Member-only story
The Gentleman
Finnigan Dorchester was a force of nature unto himself.
Finnigan and Andrea met for tea at the little corner shop on Heavensbee Lane.
“I didn’t think you’d meet me,” he said conversationally as he sat back, relaxed, in the cafe seat. “I mean, you’re gorgeous, so what would you want with a guy like me?”
“I’m not gorgeous,” Andrea said, her tone demure, and Finn just smiled at her in a knowing way.
“That’s what they’ve all told you,” he said, “but it’s not true. You have a fire in you. You burn like there’s no tomorrow. Do you ever think you’ll be satisfied?”
She looked down at her latte as if she were trying to divine something from its depths. “I hate how prejudiced I can be,” she admitted, her voice soft. “I know you wanted to go on a coffee date, but I was a little afraid.”
“Afraid?” he asked, his voice just as soft.
Her eyes flickered to his apologetically. “I’m going to be honest with you: I know I can be racist. It’s an ugly trait. I hate that about myself.”
Finn hummed out a note as if he were concocting a song in his head. “You and me both,” he said. “You don’t know how many times I’ve looked at someone and judged them just by their appearance. It’s a sad fact about humanity, you know? We’re not…
