Chapter Eight
Olivia
“Did you not hear me?” Finn questions with a strained voice.
“Sorry, what?” I glance up from my book. I’ve been tucked away in the sunroom for the last couple hours, trying to finish this thriller novel. I might have forty pages left and I want to get to the end so badly.
“We need to get going. We have an appointment.” Finn raises his hardened brows, showing me the seriousness of the situation. Hell, I didn’t even know he was here. When did he get here? He’s slipped in the sunroom so many times without me knowing, which I know should be terrifying. No one can get on the premises unless they have a keycode to open the gates, and I’m certain our security team assesses every potential threat. Finn isn’t a threat in the least bit. While I probably didn’t know it when we started all this, I’m peeling back the layers and understanding how gentle of a man he truly is.
He says we have an appointment, though I don’t recall him telling me about anything. Now my curiosity is eating away at me. “We do? Where?”
Finn rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He even wipes a hand over his face and stifles a laugh. “Remind me to never talk to you while your nose is in that damn book.” Finn points to the book I’m reading. The same one my brother ripped from my hands about a week ago. “The jewelry store. I told you I made an appointment so we could go look at rings together.”
I swallow hard at Finn’s words. He made an appointment sobothof us could go? My word. I almost think I’m not hearing him right for a moment. “You’re not just getting one and sliding it on my finger?” Is he screwing with me right now? He could be. Finn and I are getting married to make sure his evil brother doesn’t gain control over the Southwest . . . he doesn’t have to take me out and do all this.
“It’s something I hope you’ll be wearing for twenty, thirty, maybe even forty years down the line. I want you to love it, and I’m not exactly seasoned when it comes to knowing what type of jewelry women like.”
Here he goes again, completely amazing me. Finn isn’t being required to do any of this. He’s been kind, showed me the deepest, most special parts of his heart. I’ve known women in arranged marriages who are never treated this well, or even acknowledged most of the time. The only time they are is for furthering their line.
I know Finn isn’t like that, though, so why am I even thinking this way? Beats me. He’s proven to me time and time again he’s not like the others. Hell, he’s continuing to do so. I’m slowly starting to realize being with him might not be the worst thing in the world. He’s kind, even though he can be brazen. He’s handsome, even though there are ugly parts of him I accept, and I’m not talking about looks. His ugliness is in his actions, but my brothers have the same sort of ugliness too. It all comes hand-in-hand with being part of the mafia.
I softly smile. “Thank you for making this experience so . . . sweet.”
Finn scoffs and takes a few steps toward me, and then extends a hand. “It’s my pleasure. This is more than an arrangement to me, Olivia, and I see it’s becoming different for you too, and I hope we can continue on this track.”
I take his hand and close my book with my alternate one. He helps me up and the two of us walk alongside each other through the sunroom, into the backyard, and then head to his car. As always, he walks around me and begins to open the door.
“Do you need company, Miss Olivia?” Mason, my personal bodyguard, asks from the gate leading into the backyard.
Immediately, Finn tenses and clenches his jaw. He isn’t happy at all. “No, I’m fine, but thank you.”
“Alright. If you need me, call,” Mason states, and I smile back politely. He stands at the gate, and Finn helps me get into the passenger side. He shuts my door and walks around the other side. Meanwhile, I toss the skirt of my deep sea-green dress over my legs and try to not focus on Mason. The way he’s being is making me a little nervous. He’s never been so protective of me before, and since Finn’s been around his need to serve and protect, I guess, well, it’s growing more intense.
Finn gets behind the wheel, and before I know it, he’s taking off. “Ireallydon’t like that guy,” Finn grumbles, and I know exactly who he’s talking about.
“He’s harmless. Mason only wants to make sure I’m okay.” Immediately I come to Mason’s defense, but deep down, I feel a sense of uneasiness too.
Finn glances over at me for a second. “Come on, you’re a smart woman. The man’s in fuckin’ love with you. He needs to know his damn place, Olivia. You’re marrying me, not him.”
I’m completely caught off guard by Finn’s words. “A bit overprotective, but he’s not in love with me, Finn. That’s crazy.”
Finn cackles beside me. “Is it, though? You’re beautiful, smart, have a great sense of humor, and the most fun I’ve ever seen you have is either at a family dinner, or when your nose is stuck in a book. You’re every man’s dream, sociable but not overly so.”
While Finn drives, he asks me questions about what I envision our wedding looks like. I tell him what every girl wants, the white dress, lots of beautiful flowers, friends and family gathered close by, and the best food. One thing I’ve figured out rather quickly is how much we’re both foodies. The other day he took me to this place down in New Orleans. We walked down an alley and it made me nervous as can be, but we came out to this area with five or six food trucks. Every truck was a different style of cuisine and we both tried so many new things. It was a fun date, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a great time.
After about fifteen minutes, we’re deep in New Orleans and he pulls his car in front of a blue storefront. The sides are old-fashioned brick, at least hundreds of years old, but I’m not shocked. So many of the buildings here have been standing for many years. On top of the sign that reads ‘Gianina’s’, there’s a row of pink and white flowers, really giving it some curb appeal.
Finn puts the car in park, exits the vehicle, and comes around the other side. At this point, I know not to even open the door. He prefers to do it for me, so I’ll let him. He proceeds to open the door, and I unbuckle my seatbelt. After he extends his hand, he helps me out and he wraps an arm around my waist as we walk inside.
We head into the jewelry store and I’m in complete awe. It looks like we’ve just walked into something that you might see in Chicago, Los Angeles, or even New York City. The floor is a combination of gray and white. It’s carpet, but very high class. Throughout the store are rectangular jewelry cases on the sides, and in the center are smaller display cases. Each one of the display cases has gold trim, and it matches the abstract chandeliers that hang above.
“Finn Brisbane, when you called me I thought ‘what kind of woman could handle this man?’, but now that I see her, everything makes sense.” An older woman with all white hair smiles brightly as she approaches.
Finn and I walk up to meet her, and Finn gives the woman a hug. “Gianina, it’s been too long. How’s the family, the grandkids?”
Her smile grows even bigger. “They’re fabulous, thanks to you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for them. I appreciate it so very much.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was glad to be able to help. Now, allow me to formally introduce you to my fiancée, Olivia.”