Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
When Finn looked in on his parents, they were sound asleep.
“Don’t you dare wake them,” Tessa said.
“I won’t. I need to walk off some of this lunch, or I’m going to be sleeping too,” Finn said.
Everyone else agreed, so they started out on a walk across the empty fields that neighbored the Moores’ property.
Once they were a good distance from the house, Tessa took Finn’s arm. “Okay, now you’re going to tell me why you had that look on your face when you got here this morning.”
“There was no look. You’re just being weird. I told you I was worried about being late.”
“Bullshit.”
“Tessa, do you have to annoy him on Thanksgiving?” Rhys asked.
“That’s the best time,” Rowan said.
“I’m fine.”
“You didn’t look fine,” Tessa said. “You looked like something had scared you.”
He huffed. “Hardly. I stopped by to check on Mrs. Murphy and bring her some treats from the bakery since she can’t get out.”
“That was nice of you. I know she’s miserable, stuck at home with a broken leg. That’s a good reason to be late.”
“Is she okay?” Caleb asked.
“Yes, she’s doing fine, progressing just like her doctors want her to.”
“Then what was bothering you?” Tessa asked.
“Nothing.”
“Finn.”
He blew out a long breath. “She asked if I’d found someone to take her place helping with the Gingerbread Festival. I told her no, but that I would, and it was fine. She said she’d found the perfect solution.”
Tessa frowned. “But that’s a good thing, right?”
“Elliot is coming to stay with her to help her, and she’s told him that he has to step up and help with the festival.”
Tessa’s eyes went wide. “Elliot Murphy? Her grandson?”
“One and the same.”
Rhys made a strangled sound. “Holy shit.”
Caleb looked confused. “That’s a problem?”
“Oh, right,” Tessa said. “You don’t know about what happened our tenth-grade year.”
“And you don’t need to,” Finn said.
Tessa shook her head. “He definitely needs to.”
“It’s okay,” Caleb said.
Finn shook his head. “No, she’s right. I had a crush on Elliot. He was the star of the football team, and most of the girls were crushing on him too, but I was dumb enough to think he felt the same way I did. I was wrong.”
Rhys frowned. “No you weren’t. He wanted you. He kissed you back.”
“And then he never spoke to me again. Thank God he was a senior that year. He left for college, and I’ve only seen him from a distance since then.”
“He was totally into Finn,” Tessa said.
Finn glared at her. “Don’t start. Now I’ve got to find someone else to help before he gets here next week.”
Tessa smiled. “Or—”
“No. Even if it wouldn’t be the most awkward experience ever, he has no idea what he’s doing. Mrs. Murphy has been working with the festival for years. I need someone who can actually help.” He ran a hand through his hair and took a seat on a fallen tree trunk. “What am I going to do?”
“We’ll figure it out,” Tess said. “I’m sure we’ll find someone to help.”
“Everyone in town is already overcommitted during December. You know that.”
“I can help,” Caleb said.
“You’re going to be way too busy at Cloud Nine.”
“I could still help some.”
Tessa shook her head. “It’s fine. We’ll figure it out.”
Would they? Finn hoped to hell some solution would turn up. He was not working with Elliot Murphy.