Quentin scowled, even as his chest tightened. “I knew she was making a big mistake by marrying that loser. And, yeah, I was a little sad that our friendship wouldn’t be the same.”
“Are you sure those are the only reasons you were so upset?”
He held his mother’s quiet gaze a moment longer before his eyes slid away. Shaken and dumbfounded, he scrubbed a hand over his face and blew out a deep, ragged breath. Was it possible? Had he been in love with Lexi for years and not even known it? Or had he been in denial about his feelings?
“Do you know why you’ve had such a hard time settling down?” his mother gently prodded.
He sent her an ironic glance. “I haven’t exactly been trying.”
She smiled, soft and knowing. “That’s because you’ve been secretly holding out for Alexis. No other woman will do.”
Quentin said nothing.
His mother’s words had struck a chord deep within him, unearthing truths he’d been unable—or unwilling—to acknowledge until now. Her description of his behavior at Lexi’s wedding was frighteningly accurate. Hehadbeen miserable that day, starting from the moment he’d sneaked into the bridal suite and seen Lexi standing in front of the mirror, outrageously beautiful in her simple white wedding gown. He’d wanted a private moment with her, but her mother and bridesmaids had shooed him out of the room, fussing that the bride had to finish getting ready. Later, as Lexi wafted down the aisle toward her groom, she’d sought Quentin out among the gathered guests. When their eyes met, she’d smiled softly and winked. And something inside him had shriveled up and died.
Over the years, he’d often wondered what he would have said to her if they’d been left alone before the ceremony.
Now, in a moment of stunning clarity, he realized that he’d intended to beg her not to go through with marrying McNamara.
Shaken by the revelation, Quentin searched his mother’s face. “Is that why you never said anything to me? You wanted me to figure it out on my own?”
She nodded, eyes twinkling. “I knew you would eventually. You’re a smart man.”
He smiled ruefully. “Not smart enough, obviously, if it took me all these years to see what was right in front of me.”
Georgina chuckled. “Better late than never.”
“That’s true.” But Quentin was thinking about how much precious time had been wasted. If he’d recognized his feelings sooner, could he have claimed Lexi before Adam McNamara did? Could he have saved her from the pain and heartache of an emotionally abusive marriage? He’d never know, and that saddened him thoroughly.
His mother was watching him with a quiet, nostalgic expression. “You know, your daddy was quite the ladies’ man when we met. So dashing and daring, and so charismatic. He could charm the skin off a snake, and no woman could resist him. Sound like anyone you know?”
At Quentin’s sheepish grin, she laughed and gave him a knowing look.
Sobering after a moment, she continued, “When your father married me, none of those other women mattered. For the sixteen years I had him, that man never once cheated on me. And I never worried that he would. Because he loved me.” She reached up and tenderly cupped Quentin’s cheek. “That’s the kind of love you have for Alexis. A rare, profoundly special love that only comes around once in a lifetime.”
Quentin swallowed, surprised to feel moisture pricking his eyelids. “I don’t want to lose her,” he confessed, husky with emotion.
Georgina’s gaze softened. “Then don’t,” she said simply.
And Quentin vowed, right then and there, that he wouldn’t.
Chapter 17
The next two weeks were heaven on earth.
Lexi and Quentin spent every possible minute together, which was no easy feat considering their busy, demanding careers. But they found creative ways to make it work. When Quentin flew to New York to appear onLarry King LiveandGood Morning America,Lexi canceled her classes for the day and went with him, rationalizing that she could kill two birds with one stone by having lunch with her editor while she was in town.
Once she and Quentin had concluded their business for the day, they locked themselves in their luxurious suite at the Waldorf-Astoria, ordered room service and devoured each other for the rest of the night.
They spent countless hours in bed together, alternately making passionate love and talking, rediscovering little things about each other that amused and fascinated them. They made up trivia questions to test their knowledge of each other. Neither was surprised when they both passed with flying colors.
One weekend they tackled the job of repainting Lexi’s family room, which she’d been wanting to do since the divorce. She’d never really cared for the color Adam had chosen, but she’d capitulated to keep the peace. Now, as she worked alongside Quentin, she found it incredibly cathartic to cover the walls with a fresh coat of terra-cotta-colored paint.
Out with the old,she thought.In with the new.
When she met Quentin’s gaze, she knew he felt the same way.
They had nearly finished their task when Quentin suddenly flicked a spatter of paint at her, hitting her squarely in the chest. After she recovered from her shocked indignation, she’d dunked her own brush in the pan and gone after him. Their laughter rang out as they chased each other around the room, taunting and slinging paint at each other. By the time they were through, their hair and clothes were smeared with paint, and the protective cloth draped across the floor was covered with terra-cotta-colored footprints.
