Simon tried to keep busy, take his mind off the looming deadline. He hadn't seen or heard from Mary since she'd walked out of his office.

Every morning, he dragged himself out of bed after yet another sleepless night. Hours in the dark spent regretting his decision to push Mary, weighing the pros and cons of taking the deal to sell the Waterfront and wondering where he should go when he was finally free to leave Bridgetown.

Freedom. Such a lonely word.

The best option was as far away as he could get from Mary Montgomery. If she didn't choose him, them, he knew his heart couldn't take seeing her with another man. Mars felt too close, but most likely he'd try Europe. Maybe he'd do the whole Eat, Pray, Love thing and not settle down for a year or two, but travel. Experience the life he should have led had he not wasted time waiting for Mary to walk through the doors of his restaurant.

As if on cue, the front door swung open and Simon turned with the same hope he had in his heart all week. Instead of the blond he longed to see, a tall man with hair genetically similar to his own ambled in.

"Hey Finn." Simon looked at his watch. "It's a bit late for lunch and too early for dinner, isn't it?"

"Em and Sophie kicked me out. Girl stuff." Finn plopped down on the end bar stool. "Thought I could hang out here for a bit if that's ok?"

Simon placed a coaster in front of his brother. "Always. I could use the company."

Finn surveyed the empty tables and chairs. "Guess with tourist season over, it's quiet in here."

"Might pick up tonight. Locals celebrating the end of summer and all. But yeah, things are winding down."

A loud pop followed by a fizz sound echoed in the room as he opened a bottle of Finn's favourite beer and handed it to him. Simon cracked one open for himself and took a sip.

"Why do you like Mary?"

The cold alcohol caught in his throat and Simon coughed to force air into his lungs. "What?"

"Mary. Why her? What is it you actually like about the woman?"

His heart rate increased. Finn never wanted to talk about his sister-in-law. "Where's this coming from?"

Finn shrugged. "Just curious."

Alarm bells rang in Simon's mind. "Did something happen? Is Mary okay?"

His brother now took a long sip of his beer, as if delaying his answer. "I'm sure she's fine. Haven't seen her for a couple days. She went back to Washington."

The alcohol in Simon's stomach turned. She was gone. He'd driven her away, and this was the end. He'd have to sign the deal now. Sell the bar and run away. Leave Finn. Again.

A decade ago, to save himself, he'd fled Buffalo, leaving his little brother behind. Then he'd been escaping the haunting memories of his dead parents, constant reminders of what had been everywhere he looked. Now he'd be dodging a very alive Mary and constant reminders of what could have been.

"You didn't answer my question?" Finn's words interrupted Simon's pity party.

"Right. Why do I—" it was weird saying her name around his brother "—like Mary. To be honest, I'm not sure."

Finn raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"It's like my life is split into parts. There's before Mom and Dad died and then after. My world changed so drastically, I changed." Finn nodded. "The same thing with Mary. I remember vividly the day I first met her here. I walked out of the kitchen, a tray full of burgers and fries for table nine and I saw her. Everything from that moment on was different."

"I get that. Same for me with Em."

"You were a dork that day. I remember thinking you liked Mary at first and the feeling a being jealous."

"Man, were you wrong." Finn shook his head.

"Right. Luckily, you only had eyes for Emily. The same for me, but for Mary. Then she started coming into the bar and flirting with me." Well, mostly with him. Tony had been there as well, pawing at Mary, putting Simon down around her. He was relieved when he stopped paying attention to Mary, moving on to another girl.

"Was it just about looks?"

"No. I mean she is beautiful; you can't deny that. But she's so much more. She's smart, quick with a comeback. One that often makes me laugh. Confident, not afraid to go after what she wants." Simon grinned. "When I'm alone with her, she's soft and warm and—"

"Whoa, whoa." Finn held up his hands. "TMI. I do not need to know about my sisters-in-law's sexual predilections."

Simon scowled. "I don't kiss and tell. I'm talking about when she's not trying to maintain her perfect image. When she lets down her guard, she's a different person."

"Unlikely."

"Not different, just more. Real. Alive. I wish you could see the Mary I see. You'd like her."

Finn shook his head. "You are such an optimist, bro."

"No really. You two have more in common than you think."

Finn's fingers picked at the label of the beer bottle. "Like we both love Em."

"Exactly. Mary's fiercely loyal as well. If she loves you, she'll fight for you, even to her own detriment." Simon wished Mary would fight for him, could love him.

"I didn't fight."

"C'mon. You fought for our country. What's more loyal than that sacrifice?"

"Why haven't you ever left Bridgetown?"

Simon blinked. His usually reserved brother was inquisitive today. Strange. "I have the Waterfront to look after."

Blue eyes the same as his bored into his. "But you have other businesses. You hire people to manage the winery, the other restaurants. Yet you spend all your time on this tiny place. You could live anywhere, yet you stay here, practically living in the back office."

"This was my first place. Lou took me in when I arrived in town, showed me the ropes. There are memories here. You were here and for years, all I had were those memories. I couldn't bring myself to leave. When Lou retired, I bought the place and stayed, hoping you'd come back."

The label of Finn's beer broke free. "Did you stay for Mary too?"

"Yes." There was no point lying. "This was where we'd... meet up. If I moved away, I feared she wouldn't know where to find me. I'd never see her again. So I stayed."

Simon knew he had to tell Finn about the offer on the bar. Yet a part of him hoped he wouldn't have to say the words, wouldn't have to leave. The flame inside of him trusting Mary would choose him was almost extinguished, but still burned. She still had a day to show up.

Yet, when, no if, he signed the deal tomorrow, the clock would start running, and he'd only have a month to pack up and leave. Everyone in town would know in days if not hours of the offer closing. Gossip spread like wildfire in Bridgetown. He didn't want his brother to find out through the rumour mill.

"Finn I—"

"I admire you."

The words caught in Simon's throat. His brother admired him? Mere months ago, his brother despised him. A year ago, when Finn came back to the United States he thought he had a chance at getting his brother back, but when he found out what Simon did to separate Emily, the lies, Finn had punched him and told him he'd never speak to him again. And for eight long years before that, the military, paired with his deception, divided Simon from having a genuine relationship with his brother.

For months he'd showed up at Finn's house, hoping for a chance to get his brother back. Never in a million years did he think he'd hear his brother admit he admired anything about Simon.

"You had the courage to stay." Finn rubbed his chest. "I didn't."

Simon wasn't sure where this was coming from, but he saw a darkness in his brother's eyes he didn't like. "We both have courage in our own ways. It took a lot of courage to never stop loving Emily, and even more to own up to the fact, against all odds, to make things right again. I admire you for certitude."

The darkness shifted, not leaving, but diminishing a little. "Really?"

"You bet. Your courage inspired me to fight for what I want." The floodgates opened and Simon told Finn everything, about his hopes and fears for his relationship with Mary, about the offer on the Waterfront and about his ultimatum to Mary to choose him or lose him.

By the time Finn left, the dinner crowd was rolling in, filling up the restaurant that had been part of Simon's life for a decade. He prayed he wouldn't have to leave the place, Bridgetown, and the life he wanted behind.