“How?”
“Stronger.”That word hits somewhere deep in my chest because she has no idea how accurate it is.Or how long it took to get here.
“People change,” I say.
She nods slowly.“Yeah.”
For a moment neither of us speaks.Then voices drift in from the shop.Skye shouting something about missing paper towels and Quinn lifts the roll in her hand.
“Mission accomplished.”
“Heroic.”
She turns toward the door before she stops and looks back at me.
“You know,” she says thoughtfully.
“What?”
“I think this is the first time I’ve ever surprised you.”
I tilt my head.“Why do you think that?”
“Because you usually look like you already know everything that’s going to happen.”
“I’m good at predicting patterns.”
“Well,” she says with a small smile, “you definitely didn’t predict me walking in just now.”
“No.”
“I win.”
“You absolutely win.”
She laughs softly and pushes the door open.The noise of the shop floods back into the room instantly.
Before she steps out completely, she glances over her shoulder one more time.“Hidden ink,” she says before she disappears into the main shop.
I stand there for a second longer staring at the door she just walked through.My brain is still trying to catch up with what just happened.Because the truth is, seeing Quinn look at me like that—surprised, curious, and interested?Did something strange to my chest.
Like a door I didn’t know existed just cracked open and now I can’t stop wondering what might happen if it ever swings all the way open.
