“Can I start by saying that I am not a terrible person?” I asked her and felt slightly relieved when she smiled.
“You can,” Quinn looked around the closet. “But you know, my best friends are the Devils, so my bar with so-called terrible people is high.”
I grinned and nodded toward the closet door. “You want to come out of the closet for this talk?”
Quinn’s smile widened, and we walked back into the bedroom. I walked to the couch, and she sat on the edge of the bed and waited expectantly.
“I’m not in love with him,” I started, and I saw her look of disbelief. “All we’ve done is hook up, and yes, he is very,verygood at that,” I admitted honestly. “I’ve enjoyed our time together, but it was casual. It meant hardly anything. And despite his reputation, he hasn’t been a jerk, spread lies about me, or called me loose to his friends.” I held my hand up to stop Quinn speaking. “And yes, I am aware of who his friends are, and yes, I know he may not have had the audience to do so.”
“What I was going to say was that Ash wouldn’t.” She looked at her feet as she spoke. “I’m the only one that he’s ever been cruel to in that way,” she added softly.
“Oh.” I nodded. I didn’t know their full history, but it appeared that there were still some lingering issues to be resolved. “Well, that makes me feel a bit better about him, even though I didn’t think he would have anyway.”
Quinn nodded and met my look. “Go on,” she encouraged.
“So . . . we’ve slept together,” I grimaced at the awkwardness, “and two of the times, I think something had happened with you or Gray, and he needed . . . release.”
Quinn was silent and then rubbed her hand over her forehead as she thought about it. “Halloween?” she guessed.
“Yeah.” I didn’t feel guilty, but I felt . . . off.
“Yeah, you’re right, we’ve been a . . .”
“Trigger?” I supplied.
Quinn’s nose wrinkled in displeasure. “That’s not kind to you.”
I shrugged. “I think I used him too.” I admitted to her surprise. “I knew I should stay away from him, and football guys are not my thing. They’re not looking for an HEA, and they have so much drama attached to them with other girls that I’ve mainly stayed away.”
“Hang on, what’s an HEA?” Quinn asked curiously.
“Happily ever after,” I explained. “You know, you and Gray, Jett and Ava. Normal girls dating football players in college don’t get that . . .” I searched for the right terminology. “Security . . . is the word, I guess.”
“I understand,” Quinn agreed. “We’re both lucky to have the twins.”
“You are,” I answered quickly, glad she could see my point and keeping my thoughts aboutthoseDevils to myself. “Ash is dealing with whatever is between the three of you, that’s not my business. And I think I used him to make myself feel better.” Wiping my hands on my jeans, I plugged on. “Ava is my best friend, and in a very short time, my insecure, introverted, football-obsessed bestie has become semi-famous with her hot boyfriend and has become really close with you too. And . . .”
“You thought you were losing her?”
“And I thought I was losing her,” I agreed somberly. “And he’s a very big, delicious-looking distraction when you’re feeling alone and vulnerable.”
“Yes, he is.” Quinn stood.
“But my behavior last night is not Ash’s fault or Ava’s for moving on, or even Jett’s for being the reason she fell in love. I was mean, I was completely out of order, and I really amnotthe person who I was last night.” Shaking my head, I thought about it. “I was nothing more than an insecure mean girl, and I have no excuses.”
“I think I prefer that,” Quinn said to me thoughtfully.
“What, that I have no reason to behave like I did?” I asked skeptically.
“Yes, the fact you’re not trying to bullshit me with weak ass excuses.” Her head tilted to the side, and she thought about it. “You were jealous.”
I was about to snap a reply when I pulled my words back, because she was right. “I was jealous. Tequila didn’t help.”
Quinn considered me for a moment. “White wine does it to me. I either sob for a week or become a raging bitch.”
I huffed out a laugh. “So, next party, I’ll drink wine, you drink tequila.”
“Or we both just drink Coke, like Ava.”
