17. QUINN
17
QUINN
“You’ve barely touched your food,” a concerned Lilly comments, looking over at me from the other side of the table.
She convinced me to meet her at a café close to the hotel to catch up. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that I’m here, all I want to do is go back to my hotel room.
“I guess I’m not too hungry.” I push the plate of food away from me.
Lilly continues to observe me, her eyebrows knitted together as though she’s trying to solve a difficult puzzle.
“What’s going on with you, Quinn?” She reaches out to grab my hand. “You’ve been awfully quiet this whole time. I haven’t seen you like this in a while.”
I try to force a smile, but I know Lilly sees right through me.
“I guess I’m just a bit distracted,” I admit with a sigh.
“Does this have something to do with the Mystery Man?”
Oh, it has everything to do with him.
“No, no. It’s just..” I scramble for an excuse. “I guess I’m still thinking about Liam, you know.”
It’s a believable lie, still being distraught over my divorce. Thankfully, Lilly bought it.
“Oh, honey.” Her voice softens, “I know it must be so hard for you. You’ve made such good progress, too, these last few days. I just hate seeing you like this.”
“I just wish we lived in a world where love wasn’t so complicated.”
I’m not talking about Liam, but Lilly doesn’t need to know that.
Ever since I found out the truth about Enzo and my dad’s friendship, my entire world has been turned upside down.
Who would have guessed the guy I connected with after so long turned out to be someone who is off-limits. I still don’t even know how I’m going to face my dad. My call log was full of missed calls from him but I can’t avoid him forever.
Lilly presses her lips together in a tight line. “Love doesn’t have to be so complicated. Sometimes, you just need to tune out all the noise and focus on what your heart is telling you.”
“Cliché much?” I smile, shaking my head.
How am I supposed to tune out the noise when it’s all there is? Thinking about Enzo still gives me butterflies, and the idea that our story will be cut short like this feels like the worst outcome imaginable.
It isn’t just a harmless little crush anymore. I’ve fallen for him. It feels like the universe is playing some kind of cruel joke on me.
Here, meet a guy who’s exactly everything you’ve always dreamed of. But wait, let’s make him twice your age, friends with your dad, and has kids your age, so he hides who you are from them.
Lilly squeezes my hand. “There’s a reason they become clichés in the first place, because they hold some kind of wisdom in them. Tried and tested.”
My phone buzzes in front of me. It’s my dad again. I turned the ringer off because I just didn’t want to deal with the calls.
“If that’s the case, then I wish there was some way to put the noise inside my head on silent mode,” I admit, and then, wanting to escape this conversation as well, I grab my phone. “Lilly, I need to take this. Please excuse me for a second.”
I slip away to a quiet corner of the café where I’m sure no one can overhear. Taking a deep breath, I pick up.
“Quinn.” Dad’s voice is more serious than I’ve ever heard in my whole life.
“Hey,” I croak.
“Where are you? We need to talk.”
“I’m with a friend at the moment—”
“Quinn, this has gone on long enough. I’m waiting for you in the hotel lobby, and I’m not leaving until we talk.”
And then, for the first time in my life, he hangs up on me.
I sigh.
I knew this was coming, and it’s time to stop running from my dad.
After a hurried apology to Lilly, I make my way back to the hotel.
Sure enough, there he is, waiting for me at the bar.
I reluctantly take a seat next to him.
He’s seething.
Suddenly, it’s like I’m ten years old again, about to get scolded for not doing my homework in time.
“What were you thinking, Quinn? You’re far too bright to be involving yourself in relationships that you have no business being in.”
His words sting.
I don’t like admitting it, but validation from my dad has always meant a lot for me. The disappointment dripping from his tone feels even worse than him telling me off.
“I just…” I sigh, letting my shoulders fall. “I didn’t know he was your friend, Dad. I wouldn’t have pursued this if I did.”
“Even if he wasn’t. In what world is it okay for you to be with someone who’s that much older than you?”
“It just happened, and—”
“This is all because of the divorce. You’re not thinking straight. This is just a rebound for you.”
This was not just a rebound. Enzo meant a lot more to me than that.
“Dad…”
“Getting involved with someone who’s that much older cannot be good, for either of you.”
