Page 77 of Is Anyone Listening?
"I don't have to, but I want to. Don't worry about it."
As he went into the kitchen, I wondered if I should leave with him. While he hadn't run me off the road, I still didn't quite understand what had happened with Tessa and Nathan, who was his friend. Maybe I'd take my own car, or at least my grandmother's car, just to keep a little more control over my circumstances.
When Finn was ready to leave, we walked out to the parking lot. "I can drive," he said. "You obviously don't have your car."
"Ellen lent me her car."
"Okay, but I can still drive. It's not far."
"I'll follow you."
Something flickered in his expression—understanding, maybe, or disappointment. He knew I couldn't entirely trust him. Not after everything that had happened.
"That works," he said simply.
I got into my car and followed Finn through town and up a winding road. When he turned down Spring Lane, I realized this must be where my father had grown up. Ellen had said they'd lived in a house on Spring Lane before they'd bought the inn. Now, I wished I'd gone with Finn so I could have asked him which of the older, well-maintained, mostly two-story houses had been my father's childhood home.
Finn pulled over in front of a two-story colonial with blue shutters. I parked behind him and got out.
"That's your parents' house?" I asked, pointing to the blue colonial.
"Yeah. And there, the yellow Victorian—" He pointed three houses down. "That's where your father lived."
"So close."
"My parents moved into the house my father grew up in after his parents passed away. So aside from about eight years, my father has always lived on this street."
"It's pretty here. And this is where you grew up?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"You must have had a nice childhood."
"We did. But Sophie can't wait to get out of here." He gave me a smile. "I actually understand that feeling. I couldn't wait to leave, either. I enlisted when I was eighteen. Spent twelve years in the service. Probably would have stayed longer if my dad hadn't had a stroke."
"You came home for him?"
"I couldn't let the pub go under. He'd put his life into it."
"That's very admirable."
He shrugged. "Family is family. My mom still works, and she was busy juggling that job and taking care of him. Sophie helps out a lot, but she couldn't manage it by herself, so I'm here."
"Forever?" I queried.
"I don't think in terms of forever. Just for now."
"What does your mom do?"
"She's a seamstress. She works at the dry cleaners in town. Aside from the usual tailoring, she makes everyone's special-occasion clothes. She's actually been sewing a wedding gown this week, so she's been working from home. You'll be able to meet both of them."
"Is your dad up for this? If he's sick, I don't want to upset him."
"He's much better now. Almost back to his old self. He keeps threatening to come back and take over the bar."
"Would that bother you?"
"No. But my mother would prefer he not get caught up in the stress of all that again."
