14. Quinn
14
QUINN
Q uinn went through the rest of the evening in a haze, listening to their mothers talk, snuggling with Zandy, and glancing down at the ring on her finger every once in a while.
It’s a perfect fit…
It wasn’t just the size either, everything about the ring looked like it belonged on her finger.
I’d better not get too attached.
But that was a ridiculous notion, because she was already attached—not to the twinkling diamond, but to the little girl dozing off in her arms, and to Beau, who sat as proudly beside her as if they were really engaged, chatting with her parents and glancing over at her every once in a while with an expression that felt almost… possessive.
When Mom and Anne-Marie hopped up to clear the coffee and pie plates, Beau followed, yelling out that he had dibs on the dessert dishes.
“Hey,” Dad said softly, a funny expression on his face.
She’d noticed that he’d been tapping the table lightly with his fingertips for a while now. It wasn’t like him to get impatient at a gathering, but she figured this one had been going on a while, and maybe he was just eager to get home to bed.
“How are you doing?” he asked her.
She blinked at him. It was an odd question, given that he’d been sitting next to her all night, and that she and Beau had just announced their engagement.
“I’m… great,” she whispered back weakly.
She reached down and stroked Zandy’s silky hair, her hand automatically cupping her little head protectively.
This part is great, at least…
“I have to ask...” he began.
But before he had a chance, Mom and Anne-Marie burst out of the kitchen, laughing and looking like they were happy enough to float as they seated themselves at the table again.
“What did you want to ask about?” Quinn offered.
“Later,” he said, shaking his head like it was nothing, but still half-frowning nonetheless.
An uncomfortable feeling went down her spine, like she was a kid again, getting in trouble for coming home late without calling.
Does he not like Beau? Who wouldn’t like Beau? He’s just such a nice guy.
Quinn realized that she was feeling awfully defensive over her pretend fiancé and tried to clear her mind. Probably Dad just wanted to ask her something about work or Christmas plans. She didn’t have anything to worry about.
A few minutes later, Beau came out of the kitchen, wiping his wet hands on his jeans and smiling like a conquering hero.
She couldn’t help smiling back at him. Only Beau Wilson could feel so triumphant about doing the dishes that his smile was infectious.
“I guess I need to get her home to bed,” he murmured, bending to stroke Zandy’s hair, just as Quinn had a moment ago.
“Sure,” Quinn said, feeling her cheeks heat again as she breathed in his scent. “I should head home too.”
Am I ever going to be able to be around this man without blushing like a schoolgirl?
“Let me take this little lady, so you two can say a proper goodbye,” Anne-Marie said, hopping up and lifting Zandy off Quinn’s lap.
“ No ,” Zandy murmured sleepily.
“It’s okay. We’ll see each other on the farm,” Quinn reminded her. “And remember, we’re going to go see the ballet next weekend. It’s going to be so much fun.”
Zandy gave her a dreamy smile, and Quinn couldn’t resist grabbing that little hand and giving it a squeeze before she got up.
“Mom, Dad, do you guys need a hand with anything?” she asked.
“No, no,” Mom said right away. “I think we’ll stay with Anne-Marie for just a few more minutes—you know, just to discuss wedding things.”
“Nothing too fancy,” Quinn said, feeling her stomach twist at the idea that they were all so excited.
“We know, we know,” Anne-Marie teased. “You two just want to get married as soon as possible and start your lives together.”
Mom chuckled, and Quinn could only smile, glad that they were happy.
Too bad none of it is real…
But there was no point thinking along those lines. Life marched on, and so many things were going her way right now that she knew it didn’t make sense to be greedy.
She headed into the living room, where Beau waited for her by the front door, her coat in his hands.
Don’t think about this…
She moved toward him and let him hold the coat as she slid into it.
“I’ll walk you out,” he murmured, opening the front door and letting in a swirl of frosty air.
Quinn stepped out onto the porch, letting the cool air clear her mind. The familiar sight of the trees on the hillside warmed her chest and reminded her what this was all for.
What they were doing might be a little crazy, but it made sense. Or it would make sense, years from now. By the time those baby trees in the valley were grown, no one would remember that Quinn Allen had once been briefly married to Beau Wilson.
“That went well.” Beau’s deep voice roused her from her thoughts.
“I think so too,” she said, turning to him.
He was standing so close that she didn’t finish her thought, just looked up at him, feeling like a deer in the headlights.
His eyes flashed and his jaw rippled as he gazed down at her.