Yes, it is. We have a lot in common. I can talk to him for hours. He makes me feel something I was sure I’d never get to experience again. We have something, even if you don’t understand it.
I bite my tongue, knowing better than to say anything.
“You just signed your divorce papers. The last thing you should be thinking of is another relationship that will leave both of you hurt. What happened to the Quinn I know? The one who was driven by her career and goals?”
“I’m still the same Quinn, Dad. Why would my being with Enzo change who I am?”
“ Because it does. You are too young to realize the repercussions of a relationship like this.”
“I’m not a child anymore, in case you haven’t noticed. I’m twenty-seven.”
He shakes his head. “What did you think would come out of this? Did you think he was going to marry you?”
I open my mouth to respond, but truthfully, I don’t know what to say to that.
He knows he’s made his point.
“I think you need to put some distance between the both of you. Go home, Quinn. This needs to end before either of you gets hurt.”
His words killed any remaining illusion or hope I had remaining for Enzo and me.
I nod.
If he’s surprised by how easily I agreed, he doesn’t let it know. Instead, he tightens his jaw.
“Good. Once you leave here, we can forget this whole thing ever happened.”
On paper, it sounds easy enough. I forget about Enzo, and my dad buries the awkwardness of discovering his daughter kissing his friend.
But my heart shatters at the thought.
I force a thick swallow, fixing my gaze on the counter.
“I’ll see you when you’re back home again.” He gets up to leave.
“Fine,” I sigh, and watch his retreating figure until he exits the hotel.
I’m get on my phone, searching for the next flight back.
My dad is right, as much as I hate to admit it.
It’s not like Enzo is ever going to marry me or give me a serious commitment. I should cut my losses and focus on my real life.
“Whoa, was that the mystery man?” Lilly says from behind me.
“What are you doing back at the hotel?” I ask as she takes a seat next to me.
“Well, you kind of left me all by myself.” She laughs. “It got a bit embarrassing to just eat alone, so I packed up our food and just came back. Nice dodge, by the way.”
“What?” I shoot her a look.
“The man who just left your side, looking quite pissed, might I add. Is that him?”
“Lilly, that was my dad.”
“Oh.” She flushes. “God, I thought… Ugh, sorry for assuming like that.”
“Yeah, we sort of crossed paths since he’s here on a trip himself.”
“You should invite him to some of the events.”
I can’t even begin to explain how bad of an idea that would be. Having Enzo and my dad in the same room together once again. The thought alone is enough to make me cringe.
“Actually, I’m thinking of heading back home.”
“What? We still have a week.”
“I know, but I have enough content from here and I have people waiting to talk to me back home.” I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “It was fun while it lasted, though.”
“At least stay for the launch tomorrow. Valentino has been hyping it up ever since we came here. What’s the point of you coming all this way if you miss the main highlight?”
It would be good for my engagement, and that was what my plan was all along, right? To further my career.
“I’ll see if I can get a flight for late night tomorrow,” I tell her, and her face lights up.
“Thank god. It would have been awful if you missed it.”
My gaze dips to the takeaway boxes in her hands. “I think I’ll leave you to enjoy your food now. See you tomorrow.”
One more day here.
Engagement.
That’s why I was doing this.
And well, one final chance to see Enzo. We never said goodbye, and I know if I don’t, it’ll haunt me forever.
My phone buzzes again.
Liam.
“You know.” I pick up, at the edge of my patience, “If you don’t quit this, I’ll file for stalking and harassment.”
“Is that what he told you to say? I’m sure he must be giving you all sorts of advice.”
“What the hell are you even talking about?”
“Typical Quinn. Always playing innocent, like she has no idea what’s happening.”
My mind races for a moment. There’s no way that Liam knows about Enzo. He’s bluffing just to get a reaction out of me, he has to be.
“I don’t have the time for your stupid games—”
“Stop it, Quinn. I saw the video. It’s the first result on that stupid TikTok app when you search your name.”
My heart races. “What video?”
“Always so fucking naive—”
I hang up before he can get another word in.
My heart is pounding, and I open the app to see what he’s talking about myself.
#quinn
My phone nearly falls out from my hands.
There’s a video of Enzo and me, shot from far away, but zoomed in enough to be clear what’s happening.
We’re kissing, and his hands slip down to my backside before it cuts off.
What the fuck?