Chapter 16
Flynn’s phone chimes, and he grins, reading the message that has to be from Alana, considering the look on his face, before he types out a response.
“What’s going on at girls’ night?” Eli asks, tipping his chin at Flynn’s phone, a huge smile on his face.
Flynn laughs, putting his phone back in his pocket. “Oh no, this is between me and my girl,” he says, turning to me. “Although, if I read between the lines of the message she just sent me, I’d say they’re talking about sex.”
“Nice,” Eli says, laughing. “Maybe we need to go over there.”
“I’m sure Kai would like to go over there,” Miles says, a grin on his face.
“Why would I want to go hang at girls’ night with all of your girlfriends?” I ask, taking a swig of my now-empty beer.
Owen laughs, shaking his head as he puts a hand on his cousin’s shoulder, standing and heading into the kitchen to grab us some more beers.
“Um, I don’t know,” my brother mocks. “Because Quinn’s there.”
Eli lets out another laugh, shaking his head as he says, “Man, you have it bad for that girl.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” Miles chimes in.
I flip him off as Owen hands me a beer and says, “You totally do.”
Flynn’s phone chimes with another text message, and he pulls it from his pocket again. “Want me to ask if Quinn’s trying to decide if she wants to have sex with you?” he asks.
“What the fuck, no!” I say, before pausing, wondering if maybe I should find out if that’s what she’s doing.
She literally told me once that she really wants to fuck me, but it’s not like she’s done anything about it.
She hasn’t taken me up on any of my half-joking offers either.
So I’m not sure if she does or she doesn’t, or she’s just not sure herself.
So maybe getting Flynn to find out wouldn’t be a bad idea?
Fuck.
Miles laughs, shoving me a little as he says, “Definitely ask that. Hell, I’ll text Daze and ask her if you want.”
Flynn laughs, typing out a message as he says, “I got it.”
“I literally hate all of you,” I mutter.
“Nah, you just hate that we’re all right,” Nate chimes in.
“Seriously, you too?” I ask him. Nate just grins and shrugs, and I point a finger and say, “You’ve changed, dude, and I totally blame it on you falling in love with Sage.”
He laughs now, shaking his head as he says, “I am in love with her, and you know what? Life is fucking great because of it. Maybe you should try it.”
“Oh my god, all of you need to leave,” I say, as Flynn’s phone pings again.
“Well, holy shit,” he says, laughing a little as he reads the message.
“What?” I ask before I can stop myself. Beside me, Miles sniggers, and I reach over and punch his arm.
“They are definitely talking about sex,” Flynn says.
“And?” Miles prompts.
“And that’s all I got,” he says as he types out a response to Alana.
“Seriously,” my brother asks, leaning over to look at Flynn’s screen. “That’s a long ass message. What else did she say?”
“Yeah, nope, the rest of that message is for my eyes only,” Flynn says with a grin.
“Fine, I’m asking Daze,” my brother responds, grabbing his phone off the table. I watch as he types out a message and then waits, his eyes on the screen. When it eventually vibrates, he scans the screen, a small smile on his face.
“And?” I ask.
Miles laughs, looking up at me as he says, “I’m not getting much because apparently girls’ night is for girls only. But I can confirm the sex talk, and yep, Quinn is a participant.”
“Well, well, well,” Eli says, nudging my leg with his foot. “Maybe you haven’t been friend-zoned after all?” I shoot him a look that only makes him laugh harder. “What?” he asks. “You wanna go out and pick up right now, take your mind off your friend who you wish wasn’t just your friend?”
“No, I do not want to go out and pick up,” I say.
“Because he wants Quinn,” Miles says at the same time as Eli says, “Because you want Quinn.”
This cracks everyone but me up, and it’s the last straw as I throw a hand up and say, “Fine, I do want her, okay? Can you blame me? She’s hot as fuck and funny as hell. So yeah, I like her. What’s the big fucking deal?”
Beside me, Miles does a slow clap, a huge shit-eating grin on his face. “Finally, he admits it.”
“That’s rich coming from you, bro.”
He laughs. “Whatever.”
The rest of my friends are all grinning too, and I know my admission is going to be an endless source of amusement for them. Fuck it, I don’t care because it’s the truth. I do like Quinn. Like her in ways I’ve never liked any woman before.
And yeah, it might scare the shit out of me—something I’m not about to admit to these shitheads—but that doesn’t mean I’m going to back away from it either. I just need to ride it out, wait for these feelings to go away or whatever. Then I’ll be fine.
“So does this mean I’ve lost my wingman?” Eli asks, taking a sip of beer.
“No, Maverick, it does not mean that,” I say, even though picking up random girls is the last thing I’m thinking about.
“Sure it doesn’t,” he replies sarcastically.
The next day, I surf in the morning before heading into The Pipe Dream to pick up some designs Nate’s been working on.
