Beautiful Things Never Last (17 page)

             
I pull into a parking
spot
in the Little Five Points district and rush around the car to open Linney’s door for her.

             
“Some things never change, Ben,” she says, smiling
at the gesture.

             
“Like what?”

             
“Like the fact that you are, and have always been
,
the biggest gentlemen I know.”

             
“Guess Ma raised me right,” I say
with a goofy smile
, remembering Mom’s comment back at the house.
“No big deal.”

             
Linney stops in the middle of the crosswalk and looks up at me. “You have no idea what a big deal it is, Ben.”

             
I don’t know how to respond to that, so I just put my hand on her back and lead the rest of the way across the street. I feel like she’s trying to tell me something that I’m just too
freaking
dense to get.

             
“Tell you what, I’ve been up all night and I haven’t eaten since breakfast yesterday, well, unless you count two bites of Salisbury steak. Anyway, what do you think about getting lunch first?”

             
“Fine by me.”

             
We decide on Fellini’s because the pizza is good, and Quinn and I have never eaten there together, and I feel like if I can avoid places that I’ve been with Quinn, maybe I won’t feel like such an asshole about being here without telling
.

             
“You want to find us a table and I’ll order the pizza?” I ask.

             
“Table or booth?” Caroline says, grabbing plastic forks and napkins from the edge of the counter. “Wait,” she says, tapping a fork on my forearm. “You always prefer a table so you have more leg—”

             
“Well, hey there.” The voice rings in my ears and I can’t help the instantaneous hope that I’ve imagined it.

             
I turn away from the counter
, toward the voice. But it’s not in my head. It’s real.

             
Shayna and Carter are standing three feet away from Caroline and I.

             
“Hey,” I reply.

             
Carter has his arms crossed over h
is chest, and the normally laid-
back vibe he exudes has evaporated.
He always shakes my hand when he sees me. I mock him about it, because I imagine that he does it all day long in the office when he greets clients. But he doesn’t uncross his arms to reach for my hand this time. And I know it’s because of me.
I guess I should expect that
:
he’s close and protective of Quinn
.H
e and I have always had that in common.

             
“I thought you said you weren’t going to make it home? Change of plans?” Carter asks.

             
Fuck.

             
“Yeah, decided to come see my folks after all.”

             
Shayna scoffs. “Does Quinn know that?”

             
She’s looking directly at Caroline when she asks.
And I can’t help but worry about Caroline even more right now, because
,
unlike Shayna, confrontation is not Linney’s strong suit on a good day, and whatever she’s going through right now has definitely made her even more timid.

             
“No, no, not yet. Last minute thing, you know?”

             
“Right,” Shayna says, puckering her mouth like she’s tasted something sour.

             
“So, do you guys want to eat with us?” I ask. Caroline raises her eyebrows, silently questioning whether that’s a good idea or not.

             
“No, man, thanks. We just ate. We’ve got to get over to Shayna’s parents
’
house. How long will you be in town?” Carter asks.
             

             
My relief is palpable
that they’re on their way out. “Just a few days.G
ot to get back to work
as soon as Ron gets back into town
.”
And I sold some of my work.
But I can’t even tell him that. I haven’t even told Quinn. What the hell am I doing?

             
“Yeah. And Quinn will be home soon,” Shayna interjects
, cocking her head to one side
. As if I hadn’t already been counting down the days.

             
“Can’t wait,
”
I say
.
“
Merry Christmas, guys.”

             
“Merry Christmas,” Shayna says. “Oh, and hey, I didn’t catch your name?” Shayna turns to Linney, her face full of suspicion masked with a smile.

             
“Caroline,” Linney answers and extends her hand.

             
“Right. Should have guessed.” Shayna looks at Carter with her mouth agape, then
back at me and shakes her head before they leave the restaurant together.

             
Fuck.

             
Carter reappears just as I’m walking to the table with our food. He leans in a little too close, his tone a little too sharp, that for a minute, I forget that we live down the hall from each other, that I consider him a friend.

             
“I’m not going to ruin
Quinn’s trip by telling her I saw you here today. It doesn’t mean I think it’s okay. Are we clear?”

             
“Carter—” I start to explain, but really, I have no defense. So I just thank him, which is probably just as bad.

             
Why didn’t I at least call Quinn on the drive to my parents’ house from the airport?
I answer my own question as soon as it pops into my head. Because the last time I called Quinn and told her that Linney was coming to stay with my parents, she turned around and screwed some other guy.
And now she’s a world away. I can’t even consider the consequences in this situation.
But
she’s a different Quinn.
But not different enough that me being out with Linney wouldn’t cause…Fuck, I can’t even think about it.

             
What am I doing here? Putting everything on the line with Quinn like this? Shayna will probably call Quinn the second she walks out the door.

             
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

             
I slide the tray of pizza across the table top. Seeing Carter and Shayna has effectively suppressed my appetite.

             
“I gather you didn’t tell Quinn you were coming?” Caroline asks, spreading her napkin neatly out on her lap.

             
“No, I hadn’t had a chance. That was her brother and his girlfriend, if you didn’t catch that. I guess it won’t be long before she knows.”

             
“Do you want to call her?” Caroline asks.

             
“I probably should, but honestly, I don’t want to mess up what she has going right now. And I hope Carter has the same idea.”
Please let him have the same idea.

             
“I’m sorry,” she says, lowering her head.

             
“Don’t be. You didn’t ask me to come, I didit because I wanted to.”
And for that, maybe now she’ll talk to me.

             
“But why?”

             
“Because we’re friends, Linney. And you sounded like you could use one on the phone.”

             
Linney takes a small bite of her pizza and chews slowly.

             
She swallows, wipes her hands and then speaks again. “Aren’t you going to ask me what’s wrong?”

             
“Only if you’re ready to tell me.”

             
“I guess I sort of have to, being as I just screwed up your relationship. Again.”
She runs her fingertip along the rim of her glass and watches me. Her look is a little too intense.

             
I scoff, trying to lighten the mood. “You didn’t screw anything up.”

             
Caroline looks slightly relieved. “Where is Quinn, anyway?”

             
“Italy. A program for culinary school.”
             
“Wow, that’s impressive.”

             
“It’s pretty cool. S
he’s
been
really worked hard, and she loves what she does. She’s doing really great.”
At least I assume she is. I keep our conversations so short. At least that way, I don’t have to feel a pang of disappointment if she doesn’t say how much she misses me.

             
“But how are you doing…like together? I mean, you did come out here…”

             
“L
inney, don’t read more into it than it is.
Quinn and I are great. She’s amazing.”

             
“Nice. Good,” Caroline says nodding.

             
“Plus, it’s Christmas, and I sort of have some stuff to work out with my folks.”

             
“Yeah, it sounds like it. What’s up with all of that anyway?”

             
I run my hand along the table top and consider my words carefully. I don’t want to talk bad about my family, but the situation is what it is. “Mom gave me an ultimatum. Them or Quinn. In my mind, the one that gives you the ultimatum is the one that loses you. Simple.”