Holding On (12 page)

Quinn smiled up at him. “She does. And she can have it.”

If there was a person in Lanford that could manage to turn any day—any situation—into an event that was all about them, it was Margo Johnson. Quinn knew this but also knew after all of these years, there was no changing it. So she simply accepted it and moved on.

“It’s your day. All of the attention should be on you,” Jake pointed out.

She shrugged and then looped her arms a little tighter around his neck. “I don’t want it. I don’t need it.”

She felt a warm hand land on her bare shoulder. She turned her head, surprised to see Luke standing there.

“Do I get to steal a dance with the bride?” Luke asked. His eyes were on Jake. He had a cocky smile on his face.

It looked to Quinn as though he were daring his brother to say no.

“As long as you give her back,” Jake joked. He released Quinn and handed her over to his brother.

“I don’t know,” Luke said as he wrapped his arms around Quinn. “I just might not.” He had meant to joke back. Some
how, it sounded slightly like a threat.

Jake knew better than to say anything so with a final glance
, and a smile, at Quinn, he turned to leave. He didn’t get too far before he was whisked away to dance with Jemma.

“Are you having an okay time?” Quinn asked. The moment the words were out of her mouth, she realized just how loaded the question was.

Luke’s face clouded over and she immediately wanted to retract her words. She didn’t have time before he threw out his response.

He tried to force a smile when he said, “I just watched my
big brother marry the girl I’ve loved my whole life. I’ve had better days.” Then he was the one who instantly regretted his words when he saw the hurt look settle onto Quinn’s face. “I’m sorry,” he immediately said. His gut was twisting with regret at having said something so callous. The hurt look on Quinn’s face was enough to make him want to cut out his own tongue. “That was completely uncalled for. I mean, just because it’s out there now, doesn’t mean I should ever bring it up.
Especially
not today.”

“Luke,” Quinn started but he cut her off again.

“Quinnie, I’m so sorry. That was a really horrible thing for me to say. Can we just forget I said it? This day is about you. Not me.” He shook his head. Quinn could see the regret on his face. She was sure he hadn’t had a lot to drink but possibly just enough to loosen up his tongue a bit more than he liked.

“It’s fine. I just wish things were different,” she said.

“But they’re not. So let’s just try to get past it? Okay?” He shook his head. “The last thing I wanted to do was bring you down on your day. So forget I said anything and just dance with me? Please?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

She had her arms looped around his neck but looking into his eyes was proving to be too painful. She hated the sight of the hurt she had caused. Instead, she rested her head on his chest as they slowly swayed to the music. She wanted to make the most of this time with Luke because she had a terrible suspicion it might be a while before she saw him again.

*~*~*

“It’s perfect, Jake,” Quinn repeated yet again.

She glanced around the room. The walls were covered in a tasteful floral pattern, just what she’d expect
ed from this type of place. The furniture looked heavy and was made out of deep, cherry colored wood. Best of all, the bed had a canopy.

Quinn thought canopies, just like picnic baskets, were oddly romantic. Jake didn’t look as convinced as he took in his surroundings.

She loved the quaint bed and breakfast that he’d chosen. It was in a small, touristy town with plenty to do. The town was at the foot of a mountain. The town itself was filled with antique shops, which Quinn loved. He’d scoped out the place months ago. In fact, he even had the reservation made.

This cute little place was the one he’d chosen to bring her to when he proposed. Instead, he’d called to extend the reservation to accommodate a short honeymoon.

He placed their suitcases on the floor and shut the door. It was a little after midnight. They’d left their dance only an hour ago. The woman who owned the B&B had been willing to wait up for them. She’d gotten them signed in and had shown them to their room. She gave them a hasty run down of the itinerary, breakfast in the morning between seven and nine. Then she hustled away, sure the newlyweds were anxious to have her gone.

She was right.

“I just wish we could’ve gotten away,” he said as he came up behind her. “I feel like I should’ve taken you somewhere amazing. Like a tropical island…or at the very least Niagara Falls. Not just down the highway.”

“I suppose it would be pointless to point out that as long as we’re together, I really don’t care where we are?” Quinn demanded with a smile.

“I know,” Jake said with a sigh. “I feel the same. But still…” He’d wanted to do something amazing. Something memorable. Something so incredibly special that she’d never forget it. He felt that even though it was a cute little place, the bed and breakfast just wasn’t what he’d had in mind. But it had been the best he could do under the circumstances.

The company was so busy at work this time of year; employees were typically encouraged to take their vacations during the winter. Jake had managed to get three days off. His dad would’ve given him more, but Jake felt guilty even taking the three days off.
If he wasn’t there to work, it just meant it was harder for the other guys. And if they went somewhere that involved a flight, it would’ve just added an extra two days of travel time. So they’d planned a short, romantic honeymoon in a nearby town.

“I love it,
I promise. I’ve always wanted to stay at a bed and breakfast,” she reminded him. Of course, he knew that already. That’s why he’d arranged it. She continued on. “Not only that but it’s summer. It seems silly to visit a tropical island in the summer. Maybe in a year or two we can get away during the winter,” she told him. She was unsuccessfully trying to unzip her dress. After having spent the whole day in the thing, she was ready to get out of it.

“I’m looking forward to it already,” Jake said.

