“Why am I going first?” Quinn looks over her shoulder.
“Haven’t you ever heard of ladies first? Plus the view is nice,” I tease, which earns me a glare from Quinn.
She moves to the side until her back hits the left wall and lifts her arm in an invitation. “Haven’t you heard chivalry is dead?” Griffin and I look at each other, then head up the stairs, indulging her. “Wow, you’re right—the view is great,” she mutters. I can hear the smile on her lips. The minx.
Chapter 23
Quinn
Evan pulls the car into the municipal parking lot in Bakersville. I’m not sure where we’re heading for lunch, but I’m happy to be out of Havenfall for a little while. We exit the SUV and gather on the sidewalk. It’s a nice day, and it looks like many others are taking advantage of the weather. It’s fairly busy for a Sunday afternoon in a smallish town.
“What’s your pleasure? There’s Mexican, a Chinese place, a few diners, and a pizza joint. Anything else, and we’ll have to go a little farther out.”
“What about the bar we had drinks at? I could go for a good bar burger and a beer.”
Evan gets a wide grin on his face. “And just when I thought you couldn’t be any more perfect.”
“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” Griffin deadpans.
“Just stating the truth, vampire. It’s this way, come on.” Evan points down the sidewalk, past a few shops and restaurants.
Griffin takes my hand and follows Evan’s direction down the block until we reach the front entrance of the same bar we had drinks at a few weeks ago. The guy at the door gives Griffin a nod when he pulls the door open and holds it for me to enter. “Hey, Evan,” he says to the big man behind me.
“How’s it going, Gus?”
“Good, good, you?”
“Hungry as usual,” Evan tells him. I slow my steps in case he wants to chat more, but he places his palm on my back, ushering me forward. “Inside or out?” He looks down to me.
“Out, if it’s okay with you guys.”
“Perfect.” Evan leads me through the bar to the picnic tables out back on the patio. The stage sits empty, but there are several other people seated at the tables.
Last time when we came here, I sat on a bench on my own while they sat opposite me, but this time when I lift my leg to place it under the table to sit, they both stay on either side of me. “Guys, we can’t all sit on this side, we’ll flip the table.”
Griffin moves lightning fast and is seated next to me before I even have a chance to settle. Evan grumbles but walks around to the other side. “Next time, vampire,” he warns with no heat.
“Not if you’re too slow, bear.”
I grab the paper menu folded between the napkin holder and ketchup, enjoying their banter. “Alice mentioned something the other day.” I keep my eyes on the menu but continue speaking. “She said you guys have fought before.” I don’t tell them she also said it was spank bank material, since I think that would be a little much, even for them.
“We spar,” Evan replies.
“You said you guys didn’t fight.” I give Griffin a curious glance.
“We don’t, not in the way you were asking about. That’s to let off steam and stay sharp.” Griffin has no problem meeting my gaze as he tells me this.
“You asked about that?” Evan raises a brow in question.
“She thought we broke the mirror fighting. I told her we didn’t and to ask you how it got broken.”
“Oh yeah, howdidthat happen?” I lower the menu to give Evan my full attention.
Evan makes a point of glaring at Griffin before answering me. “I had a momentary lapse of judgment.”
“That’s not an answer.” I snort. “That’s an avoidance tactic. If you don’t want to tell me, it’s okay.” I shrug. “It just means the visual Alice gave me really could have happened.” I keep my voice light and teasing.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Evan scoffs, then quickly adds, “What did she say?”
