Chapter 8: Yes, We've Met

"Yes, he's staying in the penthouse." I turn back to Ben and mouth, "be nice" in his direction. I hope it doesn't sentence Finn to an interrogation from my big grizzly.

Ben leaves the doorway, but stays in the kitchen offering us no privacy. Finn's cologne spreads through the space that separates us causing me to lean closer. Behind the pizza box he wears an orange Giant's short sleeve t-shirt and another pair of jeans. I'm not sure how he pulls off the comfortable look so well. He's also back in his glasses today, which puts the whole image together and my insides delight at the sight.

"I remember you said you were watching the game today, so I thought I'd bring over some pizza and a movie for later. It was stupid of me to think you wouldn't be watching it with someone. I'm sorry." Finn starts to turn away and I rush to stop him.

"No wait. Come in and watch it with us. I'd love to have another Giants fan to root with me. Ben's going for the Rockies and he's going to be sore when he loses. It's more fun to gloat if there are two of us," I beg him and hope it doesn't make me sound too desperate.

"If you're sure?" He moves into the apartment and holds out the pizza box for me. "I didn't know what you like so I did half meat lovers and the other half cheese." Finn's eyes run down my body and back up. His smirk reminds me I'm wearing my favorite grey sweatpants and I can't be certain they aren't stained somewhere. Wonderful. I'd change, but now it would be obvious why I was.

"That sounds great. Sit it on the coffee table. Would you care for a glass of wine?" I want to get him inside before Ben can scare him away.

I start to grab plates from the cupboard, ready to make introductions and think of some way to warn Finn not to let my brother intimidate him, when my phone rings from the bedroom. I pass the stack of breakables off to Ben. "Ben, you're in charge of introductions. I'll be right back." I shoot Finn a promise to return quick and Ben a "be good" before I dart to my room.

Ten minutes later I head back to the living room to the sounds of baseball announcers and Ben as he yells at the television. I didn't plan to be gone so long, but I'd forgotten to give Amanda directions to the place where we're eating brunch tomorrow, and then she wanted to discuss what she should wear.

Finn sits on the bright flower armchair, a slice of meat-topped pizza fills the plate on his lap. He sits, back straight and eyes intent on the television not making a sound. Ben stands in front of the couch, his hands outstretched as they flail in beat to his rant. I can't wait to have walls with pictures on them when I win tonight's bet.

I reclaim my seat on the couch and try to check the score, but it's now on a commercial break. "Who's winning?"

"The Rockies, thank you very much," Ben replies and sits down again.

Damn. "So that was a victory rant I walked in on?" I stick my feet in his lap so he can continue my foot rub.

"Yes, Ben is enthusiastic about the score." Finn deadpans from his place in the chair. His green eyes make contact for only a second before he returns to the television. He still looks tense, but since he's here at all Ben must not have been too mean.

...

Ten innings later and the Rockies beat the Giants 4-3.

"Where's my ten bucks, Sweetie? You and your Giants owe me lunch tomorrow," Ben gloats as soon as he finishes his victory dance. I warned Finn he was a sore loser, but I didn't tell him he's an even worse winner.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I get lippy back and return from my room with his money and duffle bag, sliding both onto the kitchen counter.

Finn stands and turns toward the door. "Well... I should get home. It was a great game, thanks, Pen." It's the first time he's ever called me by my nickname. It doesn't sound right coming from his lips. Plus, I don't want him to leave. My heart jumps while my brain screams at me to stop him.

"No, wait. Ben's on his way out and then we can watch the movie you brought." I hurry to stop him even if I sound pathetic.

Ben stops by the kitchen counter and opens his bag. "Yeah, Finn. I'm on my way out. I have a long shift to get to," he pulls his shiny silver gun from his bag and places it on the counter in Finn's line of sight, "but I'll be at the station if you need me. For anything," he finishes and stares at Finn.

How absolutely mortifying. Why didn't he take it out and clean it during the game if he planned to pull this little stunt? Finn hasn't responded, but that could be because his body is so stiff I'm worried he isn't breathing. His wide-eyed expression hasn't left the gun.

"Thanks, Ben, that's great." I usher him to the door holding it open for him even as he's still repacking his bag. "Like he said. Ben's on his way out." I give him a little push, but Ben pauses, half his body still on my side of the door. "Right now."

He turns back inside the apartment and looks at Finn again. This is not going to be good. I try to push the door closed on him, but he's bigger than I am and easily stops me. "Bye, Finn, take care of my little sister," Ben says and then smiles before he walks out laughing.

"He's your brother?" Finn's body relaxes as he asks from his place by the chair.

I close the door. "Yes. Why? Did he not tell you? I'm so sorry. That is so like Ben. I should have said something. I was just nervous," I ramble.

Finn falls back into his chair and laughs, but it's a little too harsh to be all from humor. It goes on for a few minutes before he explains, "I spent the most uncomfortable three hours of my life with that big dude while he rubbed your feet. Let's not forget the hammer on the coffee table and then the gun. And you just now tell me he's your brother?"

I think back about the last three hours and have to laugh with him. Finn was unusually quiet and stiff, but I thought it was because we were losing.

"I'm so sorry," I say as our laugher stops. "He's overprotective, but the gun was over the line. I'm so, so—"

"Hey, don't worry about it," he stops me. "I'm fine. You've talked about Ben enough I should have put it together. I'm sorry my Giants lost you ten bucks. We could have used his money to buy us movie snacks."

"Oh no. If I won, Ben had to hang all my pictures on the wall. Hence the hammer."

Finn walks to the coffee table and picks up the hammer. "I'm not overly handy, but I think I can handle the geometry required to hang a picture. I'll help you out, no bet required," he says.

"Really? Thanks. I want to do a big collection of them on the wall behind the television."

I already have nails and a level from last weekend when I made Ben hang a shelf in my bedroom, so I gather up all the supplies for Finn and deposit them on the coffee table.

The pictures I want to hang lean against my bay window. It's the only window in this room, but it's big and allows bright light to fill the room during the day. The frames are full of images from family and friends from over the years. Finn walks to the area and picks up the first one. "I'm an only child. I never had anyone to make bets with. How long have the two of you been doing it?"

I meet him at the wall. "For as long as I can remember. Our wagers have gotten crazy in the past. Once in high school, Ben bet against the Titans and lost. He had to attend a yoga class with me." The memory makes me laugh.

"I'm sure that went over well." Finn smirks as he holds up frames for me to approve their positions and alignment.

"Actually no." I stop to laugh again. "Ben came to class in pants that were so tight you could see everything. Everything." I throw my hands out for emphasis. "He took every opportunity to make sure the entire class knew he was with me and then moaned through each stretch. I could never go back to that class again."

Finn's having a full out laughing fit by the time I finish my story. "Yeah, Ben won that one in the end. Since we've lived apart the last few years, we haven't been too creative. I can't wait to get him with some good ones now that we're in the same city."

"That's a lot of potential for embarrassment." Finn takes the hammer to the first nail and starts my project.