Page 132 of Hold Me Close
“Why are you lying there getting cold, kissing?”
His little sister was looking down at them with a confused expression on her face.
“I’m exhausted. I’ve just carried Maggie down the street dressed as a Santa. Cut me some slack here, Mal. And I like kissing her.”
“Are you saying I’m heavy, Findlay Hudson?” Maggie climbed off him, then held out her hand to help him to his feet.
“We’ll reverse the roles next year, and you can see how it feels.”
His family had stayed in Ryker and moved into Maggie’s house. They would be here until after Christmas, and Fin was enjoying getting to know them and reacquainting himself with his father.
Two days after Noel Linbar was arrested, he’d admitted everything. He and his brother, Simon, had gone tramping on the trails. Simon had told him he’d found the letter Linda had written and was threatening to expose him if he didn’t give him money. The Linbars it seemed had withheld funds until Simon proved he was worthy by getting a good job, so he was blackmailing money out of his brother.
Noel had punched Simon; he’d fallen and hit his head. The blow had killed him. He’d panicked. After hiding the body he’d gone to get a shovel and buried his brother on the mountain.
The loss of a second son had devastated Letitia and Richard Linbar, and no one had seen them since Noel’s arrest. But when and if they left their house, the town would be there to comfort them Fin knew.
“Come on, I need food,” Maggie said, taking his hand to follow the others to A.S. where the rest of their friends and family were meeting.
“Yes, because let’s face it, you expended a lot of energy,” Fin said.
“Fin.”
“Maggie.” She looked cute in the red Santa hat. He wondered if that little zing of excitement would ever ease when he saw her.
“I love you; you know that, right?”
“I do, as I love you.”
“And you know that we have slept together every night since… then.” She waved her hand about.
“Yes again.”
“Well, I wondered if maybe….” Her words fell away as she tried to find the right ones. “I mean it’s only been two weeks, but I don’t want to sleep without you anymore.”
“I don’t want to sleep without you either, even if you are a blanket hog. So how about I clear out a drawer for you?”
“I mean, it’s only been a few days, but we know each other, and I love you, and you love me, and—”
“Yes, Maggie.”
She stopped and looked at him.
“Yes, I want you to sleep with me every night, so I know if you wake scared I’ll be there. Yes, I want to clear a drawer out for you.”
“Really?” She leapt at him, and he caught her. “But I may need more than one.”
As they walked into A.S. to meet with friends and family, he felt lighter inside than he had in a long time. His past was no longer a darkness inside him, and the future looked bright. Yes, love, Fin thought, was indeed a wonderful thing.
