He gives me a little smirk before he disappears around the corner. He’s enjoying this way too much.
Layla sits Sunny on the floor. “So, you’re engaged to my brother, huh?”
“Fake engaged.”
“No,” Sunny says, shaking her head violently.
Calm down, child.
“I agree with Sunny,” Layla says, laughing.
