Chapter Five #2
“Thanks, Ken.” Meggie smiled a little self-consciously as Jill eyed her knowingly.
After placing the items in brown bags, Ken accepted Meggie’s check. “Is everything correct?” he questioned as he circled the
informational portion of the check.
Nonplussed by Jill’s glances and attitude, Meggie blurted out, “No, my phone number’s been changed.”
Practiced fingers recorded the new number at the top of the check. When he glanced up he gave her a bright smile. “I’ll help
you out with these.”
“That’s not necessary,” Meggie said quickly. Jill was leaning against the counter, a thumb tucked into the loop of her jeans,
a mocking smile twisting her mouth.
Ken handed Meggie the bag. “See you next week then.”
“Good-bye, Ken, thanks,” she murmured in an uncomfortable voice.
“See,” Jill insisted with a smirk on the way out the door. “That guy’s sweet on you.” With an upward sweep of her chin she
batted her eyelashes at Meggie innocently. “Don’t be so naive, Meggie dear.”
“Will you stop,” Meggie snapped impatiently. “You’re like a bulldog who’s got a hold of something and won’t let go.”
Hurt and surprise showed in Jill’s eyes and she closed her mouth, pressing her lips together until they formed a tight line.
She didn’t say another word the entire way home.
She sulked in the living room while Meggie put the groceries away. Several times Meggie paused, glancing into the other room
where Jill was watching television. Letting out her breath slowly to calm her nerves, Meggie silently berated herself for
reacting angrily to Jill’s teasing. That was all it had been, she realized that now. Why should she expect a thirteen-year-old
to behave like a mature adult? Jill was only acting her age. Meggie should have been more tolerant. By making a fuss she had
inflicted another wound in Jill’s already deflated ego.
She sauntered into the living room, the perm box in her hand. “Why don’t you wash your hair while I read over the perm instructions,”
Meggie suggested after a bit.
Jill glanced away from the television and shrugged. Sluggishly she rose from the chair as if it required an extraordinary
amount of effort and walked out of the apartment.
Ten minutes later she was back, a towel wrapped around her head turban-style. Sitting at the kitchen table, Meggie looked
up.
“I hope you’re ready for this,” she commented with a cheerful smile. “Remember I don’t offer any guarantees. You could end
up looking like Lassie.”
Unconcerned, Jill sat in the chair opposite Meggie and slumped forward. “Even that would be an improvement.”
Meggie smiled, unwrapping the towel from the girl’s head. “Do you want me to trim off the ends a little?”
Jill’s eyes met hers speculatively. “Whatever you think,” she remarked without enthusiasm.
After running the comb through the long hair and carefully studying its texture, Meggie began working. She’d cut off about
an inch of the blonde length and was putting the hair into tiny curlers when there was a sharp rap at the door.
Before Meggie could respond, Quinn walked boldly into the apartment. His eyes held an unfriendly light.
“I thought I told you to always keep this door locked. Phone calls or not, it’s simple common sense these days.”
Meggie opened and closed her mouth without saying a word. “Yes, Your Highness.” She curtsied mockingly. She chose to make
a joke of it, or would have reacted angrily.
The apartment door was always locked, it was second nature to her; Jill had been the last one in the apartment. But Meggie
gladly accepted the blame, rather than tell Quinn his daughter had left the door unlocked.
“Hi, Dad.” The soft, young features smiled eagerly.
Quinn ignored Jill. “Don’t laugh this off, Meggie. Promise me that from now on you’ll keep the door locked . . . always.”
Their eyes dueled, his dark ones sparking with anger, her softer ones indulging him.
“Meggie, I’m serious.”
Her smile was tender when she nodded. “So am I. From now on I’ll be sure it’s locked.”
The tension left his face, relaxing tiny lines around his sensuous mouth and eyes. “Is that coffee I smell?” His gaze rested
on the pot which had just finished perking.
“Want a cup?” she asked, taking a mug from the cupboard even before he assured her he did.
Quinn sat opposite Jill eyeing the headful of pink and green curlers. His hands cupped the steaming mug. “I’m almost afraid
to ask what you two are doing.”
“Meggie’s giving me a perm,” Jill announced, her voice slightly high in her eagerness. “It’s going to be like Meggie’s.”
Quinn raised his gaze until their eyes locked.
Meggie found herself mesmerized by their unfathomable depths.
“Everything about Meggie, hair included, is certainly beautiful,” he whispered with an odd catch in his voice.
Meggie dropped her eyes, her heart thundering at the potency of his words. If not for Jill’s presence Meggie would have willingly
slipped her arms around his neck, and hungrily sought his mouth. The chemistry between them was stronger than anything she
had ever experienced in her life. Her heart was reaching out to this man. Never had any pull been more powerful.
