“I’ve got the outside cameras set up,” Kayn called.
“What’s this?”Quinn asked, feeling uncomfortable.“I loathe what the man did to my mother, but I don’t want to humiliate him.”
“That’s not our plan,” Sara said.“We thought you’d like to get a look at him before he sees you.”
“Oh.Okay.”
“Here, taste one of my Bacon Cabbage Dippers while we wait.”Sona handed Quinn a small plate with four.“You can share with your sweetie.There are different dips on the counter.”
“I don’t know if I can eat any of this,” Quinn admitted.
“You do look a little green.Don’t throw up,” Heath said with a sympathetic chuckle as he took the plate from her.
“Try a bite of Rafe’s cake then.”Ahri slid over a plate with a sliver on it.“It’s called a Hummingbird cake.It’ssoyummy.”She turned, picked up two more plated pieces, and carried them to Darius and Eve.
They spent the next few minutes eating.Quinn wished she could look as easy about the situation as everyone else in the room did.
“They’re here,” Kayn called.
Quinn’s fork clattered on the plate.She barely caught it before it bounced to the floor.
“Breathe.”Heath took her hand and led her to a computer monitor.
The screen showed the typical low-quality image.The limo with flags had parked across the street; there wasn’t room in the driveway for it.A man jumped out and hurried to open the back door.
Quinn stiffened in anticipation of seeing the man who’d broken her mother’s heart all those years ago.
“Have you ever wondered if he was just clueless back then?”Sara murmured from behind.“If he had to hide the hurt of leaving your mother while he did hisduty?I’ve learned a lot in the counseling I’ve received.Denial is not a river in Egypt, but people swim in it all the time anyway.”
“Meaning me?”Quinn asked, a little hurt.
“I was thinking of the king, but self-assessment can be very enlightening.”
“I don’t believe Sara’s saying the man didn’t mess up royally.No pun intended,” Heath added.“But there are always two sides to every story.I can’t help wondering about his.”
“You make me wonder as well,” Viktor said thoughtfully.“Was he forced to leave the love of his life for an arranged marriage?”
“But he told you the divorce was amicable, no big deal,” Quinn argued.
“Was his denial a way to cope with his loss?”Heath asked.
Quinn tried to be open-minded as she watched a tall man step gracefully from the limo.The streetlight highlighted the silver streaks along his temples, and she recognized him from one of the photos she’d seen online.After glancing up and down the quiet street, he faced the building.He took a deep breath, like he was calming his nerves, and strode forward.
Her heart gave a little lurch.The gesture reminded Quinn of how she did the same thing when she faced an uncomfortable situation.
No.She shouldn’t be giving this man any credit.
But what if they were right?What if her bio dad wasn’t here to claim rights over her or manipulate her?What if he just wished to meet the daughter he hadn’t known about?
Part of her wanted to believe it.But the portion of her mind that had detested him for eight years wasn’t so quick to forgive.
The doorbell rang, and everyone scurried back into their places.Quinn quickly took a seat at the breakfast bar and took a bite of the cake.She put on a bored expression and turned her seat a little so she could see the door as Ezreal opened it.
15
Quinn rested one hand on the counter to give it something to do.Heath covered it with one of his.Frowning, he closed his fingers around hers like a warm blanket.
The king entered the room with the stereotypical bearing of a monarch, looking self-important and expecting the world to treat him with respect.For the first time, Quinn wondered if her mother would have been happy if she’d stayed married to the king of Glenloria.Her mom hated pomp-and-circumstance stuff.In many ways, she was still the free spirit she’d been in her youth and would have chafed miserably against the rules of etiquette that surely must drive a royal life.
