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Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"You look awfully fancy," Tara said.

"Oooo, she does!" Tamara turned to give Delaney a once over.

"Mama always looks fancy," Declan added. He beamed up at his mom.

"You truly are the sweetest boy in the world." Delaney tousled his hair as she passed by him. She pulled a bag of homemade pizza dough out of the refrigerator. "And for the record, this is not fancy." She retrieved a baking stone from the cabinet.

"I'd say it's more of an understated fancy," Tara added.

"Yeah, like when you want to look good, but don't want anyone knowing you tried to look good." Tamara dissolved into a fit of giggles, her sister following suit.

"Hot date?" Tara asked.

"Are you going out with Todd again?" Tamara could hardly contain her excitement. "I knew you guys would hit it off if you met up outside of the office."

Delaney opened the refrigerator again and located the shredded mozzarella, pepperoni and sauce. "Dec, you'll have to teach your aunts how to make pizza the right way."

"Ok!" he said brightly.

"She's ignoring us! It's definitely a second date!" Tara said.

"I'm not meeting Todd." And as a second thought she added, "And it's definitely not a date."

"Wait. Who are you meeting?"

"Someone new?"

"You guys are incorrigible." Delaney laughed despite herself. "I'm meeting up with an old friend. That's all I'm giving you. Case closed."

"Male or female?"

"Nope. I won't even give you that."

The twins exchanged glances and smirked at each other. "Have a good time!" They chimed in unison.

She was scheduled to meet Fin in exactly the same location they were scheduled to meet last time, which was consequently the same place she had coffee with Todd just recently. She wasn't entirely sure she was going through with it, but she figured she'd make up her mind on the way there. She parked the car around the corner from the small coffee shop and ambled slowly along the sidewalk, changing her mind every other step.

"Aha! I caught you!"

She startled, all of her senses jumping to life. Her eyes flashed forward to Fin leaning against the wall, a foot propped behind him and a cigarette in one hand.

"I wasn't giving you the chance to defect," he said. A smirk played at the corner of his mouth.

"Hi," she said sheepishly. She had stopped dead in her tracks, where she remained frozen. She noticed a glint of silver and focused on his thin fingers as he snapped the lid of the familiar lighter open and shut. Her eyes could just make out a small area where the brushed finish of the metal had been worn smooth by repeated contact.

"I promise, I won't bite." He measured her with his eyes. "Look what I brought out of retirement for today." He held the clove cigarette up to his lips and took a drag. He exhaled. "I haven't had one of these in years."

"Probably better that way."

"Undoubtedly, but where's the fun in that?" He held it out to her in invitation.