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“You’re my best friend, but also my protector. You’ve made it your life mission to be sure I was okay, and I’m okay. I’m better than okay. I’m really, truly happy. And now it’s time for you to be really, truly happy too.”
*
McKenna stopped by Melk Realty late Monday afternoon to pick up Noel and drive him back to Quinn. She had all the kids in her car and they screamed in delight when Noel joined them in the back seat. Noel, for his part, just lay down and accepted the attention as if that was the reaction he’d expected. He really was such a good dog.
“Thank you for driving him back to Quinn,” Charity said, careful to avoid mentioning that anything was amiss between her and Quinn as McKenna adored her big brother.
“We’re taking dinner to the guys at the tree farm,” she said, nodding toward the noisy crew in the back seat before giving Charity a frazzled smile. “I keep telling myself this is fun but, right now, I could use a long hot bath without a kidlet in sight.”
“Has Trey been at the Gallaghers today?”
“Half day. He came in midafternoon so Rory could go help Sadie haul a tree to a client’s house she is decorating.”
“Rory’s happy, isn’t he?” Charity said, hating the wistful note she heard in her voice.
McKenna nodded. “Very happy.” And then she hesitated. “And until this week, I would have said the same thing for Quinn.” She opened the door to her car and then gave Charity a meaningful glance. “And you two need to sort this out soon because I’m happy to chauffeur this dog to Quinn today, but this shouldn’t be an ongoing thing. You guys need to be grown-ups and talk.” McKenna waved goodbye, closed her door, and backed out carefully onto Main Street.
Charity watched McKenna’s car disappear, hating how horrendous she felt. McKenna was right. This couldn’t continue. But Charity didn’t know how to make things right with Quinn when Alice was still looming large in the background.
“Don’t make me be the one to say it.”
Greg’s voice caught her off guard, and Charity jumped. “What was that?” she asked, turning around on the sidewalk to face him.
“Come on. Don’t make me have to spell this out for you. I’m not on your team, and I’m not on Quinn’s team, but Charity, you are being clueless.”
She stiffened and folded her arms across her chest. “What do you want, Greg?”
“I’m trying to help you.”
“You’ve never tried to help me.”
He grimaced. “That’s fair. You make a good point. But putting aside our disastrous relationship, don’t let Alice Sterling tie you up in knots.”
“How do you know about her?”
“I heard you talking to Sam about her, and I recognized the name. The Sterlings are big in commercial real estate. Her dad, Leo, owns tons of luxury properties and resorts all across the country.”
“Your point being?”
“Alice is accustomed to getting what she wants. Don’t let her railroad you. Go see her. Sitting around being upset accomplishes nothing. Do something about it.”
Charity gave Greg a wary look. “After what we’ve been through, I’m not sure I should listen to your advice.”
“If I were you, I’d feel the same way.” He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m sorry for how things turned out between us. I was arrogant and a jerk and I treated you badly. I don’t feel good about that, and I kind of ruined things for me here in Marietta, too.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Did Sam make you say that?”
“Yes. No. Let’s face it, I screwed things up for myself here and I’ve told Sam that I’m thinking of returning to Omaha. Sam thinks it’s probably a good move if I have an opportunity there.”
“Next time just be nicer, and have more integrity when you date.”
“I think I will take your advice.”
She gave him a rueful smile. “And I’ll think about yours.”
Charity did, too. She thought about Greg’s advice all evening as she finished Amanda’s dress for the Mistletoe and Montana fund-raiser. Maybe Greg was right. Maybe it was time to confront her fears—namely, Alice—and have a conversation, which meant a visit to the Graff Hotel was in order.
The next morning she stopped by the hotel on her way to work, and approached the front desk asking if they could please connect her to Alice Sterling’s room.
The front desk receptionist said there was no one by that name at the hotel. “We did have a guest here Tuesday night by that name, but the guest departed early Wednesday.”
