Finnian suddenly spoke up. “I really messed up with Julian.”
The other two men immediately stopped bickering and turned to look at him.
Finnían quietly poured himself another drink, his voice heavy with guilt. “Julian has liked her for years, I knew that. When I introduced him to Noelle last time, I could tell he was thrilled, but also really nervous. Then we found out she was pregnant, so I had to tell him they could only be friends…”
Finnian slowly ran his finger along the rim of his glass, his tone steeped in regret. “I should have just told him the truth from the start. He definitely resents me now, probably thinks I was playing him for a fool. You guys need to help me figure this out. I don’t want to lose him as a friend.”
Quentin set down his drink and looked at him. “Finnian, just apologize to him directly and lay it all out. We’re all men here, there’s no need to beat around the bush.”
Finnian offered a bitter smile. “He must be so disappointed in me. He probably thinks I was treating
him like an idiot.”
Chad frowned. “So what do you want to do now?”
“I should be the one to go and apologize,” Finnian said thoughtfully.
Quentin chimed in, “Finnian, none of us are saints. Everyone screws up. Let me talk to Julian first. Maybe once he cools off and thinks it through, you guys can go back to being friends.”
Hearing that, Finnian finally let out a sigh of relief.
The music in the bar shifted to a slower track, the melody washing over them like water gently rolling over stones, lightly tapping against their heavy hearts.
“So, Finnian, how are you planning to handle your relationship with Noelle moving forward?” Chad asked him.
“I’m just going to freeze her out. She’s pregnant right now, so I don’t want to be too harsh,” Finnian replied. Deep down, he was someone who valued loyalty and affection. He could be utterly ruthless to outsiders, but when it came to people he cared about, he struggled to cut ties completely.
“Noelle doesn’t seem like the type to let go easily. Now that you’re divorced from Dr. Chavez, she’s probably going to cling to you like a leech. I bet you a bag of chips she’s going to start making some aggressive moves on you soon,” Chad said with a laugh.
“You’re out of your mind,” Finnian’s expression darkened. “She’s pregnant with my brother’s child. She would never do something like that.”
“Heh.” Chad looked over at Quentin. “What do you think? Care to make a bet?”
Quentin threw his hands up in defeat. “I’m not as perceptive as you are when it comes to women, but Noelle probably isn’t going to just walk away. You’re single now, you’re both single. A brother–in–law taking care of the widowed sister–in–law and his nephew? It’s a tale as old as time. Finnian, please don’t tell me you’re actually planning to go down that road.”
“How much longer are you guys going to make fun of me?” Finnian looked exasperated. “How many
19:05
Chapter 520
times do I have to say it? I haven’t looked at her that way in a long time.”
“If you don’t feel that way, you need to be a lot colder. Stop throwing her breadcrumbs like you’re stringing her along. She’s going to bite the hook if you keep doing that,” Quentin laughed. He had known Finnian for years and knew he wasn’t some scumbag without boundaries. It was just that his deep sense of loyalty and affection blurred the lines, making outsiders misinterpret his actions.
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