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But there had always been something about Professor Grant.
Quinn.
Emily still felt it all these years later, and she couldn’t stop herself from at least putting herself out there. She just had to hope that Quinn hadn’t seen her crush all those years ago. Emily liked to think that she’d been subtle, but it was impossible to know.
10
By the time they arrived back at the community center, it was nearly dark. Quinn had always taken her time when she was delivering meals, but she couldn’t know that it would actually take longer with Emily.
Just about everyone they’d delivered to either recognized her or thought that they knew her from somewhere, and that led to a longer conversation about what she was up to now, and once she’d mentioned New York City, most of them had their own stories about their time either living or working there or a great night out they had fifty years ago.
On the way into the community center, Emily stopped to talk to someone else who was about to get into their car. This trip home must have felt like a reunion of sorts for Emily.
Quinn kept going, wanting to return the clipboard to the office, and Rebecca was just coming out of it when Quinn arrived.
“How did it go?” Rebecca asked as Quinn handed it back to her, and she left it on the desk.
“Good. Yeah.”
“You were gone a long time. I was almost worried.”
Quinn nodded. “Yeah, well. Everyone seemed to recognize your sister or at least wonder where they knew her from.”
“That’s not surprising, really. She’s never been back long enough over the years to see anyone other than our family.”
Quinn wasn’t sure what to say to that. Did she detect some level of disappointment in Emily?
“Did she ask you about Maya?”
Quinn must have missed something. “What?”
“Did Emily ask you about Maya?”
“Uh, yeah. Actually, she did. Why?” Quinn leaned against the doorframe as Rebecca perched herself on the edge of the desk, her arms folded across her chest.
Rebecca chuckled. “Well, that’s never going to change, I guess.”
“What’s that?” Quinn asked, a smile coming to her lips as she tried to read between the lines.
“Emily has always had a thing for unavailable, older women. She asked me about Maya the other day, but it wouldn’t be the first time she was chasing after someone she probably shouldn’t be. There was a professor in college, then her first boss when she moved to New York. A client at some point? Maybe, Maya is an improvement now that I think about it. Assuming she’s gay. Sorry,” Rebecca said with a shake of her head. “I try not to get too involved with Emily’s personal life, but I worry about her. Her career is solid. She works hard. But her personal life? Not so much.”
Quinn inhaled a shaky breath. So much new information. “It’s normal to worry about your younger sister. I think. I don’t have any siblings so…”
“I’m sure it is, but I’m also sure most people’s younger siblings aren’t always on the verge of some kind of scandal. And I’m sure I don’t even know the half of it.”
Quinn’s palms were sweaty now, her mind finally processing everything that Rebecca had just said. Was she the college professor?
She had to be.
Emily’s crush on her had been so obvious. Not to the point that other people saw it. Quinn just couldn’t miss it, but that was probably because she’d needed that attention back then, at that point in her life.
Emily must never have mentioned Quinn’s name, or because it was so long ago, Rebecca had forgotten it. Either way, if it really was her that Rebecca was talking about, then Quinn hadn’t been imagining things. She had wondered at different points throughout that year, that maybe she was reaching, seeing what she wanted to see after her breakup.
“Any plans tonight?” Rebecca asked, taking her away from her thoughts. “I’m trying to stay out of the house and avoid Zach’s flu.”
“None.”
“Do you want to check out the markets and go for a drink after?”
