Six
WADE
The morning sun invaded my cabin like the most unwelcome intruder.
I’d forgotten to pull the curtains when I’d returned to the cabin the night before, and my pounding head was paying the price.
Rejected Romeo me had thought drinking shots of whiskey would help me forget that Quinn had turned down my proposal.
All it did was make my head hurt almost as much as my heart. Almost.
My stomach rumbled, and I searched the cabin for food.
The protein bars and grocery store ready meals made my hungover stomach want to rebel even at the thought of consuming them.
I’d never been much of a cook, and I’d been living for years with an assistant at my beck and call to arrange food for me.
Knowing that I still probably had too much alcohol in my system to risk the drive into the Bean and Bushell, I put on a shirt, shorts, and some sunnies, then made my way to the onsite restaurant.
They served an all-day breakfast menu, and I was in dire need of a fry-up.
I was quickly seated by a teenager wearing the same uniform that I’d once donned before I left the Bay for uni and all that followed.
Many of the people in the room had also attended Quinn’s party, and I found myself waving and smiling politely at people when all I wanted to do was wallow in self-pity.
Ordering a long black coffee and a big breakfast, I placed my sunnies back over my eyes, thankful that I’d been seated at a brightly lit window table so I could use it as an excuse.
I poured myself a glass of the table water, then closed my eyes and massaged my temples with my fingers, trying to zone out.
“My head’s a little sore after last night, too!” I looked up to find the shrewd, hazel eyes of Donna Steele fixed on me. “Mind if I sit down?”
The older woman was friends with my mum, and her daughters now owned the salon that Quinn worked at. Something in her gaze, though, told me she had no intention of just holding a casual conversation with me.
“Take a seat! It’s been too long.” I smiled. It was a small town, and Donna Steele was connected to everyone in it.
“Awww, and there’s that smile that makes mums all over the world drool at your videos!
” Donna sat and waved a server over to take her order.
When she was finished, she focused back on me and said, “So, I hear you’re done with banging your little groupies and think you can come home and stake some kind of claim on our Quinn? ”
Taken aback by the older woman’s brashness, I choked on my water.
“Oh, object to my statement, do you?” Donna laughed.
“Yes, um, no. I mean, how did you…” I took a deep breath. “I mean, I am home to let Quinn know how I feel, but there’s no truth to the rumour about the groupies.”
“Which one?” She narrowed her eyes.
“All of the rumours. I was no saint when I first went viral, but I never slept with a groupie.”
“I didn’t ask if you slept with them, I asked if you had sex with them…” The older woman narrowed her eyes at me again.
“Oh, Donna, stop giving Wade such a hard time.” Janelle King, the resort owner, placed an arm around my shoulder and gave it a brief squeeze. “How are you feeling, sweetheart? Don’t let Donna get to you. Now that Bella and Maddie have partnered up, she’s put her sights on the girls at Steele Cut.”
“I have not, but I will admit that I’m very protective of single mums who work hard to provide some stability to their kids’ lives.” Donna gave me another withering look. “Especially when some man decides he knows what’s best and tells her how to lead her life.”
“I didn’t tell Quinn what to do, I asked her to marry me!” The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them.
“Aha! I knew you’d gone and put your foot in it!” Donna looked triumphant at my admission.
“What do you mean?” I was confused by her words.
“You’ve been in love with that girl since you were kids; everyone knows that except her. You should’ve told her years ago, but we all know that jackass Dean got in the way. The only good thing he ever did was give us Max.”
“I have to agree with that,” Janelle said from behind me.
“But I’ve never told anyone…” I shook my head. “Yet you’re the second person to tell me that in the last twenty-four hours.”
“Honey, you admitted to me when you were thirteen you wanted to learn to play guitar so you could impress girls, and then told me how you couldn’t wait to share it with Quinn.” Janelle sat in one of the other spare seats at the table.
“That means nothing…” I protested.
“That’s just one example; you light up around her, you always have.” Janelle’s smile was warm and indulgent.
I sat there, processing what I’d just heard. If my feelings for Quinn were so obvious to these women, why didn’t she believe that my proposal was genuine?
“I can see that big brain of yours working away there,” Donna interrupted my thoughts.
“Be nice, Donna,” Janelle warned.
“I’m trying to be, but I just want to know what he was thinking randomly proposing to her on her birthday!” Donna sighed dramatically.
“I thought it would be romantic…” I replied weakly.
“Hmmmm, well now you know, what do you plan to do to fix this?” Donna’s face was encouraging.
“What do you mean?” I had no idea how to go about fixing this.
“What my friend is trying to say, is that we all want you and Quinn to get together, but we need to set out a game plan for you,” Janelle answered.
I took a deep breath as relief flooded over me.
It was starting to make sense where I went wrong with it all, but I still didn’t know how to fix it.
Donna and Janelle talked to each other, over the top of me, both coming up with increasingly extravagant schemes, and that was when it hit me.
I’d already tried the grand gesture once, and it fell spectacularly flat.
I had to go back to the beginning with her, show her that she’s always been it for me.
As I shared my rough idea with the older ladies, they helped me flesh it out. By the time I’d finished my breakfast and my second long black, I felt like it was time to go visit Quinn via my parents’ house.
“Good luck, honey,” Janelle said as she gave me a hug goodbye.
“Yes, good luck,” Donna added as she also gave me a hug. “Just remember when Quinn realises that you’re in this for good, that nice guys come last. Every time.”
I pulled back a little, confused by her conflicting advice.
“Oh, just say it like you usually do,” Janelle huffed.
“Give her lots of orgasms. Hannah and Ian need more grandbabies, and we all know that Oliver struggles to even talk to a woman.” Redness bloomed on my cheeks.
I’d forgotten just how forthright Donna could be.
I’d been dreaming of hearing Quinn come for years.
That was definitely something I was planning on doing as soon as she let me.