Thankyou for the lovely reviews, yes Finn's child is also named Finn! Sorry if that's confusing but I thought it would be cute. Please leave positive and negative reviews :) This is continuing from the previous chapter!
"No you really don't have to Rachel. I offered to take you for coffee and that included paying for it," he smiled.
There it was again, that beautiful lopsided smile. "Thank you" Rachel mumbled shyly before picking up the cup to have a sip.
"So Rachel . . . What do you do?" Finn asked with genuine interest.
Rachel rubbed her lips together at the question as a way of delaying the answer for a moment or two. She hadn't thought of this when agreeing to go for a drink with Finn, she was going to have to make up a lie on the spot and try to keep it up. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him, but the thought of him finding out about her and what she had done terrified her. This might be harder than she had originally thought. "Erm, well I've just moved here so I'm in between jobs at the moment." That wasn't technically lie, she silently reasoned with herself though was stopped in her tracks when Finn answered.
Finn nodded and the traces of a smile still remained on his lips "how old is Abigail?"
"She's two and a half. How old is Finn?"
"I'm twenty-five."
Rachel laughed quietly "you know what I meant . . ."
"He's 32 months."
"He's cute"
"He takes after his dad"
Rachel smirks "I walked right into that one . . ."
"That you did . . . Now I know you're not supposed to ask a lady this, but, how old are you?"
"How old do you think I am?"
"Urrrr"
Rachel laughed quietly and shook her head, deciding to change the subject. "What do you do?"
"I own businesses."
"Businesses, a plural? What kind?"
"A variety. I have an underwear factory not far from here, businesses in Ireland and property here and abroad."
Rachel raises her eyebrow a little. I'm so out of my league here was her first thought, "anything else?" Rachel asked, a sarcastic undertone in her voice.
"My sister owns a salon that I have a share in."
"Are you serious?"
He nods "yeah. I wasn't going to say anything, it's not really my scene."
Rachel smirked "on I don't know, I imagine you're quite vain."
"Now now Miss Roberts, behave."
Rachel smiled and cocked her head to the side slightly "if you don't like the idea of it why do you own it?"
"I bought it for my sister. So I have a 50% share in it."
"Do you usually tell strangers all about your business ventures?"
"Only ones I like."
Rachel blushed as she had another drink to try and disguise it, or take her mind off it, whatever. Compliments weren't something that she was used to receiving and she was a little unsure how to deal with them, especially when she found herself feeling a little too fond of the man sat opposite her. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but there seemed to be something about him that made her want to spend time with him, despite having only met that morning.
Rachel finds herself leaving the coffee shop over an hour later after saying bye to Finn and it shocks her just how quickly the time has gone. After going to the shops as she as intended she arrived back at the small council house she was now living in with her daughter and sighed. The hallway had been scrubbed clean the previous day and she intended to make the best of the living room. The money that she had taken when she had run away from her husband was fast running out and it was something else that added to the list of her worries.
Shaking her head a little, trying to rid herself of the thoughts Rachel made her way into the living room and after ten minutes she had filled a bowl with cleaner and was scrubbing the floor. Once she was satisfied that it was as clean as she was going to get it she used a blanket that she had bought to cover all of the couch that was in the room. The table at the side of it was worn but stable and aside from buy a new one, which she didn't have the money for, Rachel knew there was little she could do about it.
After placing four pink rugs that she had bought onto the floor, deciding that would be Abigail's space when she was downstairs, she turned and grabbed her bag to leave the house once more and pick her daughter up from nursery. She had only been waiting outside for a moment or two when children began to make their way out and as soon as Abigail got out she ran at Rachel and wrapped her arms around her neck on getting close enough. Rachel bent down and held her around the waist, lifting her up to hold her on her hip smiling. "Hello my beautiful girl, did you have a nice day?"
Abigail nodded "we had cake and a pit with sand and water."
"Oh that sounds fun," and very messy she thought.
"We buy one?"
"I don't know sweetheart, maybe."
"I like Finn"
"Did you play together?"
Abigail nodded "he's my best friend."
"I told you you'd make friends."
"We get my muffin?"
Rachel laughs quietly at her remembering, "I thought you told me that you'd had cake?"
Abigail pouts "but you promised . . ."
"I suppose I did . . . Do you want to walk?"
She shakes her head, resting it on Rachel's shoulder.
Rachel smiles and kisses her hair gently before making her way to the shop, only to be stopped before she had gotten to the end of the path by Finn calling her name. Rachel turned around as she answered "hello, again . . ."
He smiled "Finn was wondering if Abigail would like to come to our house for her tea tomorrow?"
"Would you like that sweetheart?" Rachel questioned, her voice soft as she spoke to her daughter.
Abigail nodded "yes please . . ."
"Well then until tomorrow" Rachel smiled "bye Finn . . ." Rachel called to the toddler who waved and Finn flashed her another smile before she turned on her heel and continued on to the shop with Abigail.