“They’re watching us,” he murmured.
She flicked her gaze to the window. Sure enough, both of their mothers practically had their noses pressed to the glass.
“Eyes on me,” he growled.
She obeyed immediately, feeling her cheeks heat as she gazed into his eyes, in spite of the cold November air.
“You know what they’re expecting to see, right?” he asked her.
She nodded, unable to reply. But the answer was obvious.
“Are you ready?” he asked her. “We don’t have to, if you’re not.”
“I’m ready,” she told him, feeling like the last of the air was leaving her lungs with those words.
She expected him to grab her dramatically and maybe kiss her hard, to prove that their feelings were real. She didn’t exactly have a lot of kissing experience, but she braced herself and hoped for the best.
So, when he reached out as tenderly as if he were nudging the snow off a tiny sapling and cupped her cheek in his hand, her breath caught in her throat.
Then his Caribbean blue eyes slid down to her mouth.
Quinn’s heart was beating so hard that she swore he could hear it as he bent and pressed his lips to hers, softly at first, and then with a gentle pressure that made her knees wobble.
Her eyelids fluttered shut and she was overcome with peace and longing at the same time, the emotions each so strong that she wasn’t sure if she would laugh or cry when he let her go.
“Wow,” Beau murmured as he pulled back.
His eyes were brighter now, as if their kiss had electrified them, and she got a feeling in her chest like a million tiny bubbles were dancing and shimmying their way to the surface.
He felt it too…
“I should go,” Quinn heard herself chirp frantically. “This was great—the night I mean—a great chance for our families to get together…”
Her nervous babbling was cut short by the sound of the front door opening.
“Quinn,” her dad said gruffly. “I’ll walk you to the cabin.”
“You don’t have to do that, Dad,” she told him.
“Humor an old man,” he said firmly.
“All right,” she said, all the bubbles in her chest going flat at once. “Thanks.”
“I can take her, sir,” Beau said. “If my mom doesn’t mind keeping an eye on Zandy.”
“No, no,” Dad said, not even making eye contact with poor Beau, who looked like he felt bad for not thinking of walking Quinn home himself, though they were safely on the family farm and it was a walk she took herself multiple times each day.
“See you tomorrow,” Quinn said to Beau, giving him a little wave.
“Bye, Quinn,” he replied, his eyes softening as he took her in.
“Ready?” Dad asked from the top of the porch steps.
“Sure, of course,” she said, jogging over.
She was getting that feeling again, like when she was a little girl and he’d marched her up to her room to think about whatever mischief she had gotten into. But he didn’t tell her what was wrong, or start making a vague speech, like he had done when she was a kid.
Dad’s vague speeches were excellent. He always made her think—not just about whatever she had done wrong, but anything else she might be thinking of doing wrong in the future.
And because he didn’t spoon-feed her a lecture or consequence, she had to do the hard work on her own. She liked to think he had made her a better person.
Would a better person be doing this?
“I know what’s going on,” he said suddenly, his deep voice slicing the cold night air as soon as they got far enough from the big house that it was clear no one inside could hear.
I guess I don’t get a vague speech tonight.
She turned to him, wondering how he could possibly know anything. But, in classic Dad fashion, he didn’t elaborate—just waited for a confession.
“What do you mean?” she hedged.
“There are a lot of reasons this engagement makes no sense,” Dad said.
“What reasons?” Quinn heard herself ask.
After Mom’s comments about how popular Beau had been, Dad had made it clear he thought Quinn was plenty good enough for him. It hurt to feel that he was now basically walking it back. Or maybe he’d thought Beau might take her out a few times, but not get serious about her?
“The first one to come to mind is the proposal itself,” Dad said.
“You weren’t there for it,” Quinn said automatically. “It was very romantic.”
Dad stopped in his tracks and turned to Quinn.
“Your story was. But you and I both know that boy is too much of a gentleman to propose to you without asking your mother and me for our blessing,” he said simply. “There’s something else going on here. And I just want you to know that I’m here to help you. You don’t have to get caught up in… whatever this is.”
“That’s a very old-fashioned attitude,” Quinn said, hating herself for it. “I’m not some object he’s borrowing from my parents. I’m a person—an adult woman who can make her own decisions.”
“Don’t I know it?” Dad said, shaking his head and giving her a wry half-smile. “I just hope you’re making the right one now, sweetheart. You know I’ve got your back no matter what. Right?”
She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat and nodded, pressing her lips together to keep herself from giving him anything more to worry about.