She stared at the words, at the easy permission. You can say no. You can walk away. You can go back to your life and forget this happened. You were doing just fine. Why mess it up?
She put her head in her hands and groaned.
“Hey, Ms. Moreno, you okay?”
After Finn calling her Arias for the last few days, the surname she’d used for years suddenly sounded odd to her ears. Ms. Moreno. Her mother’s maiden name, not hers. She lifted her head, finding one of the interns eyeing her with concern. She forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine, Skye. It’s just been a long week.”
Skye winced. “Then maybe I shouldn’t tell you that Mrs. Gill is here and she wants to chat with you in person about more changes.” She glanced over her shoulder and then lowered her voice. “She brought color swatches for the redesign, and they are fugly.”
“Fantastic.” Liv pinched the bridge of her nose. “Bring her back.”
Skye nodded and hurried off.
Liv glanced at her phone, at the message glaring back at her. She should respond to Finn. She owed him that.
But she had no idea what to say.
chapter
ELEVEN
Finn jolted awake, the buzz of his vibrating cell phone loud against the coffee table, and his computer almost sliding off his lap to the floor. He got a grip on it, cursing, and moved it out of the way before sitting up.
He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to clear the fuzz in his head, and glanced at the clock above the television. Almost one in the morning. Messages at that time never brought good news. He reached for the phone and saw this one was from Liv.
Liv: Are u uninviting me, Finn Dorsey?
Finn let out a breath, the fogginess from sleep fading quickly with the sight of Liv’s name on the screen. She’d never responded after his message earlier today. He’d figured that’d been answer enough. But now…
Was he uninviting her? He had, sort of. He could feel her stress and had relieved her of the obligation. If she didn’t want to be here, he didn’t want her to feel guilty about it. She didn’t owe him anything.
Finn: U seem 2 B buried at work. Didn’t want this to interfere.
There was a long pause, and he wondered if he’d lost his signal, but finally the dots indicating an incoming response appeared on the screen.
Liv: Have a project I must wrap up. But if the invitation stands, I can be there by late afternoon Sat., stay Sunday & take vacation Monday. If it doesn’t stand, I’m calling ur mom & telling her how rude her son is & I’m calling ur boss to tell him u lied.
His lips twitched. She had no idea how to contact Billings, but he didn’t put it past it her to give it her best shot. Dear Someone Named Billings at the FBI, Finn Dorsey is a dickhead.
Finn: The welcome mat is still out. I’ll even order pizza to celebrate ur arrival.
Liv: Fancy.
Finn: If u want fancy, I’ll add hot wings to the order
Liv: If u don’t add hot wings AND beer, ur doing it wrong.
He chuckled, and the sound echoed through the silent living room.
Finn: Noted. So it’s OK to take off Monday?
There was another long pause.
Liv: Should be. Unless that’s not cool w/ u. I don’t want to interrupt grumpy recluse time.
A ripple of warmth spread through him, catching him off guard with its potency. Two and a half days with Liv.
Finn: Works for me. I have the rest of the week 2 B a grumpy recluse.