“Really? How about you let me buy you a hot chocolate?”
Emma wasn’t sure how to respond. Men flirted with her all the time – even at times when it was completely inappropriate. Finn didn’t seem like he was flirting, at least not overtly. It was more like he was trying to put her at ease and make her comfortable.
“Okay,” Emma said. “Hot chocolate actually sounds nice.”
Finn smiled, holding out his gloved hand. “Come on.”
Emma looked at his hand, unsure. Instead of taking it, she sent him a tight smile and instead fell into step beside him. “So where is this hot chocolate?”
If Finn was insulted by her refusal to take his hand, he didn’t show it. Instead, he merely pointed. “Over there. There’s even a fire you can warm up next to.”
“Surprisingly, I’m not too cold,” Emma said. “The jacket and the pants are really warm.”
“So Aspen clothes are a winner?”
“If you can afford to spend six hundred bucks on a coat and another three hundred on pants, absolutely.”
Finn cocked his head to the side. “That seems a little ridiculous since this festival is really a fundraiser for at-need families in the county, doesn’t it?”
“It always seems ridiculous,” Emma said. “I just go with the flow.”
“That seems to be your shtick,” Finn agreed.
“My shtick?”
“What? That’s a word. You used that word last weekend.”
Emma laughed. “You’re odd sometimes. You know that, right?”
“I can live with that.”
Emma followed Finn to a tarp-covered area. An open bonfire was roaring to the side, while various volunteers were cooking hot dogs and serving hot chocolate and coffee to the congregated visitors. Under the tarp, several women were supplying bags of toiletries and non-perishable food items to those who stopped by. One of the women, a small blonde, looked familiar to Emma.
She pulled up short when she realized who it was.
Finn stopped a few feet away, searching Emma’s face for a clue. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Emma said, shaking her head. “I just know that woman.”
Finn followed Emma’s gaze. “Mandy?”
“The clerk for Judge MacIntosh? Is that her name.”
“Yeah.”
“You know her?”
“We grew up together,” Finn said. “She was best friends with my sister, Ally.”
“Oh. So you don’t know her from the courthouse?”
“Not exactly.”
Emma stiffened, suspicion clawing at the back of her brain. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Mandy is also my brother’s girlfriend,” Finn said. “The brother you met the other day. I’m not keeping anything from you.”
“I see.”
“I don’t understand what the problem is,” Finn said, stepping closer to Emma and lowering his voice. “Do you not like Mandy?”
“No, she’s … she was always really nice to me,” Emma admitted. “It’s just that she knows.”
“She knows what?”
“She knows about my father,” Emma whispered.
“And you think she’s going to announce that to everyone for some reason?” Finn asked. “If that’s what you’re worried about, don’t. That’s not the way Mandy rolls.”
“And how does Mandy roll?” Emma asked, forcing herself to try and relax.
“Usually in a sweaty heap on the floor with my brother,” Finn said, his smile soft and flirty. “Actually, to be fair, I think they do it everywhere – not just the floor.”
Emma laughed despite herself. “You seem comfortable talking about your brother’s sex life.”
“They’re comfortable sharing it for us all to see,” Finn said, holding out his hand again. “Come on. I promise. It’s all going to be okay.”
Emma regarded the outstretched hand. This time, she reached out and took it. She needed the support – and Finn Hardy seemed more than willing to offer it every chance he could.
Finn led Emma up to the table. “Hey. Can we get two hot chocolates here?”
Mandy glanced up, shifting her gaze between Finn and Emma. “Absolutely.”
The plump brunette working behind the table with Mandy filled two cups and handed them over. “Hi, Finn.”
“Hi, Heidi,” Finn said, shooting her a small wink. “How are you today?”
“Well, I wasn’t thrilled about doing this when Mandy talked me into it,” Heidi admitted. “Then, when I found out I was going to get to look at Hardy eye candy all day, it didn’t seem so bad.”