Chapter 12
I could really get used to this, Q thought as he changed from his jeans into a tailored suit.
“Whatever you say, Marcus.”
God, she was sweet. Not the obstinate, headstrong girl she’d always seemed like before.
She had grown up somewhere along the line, and he’d missed that somehow. Just like he’d almost missed his shot altogether.
Tuesday. Fucking Tuesday.
She would have moved on with her life if he hadn’t pulled his head out of his ass. He had the Almighty to thank for that one. Big time. Without that dream … he didn’t even want to think about it.
He buttoned one button of his suit jacket and combed his hair.
Now he just had to figure out where he could take her that was quiet enough to get to know her better and also keep his hands off her.
There was part of him that had expected to send her running for the hills today. He figured if she only had girlish fantasies about him, his family was the biggest dose of reality imaginable. And if she couldn’t handle them, that was that.
But that wasn’t at all what had happened.
He could still hear the most shocking words of his life coming out of her lips. “Nothing has ever sounded quite so good in my life as you bringing me home to your parents pregnant.”
Never in a million years had he expected Flynn to say something like that.
And what was more, his finely tuned bullshit meter had said she meant it.
That might be turning out to be his favorite part about her—she was honest and real.
And she thought having my babies sounded like a good idea.
How things had changed so much in the last eighteen or so hours, he had no idea. But clearly, he had been on a deadline he hadn’t known about.
Thank God someone had.
Now where to take her? Not to a club. Too loud. Not to a restaurant. They just ate …
Then it hit him. The perfect spot. He picked up his phone to make a call. A few taps on the screen, and it was ringing.
“What can I do for you this lovely Sunday, Q?”
“I hope I’m not bothering you.”
“I wouldn’t have answered if you were.”
Q laughed at Cannon Freeman’s honesty.
“You got a small, private room free at Upper Ten that I can use this evening?”
“Of course. Special occasion?”
“First date.”
“No shit. You? I heard you never date.”
“Rumors and hearsay.”
“Sure … I trust my source. Your sister keeps turning down my offers to come work for me.”
“You seriously are still trying to poach my sister? That’s cold, man.”
“She’s an amazing manager. I’d be a fool not to recruit Zoe.”
“Still cold, Freeman.”
“Eh. Call it business. I won’t be there, but I’ll tell Horatio to give you the blue room. It’s reserved for special guests.”
“I’m honored.”
“We’re honored to host Marcus Quinterro’s first date in half a lifetime.”
“Shit, it hasn’t been that long.”
“Not according to what Zoe said. Either way, would I know her?” Cannon asked, and Marcus was reminded that men gossiped just as much as women sometimes.
He started to say, No, she’s too young for someone like you to know. But he paused. Freeman knew a lot of people who had money in this city.
“You might. Her name is Flynn Elliott. She and Gabe’s wife were stepsisters when their parents were married.”
“Scarlett’s little stepsister …” he mused, as if trying to place her. “Antoinette Gambit-Elliott-Malone’s daughter?”
Marcus laughed. “Fuck, maybe. How many times has the woman been married?”
“Five, I think, but even she won’t hyphenate them all.”
“Sounds about right.”
“She was married to Lawrence Priest for a minute. Everyone knew that wouldn’t last. He’s a tool. She’s a … piece of work.” He paused. “You sure you want to get involved with that family?”
“Flynn’s not close to her mom,” he said, wondering exactly what Freeman knew that he didn’t.
“Not surprising. Don’t know how you could be close to a viper. I’d steer clear if I were you. She’s a gold digger to the core with a heart of ice.”
“Flynn’s no gold digger. No wonder she said her parenting plan would be to do the opposite of everything her mom did.”
“I thought this was a first date? You knock her up?”
“No. We were just talking about what we wanted out of life.”
But damn if he didn’t want to see her glowing pregnant with his baby.
Although this news about her mother gave him pause.
Then again, he’d seen Flynn’s glassy eyes when she talked about how amazing his family was.
He realized he had two choices. He could run because of the hand she’d been dealt, or he could give her what she’d never had.
“Ahhh. Gotcha. So, you’re talking serious shit here.”
“Time will tell, Freeman. Time will tell.”
“Then here’s hoping the apple fell way far from the tree. Good luck. Blue room is yours tonight. I just texted Horatio. She might even be impressed.”
“Thanks, Cannon. I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me anything. Happy to do it, Q. You deserve a good woman. It’s life-altering. Catch ya later.”
Cannon hung up, and Marcus stared at his phone.
The possibilities that lay before him with Flynn were potentially life-changing. But a viper for a mother-in-law … that was not something he’d considered. No wonder she liked his family so much, even with the million questions she’d handled like a champ.
And she’d straight up said she didn’t want to be like her mother. That was enough for him for now.
He checked the time on his phone. Twenty minutes. He had better get a move on.