Chapter 29 #2
“But…” He works his jaw while taking a second to find the words he wants to say. “Never mind. You could’ve easily said Guns’ name and I wouldn’t think twice about it.”
“Exactly.” But is it exactly? I don’t think it is, but I’m not going to focus on that right now. “Callum, I understand how concerning that would be. If you said another woman’s name in your sleep, I’d have the same questions.”
“There’s no other woman, and there never has been.”
“That’s not the point?—”
“I’m serious, Lily. I’ve never had feelings for anyone else but you.”
“That’s very nice to hear.” I step up to him and give him a quick kiss. “And for the record, I’ve never loved anyone else but you.”
His lips go into a straight line, and he nods slowly. “That you remember.”
Quinn pulls me into a hug before the front door is fully open. “You’re back!”
“Yep, we’re back.” I squeeze her and then let her in.
We find ourselves in the kitchen.
“I need everything. Every single detail. Starting from the second the plane landed.” Quinn drops a paper bag onto the counter, pulls two jars from it, and lines them up.
“I brought you guys something from the farmer’s market.
Olives because they’re delicious and real strawberry jelly because it’s just amazing. ”
I pick them up. “Thank you. You didn’t need to do this.”
“I wanted to, so…” Quinn hops onto a barstool and plants her elbows on the counter. “Okay, tell me about your honeymoon.”
I pull some bread out of the cabinet. “Callum tried to surf.”
“How did he do?”
“He wiped out eleven times on the first day.” I grab a knife and cut some bread for the jelly. “He stood up twice on the second day. By day four, he was genuinely decent and insufferably proud of himself.”
“That is the most Cash thing I have ever heard.” Quinn reaches for the jar. “What else?”
“Black sand beaches that were fascinating. We found this little spot about a mile from the resort, completely secluded, and we snorkeled a lot over there.” I lean against the counter across from her. “I did Pilates every morning while he slept in.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“It was.” I pull out my phone, open to my pictures, and slide it across the counter. A photo of the beach is on the screen. “Look at that water.”
Quinn leans in as I peek at the screen.
“Okay, that’s actually absurd.” She swipes through two more photos, pausing on one of Callum mid-wipeout on a surfboard, arms out, expression pure surprise. A genuine laugh breaks from her. “I love him.”
“Everyone does.” I take my phone back, still smiling.
Quinn turns the jar slowly, her gaze tracking somewhere past the island. “That’s amazing, Livianna. What else happened while you were away?”
I follow her line of sight, wondering if she’s even in this conversation or not. She seems very distracted. I’ll test my theory.
“We found this outdoor restaurant right on the water, completely hidden from the main road, and we went back three nights in a row because Callum refused to eat anywhere else once he decided he loved it. Then we watched a whale have a baby.”
“That sounds perfect.” Quinn glances at her fingernails.
I tilt my head. “Quinn, are you actually listening to me?”
She blinks and refocuses. “I am. Outdoor restaurant, three nights, Cash being particular because he found a restaurant he loved.”
“Yeah, but you’re not really here. And we didn’t see a whale give birth to a calf.” I plant both palms on the counter. “What’s going on with you?”
She opens her mouth, but she doesn’t say anything for a few beats.
I decide I’ll wait her out. “I can sit here all night until you tell me what’s going on with you.”
“Do you ever think about the idea that some things are just written?” Quinn gets up and wanders to the bar area. “Like, regardless of what you choose, certain outcomes find you anyway.”
Every hair on my arms rises without explanation. “You sound like Jaxon.”
Quinn’s eyes cut to mine. “His views have merit.”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Why are you being all philosophical? What happened while I was away?”
“Nothing, really.” Quinn gets out the items needed to make a dirty martini.
“Then why are you acting strange?” I help Quinn by getting the glasses out.
“I’m not. I just haven’t seen you, and there’s so much to catch up on.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.” She scans the bar area. “What kind of vodka should we have?”
“Whatever you want. I can’t taste it.”
“Sorry. I forget that sometimes.” She picks up a bottle. “Continue.”
“It’s okay.” I push myself up on the counter. “It was an amazing trip, but now he’s packing for the first leg of their tour, and I’m getting ready to go to Paris for Fashion Week.”
“How long will you be apart?” She shakes the vodka and the mixture in a silver shaker.
“I’m going to the first couple of shows. Then I’m going from there straight to Paris.”
She pours the drink into our martini glasses, giving me a side-eye glance. “And you’re meeting Jaxon there?”
“Yeah. He said he would help me, thank God.” I hop down and join Quinn at her side, my stomach twisting. “But…”
“What?” She slides me my drink.
“Quinn, I’m kind of worried about seeing him.”
“Why?”
The words sit on my tongue for a full three seconds before I can move them forward. “Don’t judge me, but I said Jaxon’s name in my sleep. On our wedding night.”
“Damn, Livianna.” Quinn sets her glass down. “What did Cash say?”
“He was hurt, rightfully so.” My chest tightens at the memory of his face on that beach, the wedding band turning on his finger. “We fought about it, and he asked me if I have feelings for Jaxon.”
She bites down on her lip. “And what did you say?”
“That I don’t have feelings for Jaxon.” I wait for the reassurance, the Quinn Foster version of how that makes sense. It doesn’t come. “Why do I get the feeling you don’t believe me?”
Quinn picks up her drink and moves to the counter where the bread and jelly are. “I just think the mind does strange things when it’s trying to heal.”
My pulse climbs. “Quinn. What are you getting at?”