He’s grinning like an idiot when I walk in, Sage beside him, oblivious, I hope, to what was discussed between the guys last night. Although knowing Nate, I doubt he’s managed to keep his mouth shut.
“Morning,” he says, holding out his fist for a bump.
“Morning,” I reply before turning to Sage. “Hey.”
“Hey, Kai,” she says, a smile on her face that tells me I’m right. Nate didn’t keep his mouth shut. “Good night last night?” she asks.
I roll my eyes as I point a finger at Nate and say, “Like this guy didn’t tell you everything, I’m sure.”
She shrugs, all coy and shit as she says, “I don’t know anything except that you lot were apparently very interested in what we were talking about. Or maybe a certain someone in particular.”
“Nope,” I say, shaking my head. “I just hope Quinn had a good time hanging out with you girls. She needs some friends here.”
“She has you,” Sage says, still smiling.
“Yes, she does,” I confirm. “Now, am I picking up these designs or what?”
Nate laughs, reaching under the counter for a rolled-up tube of paper. “Jesus, not like you to be in such a hurry,” he says, hitting the tube against my arm. “Normally, you love to stand around and gossip.”
“Gossip, pfft, whatever,” I say, grabbing the tube. “So, this is the two new designs for the Brinkley order and the final design that Flynn’s settled on, right?”
“Yep,” Nate replies, crossing his arms over his chest as he grins at me.
Sage is doing the same thing, and even though I know exactly what this is about, I still ask, “What?”
Sage glances at Nate, her smile widening as she turns back to me and says, “You know, today is Quinn’s first day at work. Maybe you should drop by, see how she’s doing?”
“Maybe you should take her out for lunch?” Nate chimes in.
“Or book a massage?” Sage suggests.
“Okay, I love you both, but seriously, you can both fuck off,” I say, hitting them with a look. “Quinn and I are friends. That’s all.”
“Sure you are,” Nate replies, chuckling.
I give him a whack on the top of his head with the tube of his designs. “I’m outta here. Later, you two,” I say before turning and walking out of the shop.
I spend the rest of the day at the workshop, helping Dad with the boards. Thankfully, my brother isn’t working today, which means I’m saved from getting more shit about me and Quinn.
Even though I’m not about to deny I like her—hell, I outright admitted it last night—it doesn’t mean I want to discuss it with anyone. I barely understand what it is I feel for Quinn, and regardless of what it is, she’s not interested anyway.
She just left a shitty marriage to a fucking rock star. She’s left her home, her job and her friends and run away to Hawaii. The last thing she wants is a hook-up, no matter if we have both admitted we’re attracted to each other.
I don’t do relationships either, so there’s that.
My phone chimes with a text just as I’m finishing up with a board. Grabbing it from the bench, I smile when I see it’s a message from Quinn. A reply to the message I’d sent her this morning wishing her a good first day before I went out for a surf.
Quinn: So my day was busy, but really great. Owen’s family is AMAZING to work for and Sloane was there too, which helped. We had lunch together and Owen dropped by and it was just a really great day. Thank you for making this happen.
I type out a response.
Me: You’re the one who made it happen – just glad I could help and glad you had a good day. You wanna grab some dinner?
I stand, watching my phone screen, the small dots that tell me she’s typing popping up on the screen before finally, a message comes through.
Quinn: Sure, that would be great. I need to go home and shower first.
Me: Want some company?
I’m being cheeky, and I’m pretty sure Quinn knows that, but I quickly type out another message.
Me: Offer’s always there...but I’ll swing by and pick you up in like 30 mins?
Quinn: See you then.
I do the same and head home to take a quick shower. Thankfully, Eli is at work, so I don’t have to deal with his bullshit, which essentially continued all night last night, even after the guys left.
When I’m done, I drive over to Quinn’s rental place to find her waiting on the front porch for me, sitting in one of the old wooden chairs.
“Hey,” I say as I climb the front steps. “You look nice.”
She smiles, standing from the chair, and I automatically move in to give her a hug, which she reciprocates as she says, “I feel exhausted after today, but in that good way.”
“You sure you want to go out?” I ask. “We can just order in if you prefer?”
She shakes her head. “Nah, I’m good. Let’s go out. Staying in will make me feel old.”
I grin as I guide her down the stairs with my hand on her lower back, and we head to my car. “That reminds me, your birthday is coming up, right?”
Quinn glances up at me, a surprised look on her face. “You remembered that?”
Chuckling, I open the car door for her. “Of course I do,” I say as she slides into the passenger seat. “I have a thing for older women, remember?” I add with a wink before shutting the door.
I walk around to my side of the car, watching Quinn the whole time. She has a look on her face that’s half surprise, half something else, and once again, I’m reminded of just how much I like hanging out with her.
And how I really want to know what they were talking about last night.
“So,” I start as I get into the driver’s side, “You ready?”