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“I hope you didn’t give that up,” Nora said, her voice serious. “You were very talented, especially at such a young age.”
Emily had gone to church willingly until she realized that she couldn’t any longer, when the occasional homophobic comment no longer whizzed over her head, hitting her like a sucker-punch instead. But she had played the piano some Sundays from the ages of ten to fourteen. Her grandfather had taught her, the same piano still in the living room where it would remain.
“Thank you,” Emily said. “And I do still play sometimes.”
“That’s good to hear.” Nora’s eyes moved between them. “Any news for me, Quinn?”
Quinn smiled as she shook her head. “There’s never any news, Nora. Not that kind anyway.”
Emily quirked an eyebrow. This must be some kind of inside joke.
“Oh well,” Nora said with an exaggerated sigh. “I guess I’ll just keep waiting.”
“You really shouldn’t,” Quinn said with a soft laugh as she stood up. “We better get going.”
“Thanks for stopping by. And it was lovely to meet you, Emily,” Nora said as she walked them to the door.
“You too.” Emily gave her a wave as Quinn stayed in the doorway, Nora leaning in to whisper something as Emily made her way down the steps.
Quinn joined her in the car a few seconds later.
“What was that about?” Emily asked as they pulled away.
Quinn blew out a breath. “Nora loves reading romance novels, and for some reason, she thinks that any day now I’m going to meet someone.” Her gentle laugh filled the space between them. “And I have no idea why. Maybe, she’s like that with everyone. I don’t know.”
“She didn’t ask me,” Emily said with a smile.
“True. But she probably assumes someone like you isn’t single.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well. It was obviously meant as a compliment,” Quinn said as she turned onto the main road again. She let out a breath. “I guess, I just meant when you were going on about your life in New York. You come across as someone who has their life together. That’s all.”
“Thanks, I think.” Emily bit her lip. What a strange conversation. And now that they were having it? Why wouldn’t she try to find out something more about Quinn? “But for the record, I could also do with Nora’s optimism.”
“You’re not seeing anyone?” Quinn asked without looking her way.
“No. Not for a while now.” Emily pressed her lips together, her heart beating faster as she debated her next few words. “What about you?”
Quinn didn’t answer right away, and for a second, Emily thought she’d said the wrong thing, that somehow Quinn knew what Emily was really asking, but Quinn didn’t seem fazed when she did answer.
“Well, I didn’t lie to Nora. I am single.”
Emily had gathered as much, but she was hoping that Quinn might say something that would allude to her sexuality or about how she was waiting for Mr. Right, and then Emily could finally forget about this ridiculous crush on her former professor.
Emily would worry about her desperation later, but right now she couldn’t let this topic of conversation go without at least trying some other angle. “What’s Maya’s situation?”
“The yoga instructor?”
“Yeah.” Emily tried to keep the nervous energy coursing through her out of her voice. “I always thought my gaydar was decent, but you know, when you haven’t tested it out in a while, you start to doubt yourself.”
“Uh, well.” Quinn stumbled over her words. “As far as I know, she’s single. Bi and single.”
“Interesting.” Emily wasn’t sure where Quinn’s potential nervousness was coming from, but at the very least, she wanted Quinn to know that she was gay. What that would actually achieve? Probably nothing.
Emily didn’t even know what kind of game she was playing. Even if Quinn was gay, single, and interested, what good would it do?
Emily’s life was in New York City.