“Besides,” she coyly added as he reached over and unzipped it for her, “I promise you,” she said as the dress fell into a heap at her feet, “there is nothing we can do on a tropical island that we can’t do here.” He had already begun lacing her neck with kisses. He stopped when she uttered those words.

“And what are we going to do here?” he teased. He had just deftly unhooked her bra.

“If I have my way…” Quinn told him as she turned around so that she was facing him. She stepped over her dress and began to unbutton his shirt. “We just might not leave this room.”

“And why is that?” Jake asked
as he looped his thumbs into the waistline of her panties.

She re
ached for his zipper. “As soon as I get you out of this tux, I’m going to show you,” she assured him.

9

“All I’m saying is that you don’t have to work,” Jake told her. They were driving back from their honeymoon. Quinn had been right as far as Jake was concerned. There hadn’t been anything they could’ve done on an island that they weren’t able to do at the bed and breakfast. Furthermore, they’d barely left their room. This made him think it had been the perfect choice. Why spend all that time dealing with airports and travel arrangements if you aren’t going to leave your room anyway?

So he’d been plenty satisfied that the honeymoon was a success and it had all worked out for the best. Now he was tackling a subject he knew might be a bit touchy. That was why he’d waited un
til they were on their way home, while Quinn was in a blissfully happy state of mind.

“And what I’m saying is that I
want
to work,” Quinn repeated. She didn’t love her job as a bank teller. But she didn’t mind it either. What she did like was being self-sufficient. She
liked
having her own paycheck. While she appreciated Jake’s offer to let her be a stay at home wife, and then mother, she wasn’t ready for that yet.

“I get it,” he said.
His tone sounded resigned, yet teasing. “That’s what I get for marrying someone so stubborn.”

“I’m not stubborn,” she stubbornly replied. “I’m just…independent.”

He laughed as he glanced over at her. “Yeah, I know. How about a compromise?”

“I’m listening,” Quinn told him.

“Would you consider dropping down to part-time?” He was looking at her hopefully.

She cocked her head to the side, considering. She had gotten the job the summer after high school. She’d worked part-time during school years, jumping to full-time during summers. Even though she had recently been moved back to full-time, she was sure her supervisor wouldn’t have a problem rearranging her schedule again. She knew of at least two co-workers who would appreciate more hours.

They probably needed the money more badly than she did, she realized.

Jake had an excellent job. He’d already made it perfectly clear to her that he was paying the bills. He really didn’t let her pay for anything. Still, she liked to have her own money for new clothes, or shopping with her friends, lunches with Carly. But with no other expenses, except for her own entertainment, her paychecks stretched plenty far.

She nodded slowly. “I could do that.
I just don’t get why it’s so important to you.”

He sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know. It just is. I want to feel like I’m taking care of you. Especially now.”

“Oh,” Quinn said. Her voice sounded a little too serious. “I see. So basically, it’s your caveman side shining through?”

He narrowed his eyes at her teasing. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s sweet,” she conceded.

“So, you agree to drop to part-time?” he pressed.

“Sure,” she agreed quickly. Before she could change her mind.

He grinned triumphantly. “And then—”

“No!” she said with a laugh. “No ‘and then’. That’s the deal!”

“Aren’t you even going to hear me out?”

“Fine,” she huffed in mock annoyance. “Let’s hear it.”

“And then once the baby comes, I think you should quit working altogether.” He said the words quickly. Hoping to get them all out before she cut him off.

“I don’t know, Jake,” she said with a sigh. “I haven’t really thought that far ahead. But it seems a bit silly to spend four years getting an education and then not using it.”

“
You can use it. Eventually,” he argued.

She knew he was right. She’d
already decided to delay looking for a job. It just wasn’t a good time. She already knew she would be needing time off for doctor’s appointments and then the birth and then of course, a few months after the baby arrived. So she’d decided to stay at the bank for the time being. She’d been there for so long and they treated her well. They were also completely flexible with her schedule, which was exactly what she needed for now.

He looked at her imploringly. “Please, just think about it?”

She nodded. “Okay, yes, I’ll think about it.”

*~*~*

“I like this,” Carly said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

Quinn wasn’t sure if Carly was enjoying the cooking lesson…or enjoying the apron, which she kept primping in. All while declaring that she felt incredibly domesticated. Quinn was sure it was going to take more than a frilly apron to domesticate her sister. But it was perhaps a step in the right direction.

Carly was home for the summer, living at their parents house while she waitressed at the same café she’d been waitressing at for years. She’d worked there during high school and they’d been happy to take her back the last few summers. She and Quinn always tried to take advantage of getting together during the summer time because once school started, it was sometimes hard for Carly to find time to return to Lanford.

“I can’t remember the last time we both had the same day off. I also can’t believe you actually argued with Jake about not working so much. What’s wrong with you?” Carly demanded. “
Sometimes I find it hard to believe that you’re my sister. If the man I marry offers to let me sit home all day, watching soap operas and drinking sangrias, he won’t have to ask me twice.”

Quinn shook her head but smiled at the serious look on her sister’s face. Quinn realized that Carly didn’t just
look
serious. She was serious.

“Working part-time was a good compromise,” Quinn said, because she thought it was the safest thing to say. “And I like this, too.
It’s been fun. But if you do find a man to marry that wants you home all day, then the least you could do is cook him a decent meal,” Quinn teased. Carly was touchy about her inabilities in the kitchen. It was one of the few things she wasn’t good at so Quinn liked to take every opportunity to rub it in.