Hey Jess. Hope the emergency you were called away on wasn’t too serious. I’ve got some news but I’m sure you already know. If not check my Instagram. Blue check, baby! Text me when you get a chance
Another text immediately followed.
Miss you already, Getaway Girl
I placed my hand against my wildly beating heart, trying to settle it but knowing that wouldn’t be possible. Quinn McKallister missed me. Quinn frickin’ McKallister. He’d reached out, expressed his concern, then wanted to fill me in on his day. I’d been right. Our connection was as real to him as it had been to me. My heart raced at just the thought of seeing him again. And that kiss. And that song. It had been haunting. Beautiful. From his heart.
But wait… hadn’t I already made the decision to put Noah first? Which, in turn, meant cutting Quinn loose. I glanced over at my son, a look of concentration on his face as the lady dressed like a stapler tried to determine which prize to choose.
“Door number two,” he instructed the woman on the other side of the TV screen. He was so sweet, so innocent. Bringing Quinn into his life would bring him joy; that much I wasn’t disputing. Quinn’s humor and humility were qualities I wanted to instill in Noah, and I had no doubt he’d be a good influence on my son. But given what I’d learned last night about Noah’s fixation on my former boyfriends, I couldn’t in good conscience bring a man into our lives that I knew would not stick around. Quinn’s life was about to blast off, and as much as I wanted to be on that rocket ship with him, I knew I couldn’t… because for me, the scale would always tip in Noah’s favor.
With a heavy heart, I closed my screen.
11
Quinn: I Did It for You
“There he is! The man of the hour,” Keith exclaimed, clapping as I entered the area where my family was congregated. “You’re so cool, Quinn. I wish I could be your boyfriend.”
I smirked, flipping my brother off. So this was how it was going to play out. Avoidance and mockery.That’ll work.I’d take sarcastic ribbing any day over sentimental gushing or pinpointed accusations.
“You’d be so lucky,” I bragged.
“I’dbe so lucky,” his wife Sam said, trudging into the room and giving me a hug. “Please take him, Quinn. I’m sure Keith would make a wonderful addition to your harem.”
“Yes, Quinn. Please take me. Sam has entered the ‘Cross me and you die’ gestational month of pregnancy. I’m not sure I’m going to make it to the delivery.”
“Entirely your fault, Keith. Everyone knows you don’t make comments about a woman’s hair… especially when she’s nearly seven months pregnant.”
“All I said was the only thing worse than bangs is short bangs. How is that inflammatory?”
Sam pointed to her newly shorn bangs, and the women in the room gasped.
And yet, still, Keith continued to dig his own grave. “But you didn’t cut themtooshort, so you’re good.”
“Ugh. Do me a favor, Keith. Just keep that mouth zipped for eight more weeks. Do you think you can do that for me?”
“I… I honestly don’t think I can.”
“Then you die,” Sam said matter of factly.
I busted out a laugh. Sam was a favorite of mine, and when she wasn’t actively growing a human inside, she was my go-to surf buddy.
My oldest brother Mitch—he was a half brother, actually, but no one talked about that—stepped into the fray. “If Keith’s life depends on him keeping his mouth shut, we might as well all say our goodbyes now.”
While the debate heated up on Keith’s chances of survival, my still-throbbing head searched for a place to land. Eyeing Emma sitting alone in her oversized chair, I crossed the room.
“Scoot,” I said, waving her over.
“Ah… not so fast.” She held up a hand. “What’s the magic word?”
“I’m not going to tell you the magic word because you’re only asking it to shame me,” I said, pushing her to one side and trying to squeeze in. Emma flung her legs up, nailing me in the thigh.
“The magic word first,” she insisted, batting her lashes.
This whole ritual went back to the time when Emma had been my primary caretaker. One day, long ago, I’d opened my hands in prayer, begging Emma to let me have a full-on cookie lunch, and to my surprise, she was all for it—if I gave her the magic word. I didn’t realize the magic word wasplease, so I gave her the only magic word I knew—the one she was now expecting of me.
“Abracadabra.”
