Chapter Five
CHAPTER FIVE
‘Hello, love.’ Quinn rolled out her mat alongside Hugo’s. ‘Where’s our sunshine girl this morning?’
‘In bed with the blackout drapes drawn,’ he replied. ‘She’s sleeping off those spicy margs.’ Hugo folded over and stretched his lower back. ‘Plus, I’m giving her a break. She’s in a dark place right now.’
‘Why do you keep saying that? What’s the crisis?’
‘Didn’t she tell you?’ Hugo asked. ‘You looked so cosy yesterday. I thought you’d be trading secrets by now.’
Quinn realized how little she and Kya knew about each other. They’d cracked jokes, exchanged barbs, but they hadn’t exactly talked about anything deep.
‘What is it? A bad break-up?’
‘Kind of. She was fired.’
‘Oh, no!’
‘By email.’
‘What?!’
‘While on PTO.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Paid time off.’
‘You mean paid holiday?’
‘I mean they waited until her plane reached cruising altitude before shooting off the email telling her never to come back.’
‘You’re joking, mate!’
‘I wish.’
‘So, Saturday night …’
‘She was a mess,’ Hugo said, confirming Quinn’s suspicions. ‘I probably shouldn’t have forced her to leave the house. She only got the news the day before.’
‘Jesus!’
Hugo rolled his shapely shoulders back. ‘I know … Adrian is pissed.’
Over the years, Quinn had lost more jobs than she could remember. It wasn’t easy, holding steady employment while juggling gigs. Back then the goal was to achieve financial freedom. She’d met that goal, and would never again apply, interview, and submit to a corporation. She sensed Kya was cut from a different cloth. She ran a LinkedIn group entirely dedicated to a desk job. It must have been a devastating blow.
‘Will she be okay?’
‘She’ll survive.’
Survivor.
‘She had a good time last night,’ Hugo said. ‘You hanging out with her made all the difference. Thanks for that.’
‘Don’t thank me,’ Quinn said. ‘I enjoyed it.’
Kya was sharp and funny. Quinn hadn’t yet figured her out, and that kept things interesting.
‘In that case, could you hang out with her today?’ Hugo asked. ‘Mondays are busy for Adrian and me; we won’t be home until late. I hate to think of her alone.’
Quinn hesitated. Her Mondays were free, always. It was one of the perks of being her own boss. Even so, she had stuff to do, mainly laundry. Plus, Ivy was coming around for a mini jam session later in the day. It had been a while since they’d spent time together.
‘We’ll see,’ Quinn said, keeping her tone noncommittal. But by the time they wrapped up the 7 a.m. power yoga class, she’d made up her mind.
Quinn stood outside the door of the white villa, phone in hand, finger hovering over the play button. She rang the bell. No answer. She knocked twice. From deep inside the house, Kya cried, ‘Just a second!’
It took quite a few seconds. When the door finally swung open, Quinn was unprepared for those dark eyes boring into her. Bold, beautiful, deadly Kya. If she had to guess, she’d dressed hastily to answer the door. Her long braids spilled messily past her narrow waist. She wore a wrinkled white tee over a pair of cotton boxer shorts. Her clothes looked soft, but everything about her had a slight edge.
‘Hi,’ she said, hesitant. ‘If you’re here for Hugo, he’s not home.’
Quinn hit play and raised her phone high above her head, in classic John Cusack fashion. The chorus of ‘Survivor’ poured out of the phone’s speaker.
‘What are you doing?’ Kya cried, alarmed.
‘Pardon?’ Quinn shouted through laughter.
‘I said—’
Quinn cut the music and lowered her arms. ‘I heard you the first time.’
‘Is this a prank?’ she asked, eyes darting around to catch an accomplice hiding in the bushes.
‘It’s a joke, Kya. Can you take a joke?’
‘Not before coffee. I just rolled out of bed.’
‘Those signature drinks at Golden Hour are lethal. I never touch the stuff.’
‘That was information I could have used last night.’
‘Could you let me in? It’s tough work standing in the sun with your arms held high. Remind me never to do it again.’