Charity’s first thought was one of relief—Alice was gone—and then a second thought came, and it was far more disquieting. Had Alice returned to Quinn’s?
She felt nauseous as she returned to her car, and drove the three blocks to work. She hated the second thought and, truthfully, she didn’t think Alice was at Quinn’s. She thought Alice had probably gone home. Charity suspected that everything Quinn had told her was correct.
Her sister’s words came back to haunt her.
Quinn wasn’t the problem. She was.
*
Thursday morning Quinn sent Charity a text that he was slammed that morning and couldn’t get the dog to her, but she was welcome to come pick him up, or stop by the Gallaghers later to see him.
Charity read the text several times, telling herself not to read anything into the message, and yet felt anxious all over again. Her stomach had been in knots all week. She hadn’t been able to eat much since Tuesday night and it didn’t help that she and Quinn weren’t speaking. This silence between them reminded her so much of the breakup with Joe, and how when things fell apart it all just ended.
She didn’t want this to end with Quinn. In her heart of hearts, she was still so crazy about him, which was why she was keeping her distance. She was afraid. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of his silence. Afraid he’d soon disappear. She was simply afraid, period.
As she went through the motions of working, Charity found herself wondering if part of the reason things had ended so badly with Joe was due to her… and the way she handled hurt and conflict. Had Charity contributed to the problem by not communicating better?
Was it possible even that she’d been the problem?
Amanda certainly made it sound as if she was the problem now, because Charity didn’t fight for what she wanted… whether it was a relationship or a career. Instead she gave up. Became a defeatist.
Was it true?
*
Charity left work a half hour early to go home and finish the final details on Amanda’s dress and then drove it over to Tyler and Amanda’s house. Amanda was still at the hair salon but Tyler was home and he took the dress, promising to hang it up straight away in Amanda’s closet.
Charity thanked him and started back down the front walkway.
“Do you remember when Amanda and I had our falling out?” he called to her, stopping her midway down the front walk.
She paused and turned around.
“You were instrumental in helping us get back together,” he added. “If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure we would’ve gotten back together, at least not when we did.”
Charity’s shoulders lifted and fell. “You guys were so good together.”
“Just like you and Quinn are good together.”
“I’m having a hard time,” she admitted. “Quinn and I haven’t talked in days.”
“So talk to him.”
“And what do I say? That I’ve been wrong about everything? That I’m just a coward with terrible self-esteem issues?”
“That’s probably a good start.”
“Just a start?”
Tyler came down the steps, walking to her. “And then you add the really important stuff. Like how much you care about him, and how much you’ve missed him.” He smiled at her. “Basic stuff, but still really good to hear stuff.”
She glanced away. “He’s a professional baseball player,” she said in a small voice. “He has groupies and everything.?
??
Tyler’s laughter rang out. She shot him an accusing glance. He shrugged. “Sorry,” he said, lips twitching, “but the way you said groupies was funny.”
“It’s not funny, though. Women throw themselves at him.”
“But he doesn’t want them. He wants you.”
“His career terrifies me.”
“His career is his job, not yours.”
“Then what do I do?”
“Just love him. That’s all he wants from you.”
The knot in her chest grew, making it hard to breathe. “I haven’t heard from him in days other than brief, awkward texts about the dog.”
“Have you reached out to him?”
She shook her head.
Tyler shrugged. “Maybe he’s waiting for you to reassure him that you still care about him.”
She could barely swallow around the aching in her chest and throat. “Of course I care about him.”
“Then tell him that. Quinn is a strong confident athlete, but he’s also a man. He needs to know he matters to you.”
Instead of driving home, Charity got on Highway 89 and headed south, taking the exit for the Gallagher Tree Farm. She didn’t know what she would say to Quinn when she saw him, only that she had to see him. She cared about Quinn too much to let the silence continue. If he was going to reject her, he would reject her, but at least she would know and not lose any more sleep wondering.