“Ken thinks so, too,” Jill said smugly.
“Ken?” Quinn riveted his attention on his daughter.
“Yeah, he’s the guy from the grocery store who’s out to get Meggie. Boy, Dad, you wouldn’t believe how he went after her today.
Meggie says it’s all in my head, but I know a snow job when I see one,” she finished with a half-chuckle.
Meggie turned, pouring herself a cup of coffee in an attempt to hold her temper. Jill was jealous. Meggie had seen it in her
eyes when Quinn had ignored her and spoke to Meggie when he first arrived. Now she was making sure she received some attention.
“As I explained to Jill,” Meggie said calmly, her voice soft and distinct to make every word clear, “Ken is the manager of
the Maywood. He’s been friendly and helpful, but he has no romantic interest in me.”
“That’s what she says,” Jill spat.
Quinn seemed to ignore both comments, continuing to drink his coffee. His gaze was brooding as he studied the weather outside
Meggie’s lanai. “It looks like we’re in for a bad storm. The sky is almost black.”
Unconsciously Meggie released a short sigh of relief. Quinn knew his daughter and realized that Jill had probably greatly
exaggerated the situation. A smile of thankfulness touched her soft mouth as she carefully applied the setting solution onto
Jill’s hair.
“The first weeks after I moved here from Los Angeles, I wondered if the sun ever made it through the heavy clouds in this
section of the world. Talk about climate shock! We were having a mild winter in California. I had one heck of a cold sitting
out the monsoons here.” She laughed lightly. “Now a little rain doesn’t bother me in the least. Portland . . . Oregon is so
beautiful in so many other ways it doesn’t matter.”
Quinn grinned, seeming to agree with her growing appreciation for the Northwest.
“Have you thought about who has your new phone number?” he quizzed.
With a defeated shrug of her shoulder, Meggie shook her head. “There’s no one else.”
“Meggie gave Ken her phone number today.” Jill cast her father a look of complete angelic innocence.
Meggie locked her hands in front of her as she witnessed Quinn’s reaction.
“Is that true?” he demanded.
“Of course, it’s true,” Jill insisted. “I promised you I’d only tell the truth from now on. You’ve got to believe me, Dad.”
“I’ll ask Meggie,” Quinn shot back, his eyes locking with hers. “I want a simple yes or no. Did you or did you not give this
Ken your phone number?”
Meggie’s soft brown eyes pleaded with him. “Quinn, let me explain.”
“Just answer the question.”
Folding her arms around her middle as if toward off a chill, Meggie nodded.
“She’s meeting him for dinner tonight. She didn’t think I was listening when they made the arrangements, but I heard everything,”
Jill continued maliciously, apparently pleased with the reaction she was receiving from her father with this bit of information.
“Is that true?” One thick brow rose questioningly.
“Would it matter if it was or not?” Meggie demanded defiantly. Not once did she flinch under his discerning gaze. The silence
between them gnawed at her heart, but she held her head proud, her posture rigid.
“I guess there’s not much more to say then, is there?” he asked. The lack of emotion in his voice made the words all the more
final.
Tears stung the back of her eyes, but Meggie met his look evenly, not giving him the satisfaction of knowing what he was doing
to her. When he stood there was a weary droop to his shoulders. Meggie had to fight back a denial, to cry out and stop him,
to beg him to trust her.
He didn’t say a word as he walked across the room. His hand was on the doorknob when he turned, his dark eyes cutting and
cruel.
“I thought you were different.”
Meggie could feel her heart shatter into a million infinitesimal pieces as Quinn walked out of the apartment.
The closing door made a quiet clicking noise and Meggie thought she had never heard anything louder. It was as if Quinn was
closing off all communication between them. The vibrating sound seemed to fill the room.
“Why did you do that?” Meggie demanded, acid tears stinging her face. Her hand closed around the back of the chair until her
fingers were white.
“Do what?” Jill asked innocently. “I only told Dad the truth. You did give Ken your phone number and I heard him say he’d
be seeing you.”
Her mouth felt suddenly dry, her throat parched. Nervously she moistened her lips. Angry tension was knotting her stomach.
“You did that purposely. This was the one way you could get back at me because your dad found out you’d lied about it being
your birthday.”
“That’s not true,” Jill shouted. “I never said it was my birthday, you misunderstood me. But dad doesn’t believe me.”
Meggie’s chin tilted proudly; she had only been guessing at the extent of Jill’s anger. Now the desire to retaliate was clear