Ste felt her eye twitch involuntarily. "You can stop with the ''mom'' thing now."


    Talking about family ties always made her head spin like a merry-go-round.


    Susanna sighed. "Think of it as thest bit of kindness you owe her. Just help her out this onest time." Ste was speechless. Kindness? She hadn''t realized the word could be twisted into something like this.


    They continued chatting on the phone for a while longer before finally hanging up.


    ...


    When Ste walked out of the coffee bar, she saw Finley still lingering around. Just the sight of him made her head throb, and she wanted nothing more than to avoid another word from him.


    She tried to sidestep, but Finley caught on. "Hey, Star, I need to talk to you!"


    Ste picked up her pace. Listening to Finley was thest thing she wanted to do.


    But Finley was persistent and caught up with her. "Listen, you stubborn girl, I''m doing this for your own good."


    Ste''s eye twitched again. Really, buddy? Wasn''t he just trying to throw her under the bus?


    Finley shoved a box into her hands. "Here, take this."


    "What is this?"


    Ste nced at the box. She hadn''t seen anything like it before, but reading the description made her brain explode with embarrassment.


    Finley had given her... condoms?


    Ste was flustered. "Seriously, what are you thinking?"


    Wasn''t he worried Ronald would have his hide for this?


    Finley shrugged. "No need to thank me. Just doing my duty as a doctor. You and Ronald should take things slow when you get back to Ferrond. You wouldn''t want to use having a child as a tactic to get ahead, right? Let me tell you, Mrs. Lugar treats you like her own daughter, so don''t go messing things up with something reckless."


    Ste was at a loss for words.


    Someone, please save her from this nightmare.


    "You''re a doctor, but you''re also a man, for heaven''s sake."


    Finley was puzzled.


    "If you had to give this to someone, shouldn''t it be Ronald?" Why was he giving her this?


    Ste finally understood why girls back in Ferrond steered clear of him. Handsome and a skilled doctor, sure But with that mouth and emotional intelligence?


    you trud Give it to Ronald? Are


    to get me killed? Ste


    be ungrateful. I''m doing this for


    Ste sighed, "Uh..."


    Finley pressed on, "Uh? Does that mean you''re nning to ignore my good intentions?"


    Ste replied awkwardly, "Thank you. Really, thank you."


    "No need to thank me. I''ve known you for years, and I''m just looking out for you."


    Once again, Ste was at a loss for words.


    "By the way, have you taken any contraception?"


    Ste froze. She hadn''t even processed the embarrassment of the pink box, and now this? Her mind spun.


    Seeing her confused look, Finley asked, "You haven''t?"


    Ste stammered, "I haven''t!"


    She barely left the house since returning from Spring Hill. Could her luck really be that bad?


    Finley pped his forehead. "Oh no, this is bad."


    Ste waved him off. "Who hits the jackpot on the first try?"


    Finley chuckled. "More than you''d think. If it''s meant to happen, it usually does on the first go."


    Ste felt a headache forming. How could Finley be so utterly infuriating?


    "What are you talking about?"


    Ronald''s voice came from the stairs, deep and slightly annoyed.


    Ste was startled, instinctively hiding the box behind her back.


    stairs, and his face twitched at


    Finley saw Ronald at the foot of the


    das well.


    "I, uh, didn''t say anything!" Finley blurted out before making a quick exit.


    Ste watched him flee, her brain turning to mush. She wished she could drag him back to take the box with him.


    With just her and Ronald now, he walked down the stairs and stopped next to her, holding out his hand. "Hand it over." "Huh? Hand what over?"


    Ronald looked at her, unimpressed. "The thing you''re hiding behind your back."


    Ste was at a loss for words once more.