The Finn Factor

He gri

Chapter Fourteen

Scarlett

Fi

“I have some news,” Billie said, coming in through the kitchen, licking at a spoonful of peanut butter.

Fi

“I’m dropping out of uni.” She cleared her bangs from her eyes with a quick movement.

It was lucky Fi

From my spot on the sofa, I turned to Billie, needing to say something to cover for Fi

She took one last lick of the peanut butter spoon and stuck it, handle first, into her back jeans pocket. “Yeah, I guess so, but when you know, you know, right?”

“Know what?” Fi

“Whether it’s your bliss or not.” Her voice, always a little husky, also had a touch of dreaminess to it now.

Fi

Billie was unperturbed. “I don’t think university is going to be the right path for my life’s journey.”

My stomach fell. I recognized those words. I’d heard them often during my life and by the look on Fi

“Been talking to Scarlett’s parents, by any chance?” he said.

“They were great,” Billie said, leaning back against the wall. “They talked me through it all while we were stargazing last night. I hadn’t realized before our chat how discontented I was.”

“So you were fine until they made you question your life? Look, Billie,” he said, his voice softening, “maybe you still are fine. You always wanted to study science. Why not take some time to think this through a bit more?”

She shrugged. “I appreciate the concern, but it’s all clear to me now.”

I jumped in before Fi

“Maybe some traveling. Move around, get to know myself.”

Fi

Smiling, Billie covered the space between them and crouched to hug her brother. “Thanks, Fi

He hugged her back, his palm cradling the back of her head as if she were a small child. My heart ached for him, trying to do the best he could in a role that, in a just world, he shouldn’t have had to cope with for many years yet, not until his own children reached adulthood.

“I don’t mind about what else I have on my plate,” he said, his voice thick. “I’ll always be here for you, and I’ll always do whatever it takes.”

Billie released him then sat beside him, her back to the coffee table. “I know you will, and I love you for it. But I need to do this alone. I need to prove something to myself.”

“Completing a degree will prove something to yourself, too,” he said, but by the tone of his voice, he clearly knew it was a lost cause.

She punched him lightly on the arm. “I won’t be taking off straight away. I’ll look for a bit of casual work first and save up.”

“I don’t like this,” Fi

She kissed his cheek. “Thanks, big brother.” Then she left.

Fi

I winced, knowing he was right. “I’ll have a word with them.”

“I think we’re beyond that.” He stood up and joined me on the sofa. “Since they’ve arrived, a stray dog moved in, my youngest sister has been educated about porn, and now my other sister is dropping out of uni to find her bliss. If they stay any longer who knows what sort of damage they’ll wreak?”

Leaning back against the cushions, I sighed. He was right. Even given they were my own parents, I found them hard to take in large doses—I was surprised Fi

“What do you want to do?” I asked.

His shoulders slumped a little, the earlier fight seeming to leave him. “I was hoping you’d have a solution.”

“They’re pretty resilient.” In fact, they were pretty impossible to insult—they saw life through a different lens than most people. “We could explain the situation to them.”

“They thought they were helping,” he conceded. “I don’t want them to feel bad. Besides, they’re your parents.”

He reached for my hand, interlacing our fingers, and I understood. He didn’t want me put in an impossible position—having to choose between supporting him and hurting my parents. Even in this, he was protecting everyone around him.

“They need a reason to move on,” I said, refocusing on finding a solution.

Fi

“Actually, I have a better plan.” I grabbed my cell from my bag at the end of the sofa and dialed my brother’s number.

He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Scarlett. What have they done?”

“How do you know I’m calling about the parents?”

He chuckled. “Because I’ve been waiting for this call. You saying you’re not calling about them?”

“No, you’re right. They’ve stepped over the line a couple of times with Fi

“Shit.” Thomas blew out a breath. “How’s Fi

I peeked at the other end of the sofa and found Fi

“Do you want me to invite them to stay?”

“That would be great.” I gave Fi

“Consider it done. Say hi to Fi

I disco

Fi

Just in case anyone walked in on us, I pretended this was a friendly hug and I wasn’t luxuriating in the feel of being pressed against his chest, and almost succeeded. From the way his grip tightened and the hardness starting to nudge my hip, Fi

“I didn’t do much.” My voice was a little breathless, but I ignored that, too. “Just a call. Which was fair, since they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.”

“No,” he said, releasing me from the hug, his eyes telling me how reluctantly he was doing it. “I mean thank you for understanding and helping me fix it. I was watching Billie talk about finding her bliss and wanting to kick your parents out, then I looked over at you.” He paused, wincing. “I thought if I told you, you’d either feel bad about what they said to her, or you’d be hurt I wanted them gone.”