“Oh man.” I shake my head and rest it on my palm. “That feels like ages ago. So much has happened since then.”
“I know,” Quinn agrees. “I’ve literally never seen Derek so.” She shrugs. “Content. He’s always been a really happy guy, but there’s always been this buzzing wire inside of him that didn’t let him settle down. Now, when he’s with you, he can calm himself down because he feels content and like he is part of a unit. He’s not on theoutside looking in anymore. He’s a part of something he’s always needed.”
I brush away another tear and nod my head, understanding exactly what she was talking about.
“Now, are you going to tell me what happened, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?”
So I finally do. I tell her everything. All the work I’ve done with the store, how well everything was going for us—I tell her that I was so incredibly and undeniably in love with Derek that I was sure if we didn’t work it out, I might actually die. She called me Derek’s perfect match for that comment alone, and I didn’t disagree.
I told her what he said after the business plan, that I was just trying to help him, and he blew up on me. Which was still surprising to me, but Quinn was downright shocked.
“He didn’t.”
“He did.” I lightly stroke the column of my throat, still thinking about how surprised I was. “I have never seen him get angry, but…”
Quinn waits, eyeing me with curiosity. “But?”
I purse my lips and then let out a breath. “I don’t think he was angry at me.”
“You don’t? I mean, yelling is a good indicator.”
“Yeah, but Derek? Angry? I’m not sure he possesses that emotion in him. Maybe, if someone he loves is hurt or someone is messing with someone he loves.”
“So, what do you think it was?” Quinn asks, her brows furrowing. Likely in concern for her friend.
Derek bred loyalty in his friends. It’s a quality that you don’t just have—you are born with it.
“I think he’s scared,” I admit. “Scared and maybe embarrassed. I don’t think he wanted me to know the things he was telling me.”
For a moment, we sit on that thought, and Quinn finally nods. “Yeah. I think you’re right. Men and money are so tricky sometimes. I know when Graham and I were dating, he was pretty broke himself and hated that I had more money than him. Not because he wanted me broke by any means, it was because men feel like a failure when they don’t have a steady stream of income.”
“All men?”
“I don’t know.” Quinn shrugs. “Maybe not. But in my experience, that’s a touchy subject.”
I hum in my throat and take a sip of the lukewarm coffee. It was still delicious, and now that Quinn knows everything, I can finally calm down.
“So what do you think you’re going to do?”
Before I can answer that question, the front door opens, and a rush of clattering nails on hardwood interrupts the quiet. Rora squeals at the notice of a dog, and the sweet thing runs up to the kids, already looking for hugs and pets.
Graham comes up behind Quinn and wraps an arm around her shoulder, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. I smile at him when his gaze catches mine, and he nods at me. “Hello, Elizabeth. Nice to see you again.”
Graham was a big man, and when he sits in the chair next to Quinn, I fear for the chair. “Nice to see you too. Thanks for letting me crash at your place this weekend.”
Rora and I were staying at the lodge tonight, but we would be hanging out with Quinn’s family when we weren’t there.
“Not at all, we’re happy to have you.” Graham smiles, and there’s something tense there, like he’s not sure he should say more.
“What is it?” Quinn must have clocked what I did, because she watches him with curiosity.
“I, uh…” He rubs his hand over his bearded jaw. “I just got off the phone with Derek.”
I feel my lungs pause briefly before expanding again. “Oh.”
“Yeah, he told me what happened,” Graham starts, eyeing me with sadness. “He feels really bad.”
I nod, just slightly, and say. “I know.” If the texts and voicemails were anything to go on, I know Derek is feeling horrible about what he said.
