“It’s a fun house—like at a carnival.” She squeezed his hand.
“We built this for Savannah. Come on.” His eyes beckoned her, and she followed him into the darkened stairwell. Three steps down, the door shut behind them and track lighting illuminated the stairs. They got to the bottom and Quinn launched off the landing like Peter Pan headed for Neverland.
“What the …”
He popped up. Then disappeared again.
She rushed to the edge, teetering there. “It’s a trampoline room,” she said in awe. Twelve trampolines covered the floor, with more on different levels. A rope swing hung in the corner, and there was a basketball hoop in the middle. “Billionaires,” she mused.
* * *
Quinton
Quinn jumped a few times before reaching for one of the dozens of soft balls scattered around the room. To say he was surprised to see Ginny was an understatement; she’d knocked him senseless. Her red summer dress was stunning, showing off her smooth shoulders and tanned skin.
But what had made him bring her down here were the haggard edges around her eyes. Something had happened, and it was wearing on her. She needed to laugh. Needed to smile. But more than that, he needed to see her smile.
“Wanna jump?” He did a backflip. “Come on, you know you want to play dodgeball.” He threw the ball at her, and she caught it against her middle.
“Did you just throw down a challenge?” She swung her bag off her shoulder and dropped it to the side. Then, without taking her eyes off him, she slipped off her shoes.
“Challenge thrown,” he taunted.
“Challenge accepted.” She jumped off the ledge and threw the ball while in the air.
He was so caught up in watching her that it hit him in the face.
She laughed. “My point.”
“You won’t get another one.” He dove for a pile of balls three trampolines over. She laughed and found a few resting against the wall.
They spent the next twenty minutes chasing each other around and tallying points. They laughed so hard his side hurt, and she had to tie her floor-length dress in a knot to keep it out of the way. He’d been distracted by the sight of her legs while she tied, and it cost him another point. But he was the first one to twenty and pronounced himself the winner.
She flopped onto her back, her arms out to the side and her chest lifting rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. “I needed this.” He bounced next to her, lifting her body in the air.
The two of them settled, and she put her head on his shoulder. “I needyou.”
His mind seemed to float out of his body and lose control of it at her words. He couldn’t feel his legs or his hands—just a strange buzzing sensation.
She rolled over so her chin was on his chest. “I need a friend—my friend.”
His brain sank back into place and his heart fell to the floor. Despite her appreciative looks at his body, she wasn’t attracted to him. She wanted to go back to what they were. The thought was terrifying and, at the same time, a relief. After the reunion, he’d written off any type of future with her. Being friends was not what he’d had in mind, but it was better than being alone. “You’ll always have me for a friend.”
“Thank you.” She turned her head so she was lying on him. He hoped she couldn’t hear his heart beat wildly as he brought his arm down and tucked her into his side.
“Tell me about work.” He breathed in her fruity shampoo and steeled himself for a role that would be difficult and yet worth it. Any trouble was worth having Ginny back in his life.
Chapter Nine
Ginny
The Bistro was a quiet restaurant with a lot of white in their décor. Ginny’s royal-blue dress stood out like a beacon with most of the other patrons in black. Who knew color was a faux pas for a business lunch? Even Thomas got the dress code right with his dark jacket and tan slacks.
“What have you been up to?” Ginny asked as a waiter placed a citrus chicken salad in front of her. The tangy smell of vinegar filled her senses, and her stomach saidyes, please.
“I’m coaching my grandson’s T-ball team.” Thomas gathered up the steak knife and went to work cutting a thick steak. He still had the quick movements of a young man, though his hair had gone white.
“That’s fun.”
