Perfectly Pink - An It's Always Been You Romance (Complete)

Chapter 17

"You think by inviting Simon over for dinner once a week Finn is going to what... magically forgive him?"

Mary stared at her sister. Emily could be so naïve sometimes. Perhaps in her world rifts of betrayal might be mended over roast beef and lemon meringue pie, but in the real world it took a lot more. The way Finn glared at Simon throughout the party the other day indicated no fences were on the mend. A pain of guilt stabbed at Mary. If Finn found out about their date, the riff would widen by his association with her. Maybe this was another reason she should cancel as she'd originally planned.

"They have to start somewhere." Emily picked up a silver photo frame with a picture of a young couple on their wedding day, gently wiping the glass before placing it back on the piano. "I know he wants his brother in his life. It's... important. Finn needs a family around him."

Mary stared at the smiling faces of their parents in the photo. "He has you. That's all your husband wants."

"I can't be everything." Another picture, this one of her own wedding made its way into Emily's hands. "Finn needs support in ways... I can't. Simon needs it too."

That made Mary uncomfortable. "What do you mean? Simon is fine as he is." Isn't he?

"The man is lonely. Everyone can see it."

Mary huffed. "He's a player, Emily. He'll never settle down." Simon managed the only decent watering hole in town, and Mary had no doubt he had plenty of bar bunnies to keep his bed warm. The brunette he laughed with the other night came to mind.

"Simon is not a player." Emily held Mary's gaze. "He only has eyes for one woman."

"What... you mean me?" Mary shook her head. "You're imagining things."

"Am I?" Emily returned the photo to its place and turned to Mary. "Didn't he disappear with you at the barbeque last week?"

"Nothing happened." Unfortunately.

Emily crossed her arms. "Why can't you just admit it, admit you like Simon?"

"And exactly what would your husband think of that. Me dating his brother. If Simon is working so hard to mend fences, being with me is certainly going to tear them down."

"You let me worry about my husband."

Emily was a miracle worker when it came to Finn. The sullen, silent man came alive when his wife entered the room. But Mary doubted even Emily could remove the stain of her former mistakes. "Finn's never going to forgive me, you know."

"Probably not, but it doesn't mean he can't move forward. He knows you'd do anything for me. For your family. His family now." Emily put a hand on Mary's arm. "You'd do anything for him, right?"

"Yes." And it was the truth. Finn was family now, and family was everything to Mary. It was the reason she'd interfered in their relationship in the first place nine years ago - to protect Emily. They'd all been so young and with her family reeling from the death of their mother, Mary stepped in and did what she thought was best. Her father had agreed with her back then. Even Philip Montgomery recognized he was wrong and somehow managed to forge a relationship with Finn. So much that Finn preferred picking up their father from the train station and the half an hour drive locked in a car with him over staying here with Mary.

"Good. Now that's settled - back to Simon."

"Do we have to?"

"It's up to you." Her sister linked her arm through hers. "Does he make you happy?"

"That's not the point."

Emily squeezed her arm. "Then what is?"

"He isn't what I'm looking for."

"Not this again. Why do you insist on living up to Dad's ideals of what he wants for you? Why can't you live your own life?"

"How do you know my ideas don't match with Dad?" The back of her neck pricked with heat. Bringing the family name back to the prestige it deserved was her duty. Her father expected it, talked of practically nothing else.

With a shake of her head, Emily locked eyes with her. "Because I've seen the way you look at Simon."

"I'll admit he's handsome. There's nothing wrong with appreciating it."

"If you're not even willing to admit it to me, I don't..." Emily covered her mouth with her hand, her face going pale.

"Emily, what's wrong?" A stone sank in Mary's stomach as memories of their mother and the first days of her illness seeped in, igniting the fear always bubbling below the surface–the fear it would happen again to someone she loved.

"I'm just a little tired. Didn't sleep well last night."

Mary bit the inside of her cheek. "Here, sit yourself down." The constant dread she or one of her sisters carried the breast cancer gene and would succumb to the same fate hung on her like an old coat. No, this can't happen to Emily. Won't happen, she assured herself. "Let me get you some tea."

A thin smile graced Emily's lips as she eased herself onto the sofa. "That would be lovely."

In the kitchen, Mary's pocket vibrated as she poured water into the kettle. Hunter's number flashed across the screen.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Oh." Mary braced herself for the worst.

"Looks like I'm not going to make it back to Washington as promised. Events are heating up out here and the Senator wants me to stay for two more weeks."

"Well, that sucks. I... I miss you." Was it too early in their relationship to say such a thing? And was it true? She'd been so busy attempting to seduce Simon, she'd forgotten he was due back at the end of the week.

Hunter's warm voice made Mary feel guilty. "Glad to hear it. I miss you too. I thought... if you weren't busy... you could fly out here. I could get away for a day or two, show you the California coast. My treat."

"That sounds lovely." Mary's gaze turned towards the hallway and she thought of Emily. Maybe she was simply tired. Or maybe it was something more. Alarm bells pinged inside, and Mary couldn't bear the thought of leaving until Emily regained her strength.

"But..."

"But I'd like to stick around here for a bit."

"Is everything okay?" The genuine concern in Hunter's voice pulled at Mary's heart.

"I hope so. It's a sister thing."

"I see. Is there anything I can do?"

Mary plopped a tea bag into Emily's favourite teacup. "You can tell me about your trip."