Tempting a King (King Family Romance Book 1) Isla Drake (series like harry potter .txt) 📖

the ball. He's wearing my old Little League glove and keeps pounding his child-sized fist into it. I smile at the sight. Part of me considers all the things on my desk begging for my attention, but they can wait. When it comes to an 8-year-old's honor on the playground, signing off on supply spreadsheets can wait.

Chapter Three

Hannah

When I come back to the main house for a quick bite of lunch, I’m surprised to find that Finn isn’t in his office. I’d expected to find him there. I figured we could eat together as we do most days. We usually use the time to discuss work. I want to talk to him about the mother of the bride insisting that we change the color of the tablecloths for the rehearsal dinner. It isn’t a major change and it’s something I can easily do. But it will likely clash with the flower arrangements the bride chose specifically because they’d been the same flowers the groom had given her on their third date. Granted, it isn’t really something that really requires Finn’s attention. I just think he’ll get a kick out of it. I can practically see him rolling his eyes.

I eat lunch alone in my office while I review the event bookings for the rest of the month. We have a family reunion and a weekend bachelorette party getaway planned in the next few weeks. I make some notes regarding possible activities for each event to make their time at the Jester more enjoyable. Some of our guests want nothing more than to relax during their stay. Others prefer to pack their trip full of activities. Either way, I’ll be prepared with options. I finish my lunch and check the time. The rest of the wedding party isn’t due to arrive for nearly an hour. I want to find Finn and run some things by him before they arrive to steal my attention.

I check his office again, but he’s still not there. As I turn to leave, a movement outside the window catches my eye. I walk closer, trying to get a better look. I can see Finn in the large clearing behind the big house. He’s bending down next to a little boy who looks an awful lot like Liam. My eyes narrow. I check my watch. It’s too early for Liam to be out of school.

“What the hell?” I mutter, turning to leave Finn’s office.

I go out through the nearest door and make my way around the wrap-around porch to the back stairs. As I get closer to Liam and Finn, I can see that they’re playing baseball. Baseball? Liam has never shown any interest in baseball. As I watch, Finn tosses a ball to Liam who does his best to catch it. The ball just misses his outstretched glove and bounces on the ground behind him. Liam scrambles after it, noticing me as he does. He waves enthusiastically.

“Hey Mom!” he calls before turning back to face Finn and throwing the ball with more enthusiasm than accuracy or strength. The ball sails forward a few feet, curving to the left as it does. It lands nowhere near Finn and rolls a bit before stopping.

Finn is walking toward me now, a nervous-looking smile on his face. I cross my arms over my chest and shoot him a look that clearly says, “What the hell is going on and why is my kid not at school right now?”

Finn looks away from me to Liam. “Give me a minute to talk to your mom, okay buddy?”

Liam nods. “Sure, Finn.”

Finn ruffles Liam’s hair as he passes, the casual gesture of affection catching my eye. Finn has always been great with Liam. Even when Liam was a drooling baby, Finn never shied away from him. He’d carry him around the grounds, distracting him while I finished my work in the afternoons. He’s never missed a single birthday party in eight years. It’s not anything I haven’t always known, but it strikes me all over again seeing him like this. Finn is a good man. When I think about Paul and all the ways he let me and Liam down all those years ago, it’s easy to forget that good men exist. But Finn reminds me.

“Hey,” Finn says with a grin that makes him look boyish. “I can explain.”

I school my features into a stern mask. “You mean you can explain why my kid is playing baseball instead of in class right now?”

Finn holds up a hand. “Actually,” he says. “Liam would be playing baseball right now if he were still at school. Technically, I’m just giving him one-on-one tutoring.” He flashes me what I consider his most charming smile.

“Hm,” I say. “Okay. Explain.”

Finn tells me how the school had tried to get in touch with me but couldn’t. I fish my cell phone from my pocket and see that somehow the sound has been muted all day. No wonder things have seemed relatively peaceful. I’ve missed 2 calls from the school, 3 texts from Quinn and there is what seems like an infinite number of email notifications. I turn on my notifications and slip the phone back into my pocket.

“Sorry,” I tell Finn. “My phone was somehow on silent. I don’t know how that happened.”

“It’s okay,” he says. “Liam and I have had fun so far.”

“Thank you for picking him up,” I say. I watch Liam scramble after a ball after he misses a catch he’d thrown into the air. “Why again, did you have to pick him up?”

“Right,” Finn says, his face making a little grimace. “The school nurse said he had a stomachache. I didn’t know what you’d want to do. But I didn’t want to bother you since I knew you were busy doing the job of three people. So, I decided to go get him. I hope that’s okay. I didn’t mean to overstep or anything. The school said I was on the emergency