A Rose in Shadow

Chapter 3

Their relationship was serious enough that she didn't even comment when they got their coats on to leave.

"Sorry Kelse" Finn said putting his arm around her waist as they walked to his car. "I'll call you once I know what's going on. Sam wouldn't call if it wasn't important". He pressed a light kiss to her temple.

"I know that" she smiled up at him as he opened the door for her to get into the car. "You're a good brother" she kissed his cheek and climbed into the passenger seat.

It was a constant relief to him that Kelsey wasn't jealous of the time that he spent with Samantha. Some of the women that he had dated previously couldn't accept that, to him, Samantha was just his sister and not the drop dead gorgeous young, single woman that they saw as a threat or competition for his affections.

A few of them had even tried to give him ultimatums but to him it was no contest and he chose Samantha, his family, every time.

If he was honest with himself he could admit that he used Samantha as a kind of 'litmus test' for his romantic relationships.

She already didn't like the thought that she might have even a remote influence on Finn's decision to end certain relationships and she had questioned him about it numerous times, so he would never, and could never, confess this to her.

Kelsey was also one of the only people, outside of his family and Samantha's family that he trusted enough to talk about his brother, Cole. Cole, who had been eighteen months younger than Finn, had drowned while at sleep-away camp when he was nine. The two brothers were very close and Finn had a really difficult time dealing with Cole's death and the reality of suddenly finding himself as an only child.

Kelsey understood his love and devotion for Mac and Samantha and their unique places in his life and she knew that it was largely their unconditional love and support for him that had gotten him through the worst of his grief during that time and for that reason alone she loved them both too.