Kya moved aside. Quinn stepped into the hallway. The chilled air felt good on her warm skin. ‘Next, you’ll offer me a glass of water.’
‘I have manners!’ Kya protested. ‘I’m surprised to see you, that’s all.’
‘Should I go?’
‘No.’ She swiftly shut the door. It seemed to Quinn that if she could barricade it, she would. ‘It’s a nice surprise.’
‘I’m a nice person,’ Quinn assured her. ‘But listen, you need a coffee and I need a glass of water. Can we take this convo to the kitchen?’
‘Follow me.’
Kya led her through the chicest living room, Palm Spring vibes for days. ‘God! This place is stunning.’
Kya glanced over her shoulder. ‘Is this your first time here?’
‘I was at the housewarming party a few months back.’ Quinn pointed to a bottle of gin displayed in a Lucite bar cart. ‘That’s my gift!’
Kya appraised the bottle. ‘Good choice.’
Quinn took in the gauzy floor-to-ceiling curtains. ‘It looked nothing like this back then. I love what they’ve done to it.’
‘This is Hugo’s handiwork,’ Kya said. ‘My brother had nothing to do with this.’
In the fresh, all-white kitchen, Kya poured her a glass of water. ‘Ice?’
‘No, thanks.’
‘You sure?’ Kya asked. ‘Hugo makes the fancy kind, with fruit and edible flowers. It’s his new thing.’
‘Lovely. No all the same.’
‘Will you have a coffee?’
‘Never touch the stuff.’
‘Of course. Tea? All we have is chamomile.’
‘Water is fine. Thanks.’
Kya loaded a fancy espresso machine, working fast as if at gunpoint.
‘Do I make you nervous?’ Quinn asked.
She slammed a tin of coffee beans onto the immaculate counter. ‘What do you think? You haven’t told me why you’re here.’
‘Let me clear up the mystery. I’m here to take you out.’
Kya eyed her. ‘Out where?’
‘Outside.’
‘What for?’
‘Are you always like this?’ Quinn asked. ‘I’m not here to kidnap you. Hugo asked me to get you out of the house today, and here I am.’
‘I don’t need a babysitter.’
‘Consider me your fairy godmother, here to lift your spirits, draw you out of the darkness.’
‘I don’t need one of those, either. I’m not afraid of the dark.’
Kya pressed a button and the espresso machine sputtered to life. She then moved on to froth milk, but the frother thing wasn’t cooperating. The clamour didn’t discourage Quinn. ‘Have a coffee and get dressed. I don’t have all day.’
‘If you’re so busy, don’t let me keep you. I’m not leaving this house.’
‘I’m not leaving this house without you, so it’s up to you. Choose your own adventure.’
Kya dropped the frother in the sink. ‘Why are you so committed to this? What’s in it for you?’
Quinn shrugged. ‘I owe Hugo a favour.’
Kya poured herself a messy cappuccino. ‘He won’t blame you. He knows me. I’ll tell him you put up a good fight, but eventually gave up.’
‘He knows me ,’ Quinn said. ‘He knows I don’t give up.’
Right then, a floppy-eared dachshund burst into the kitchen on stubby legs, pink tongue dangling from the side of its mouth. At the sight of it, Quinn could’ve burst with joy. ‘What a cutie! Who’s this?’
Kya reached down and scooped up the dog. ‘This is Lucky,’ she said, scratching behind her long, floppy ears.
‘Named after the Britney Spears classic bop?’ Quinn teased.
‘Very funny,’ Kya said. ‘She’s named after St Lucia, where our family is from. She’s Adrian’s baby, and my emotional support animal for the week.’
‘She’s adorable.’
Kya gulped her coffee. ‘Want to hold her while I shower and change out of my pyjamas? Can’t go out looking like this.’
‘You’re coming, then?’ Quinn asked, startling.
‘Yes, I’ll come,’ she said. ‘Stop smiling like that. Just take the win.’
‘I’ll take the cute dog, instead.’ Quinn held out her arms, eager to cradle her new little friend. ‘Now hand her over.’