"Alright. Never mind. Get your ass back on a plane." He pulled away from me and laughed. "Stop. I'm ticklish."
"Finn's not the only one that could keep me here, Parker. I would consider it for you and Dad."
"Right, but he'd be enough to sway the vote." Parker shrugged. "And honestly, after thinking about everything, I think maybe I misjudged him. He didn't seem like a playboy asshole the other day. He seemed like a normal guy to me."
"He is. I think we've all done a lot of misjudging each other." I turned into the large shopping mall and parked. "You ready for this fun day?"
"Just get me a hot chocolate and a nudie mag and leave me in the food court."
I laughed and snorted at my brother and his antics. "I am not getting you a hot chocolate. You'll be jumping everywhere."
He slipped his arm into mine and chuckled at my response. "Where are we eating lunch?"
"It's ten in the morning. I seriously have to get a few gifts today. That's my focus."
"Okay, but that still begs the question. Where are we eating lunch?"
"The Chinese place on the top floor? You like their soup and egg-rolls, right?"
"I do. I'll meet you there. I'm going to go look at the game stores. Like, an hour?"
"Two." I pulled from him and walked toward a large department store as the lights and Christmas music beckoned me to come.
"Two? Come on, Sis."
"One and a half." I called over my shoulder and walked in, stopping by the fragrance counter and smelling three different types of men's cologne. The last one smelled like Finn.
"Yum," I mumbled and found the largest box of it.
"Chloe?" The feminine voice beside me caused me to freeze. I didn't know any girls in Aspen.
"I'm Kari, Finn's friend from school." She moved up beside me and extended her hand. The nasty snarl she wore a few nights before was gone and her expression was almost kind.
I shook her hand and nodded. "And, what can I do for you, Kari?"
"Nothing. I just saw you and thought I recognized you. I'm glad I did. I needed to apologize."
"For what?"
"For being a bitch the other night." She pursed her lips and let out a long breath through her nose. "Finn's such a great guy and I think all of us around here have beaten him up and taken him for granted for far too long. The other night when he got upset was the first time I'd seen him show emotion about anything since we were kids. Like a part of him died when he lost his mother and then slowly over time, it kept getting worse. I know he gets around, but I understand why."
"Your point?" I didn't want to be rude, but I couldn't help myself seeing that this bitch was unbelievably rude to me only a few nights back.
"No point. Just an apology. I was jealous and acted like a jerk. I'm sorry."
"It happens." I glanced around to see if he was somewhere behind us. Seemed like him to start sending flowers and people to help me see the good in him. It was ingenious, which was right up his alley. "Did he put you up to this?"
"Finn? Heavens, no. I haven't seen him since the other night. He's working his ass off, no doubt. He wants to build his own lodge, but money has always been so tight for him and his dad." She smiled. "Anyway, I'm sorry and I hope things work out with you guys. He deserves a good woman."
"And, you think that's me? That I'm a good woman?"
"I don't know, but I think he believes that, which is enough for me." She nodded and turned, walking back into the crowd.
I reached for my phone and dialed his number.
He answered on the first ring, breathless. "Chloe."
"Hey. Sorry it took so long; I was just..."