“Um, that you’re cheeky and playful and like to get into all sorts of trouble.”
“Hmm, well I mean, this is true,” I say with a shrug.
“So,” she says, waving a hand as though to encourage me to continue.
I laugh, topping up our wine before relaxing back into my chair. “I don’t know, I guess I don’t really get embarrassed about shit,” I say with a shrug. “I’m pretty chill about most things.”
“You are,” she says, smiling. “Honest about things too.”
I take a sip of wine as a server comes to clear our plates. “Is that a good thing?” I ask.
Quinn nods. “It’s a very good thing, refreshing even.”
“It’s who I am, Quinn,” I say with a shrug.
She doesn’t say anything, just watches me, a soft smile on her face.
“Do you have any siblings?” I ask, changing the subject.
“I do, I have a younger sister,” she says, her smile growing.
“Are you close?”
She takes another sip of wine, her eyes darting to the now dark horizon as she thinks about her answer, stalling maybe. “Yeah, we are,” she starts. “But Isla didn’t really like Sean, so that made things difficult at times.”
“Have you spoken to her since you left him?” I ask.
“I have, yeah,” she replies, blowing out a breath.
“And?”
Quinn refills our glasses, stalling again as she contemplates her answer. I feel like she thinks she has to filter herself before she responds, and a part of me doesn’t like that.
“And she’s happy I did it. Says it’s something I should’ve done a long time ago,” she finally admits.
I stand, holding my hand out to her. She looks up at me, blinking a couple of times before she finally slides her hand into mine and stands. I lead her over to the couch, pulling her down beside me, my arm around her shoulders. Pressing a kiss to her temple, I tuck her into my side.
“I’m guessing that’s kind of the last thing you needed to hear,” I eventually say.
She shrugs. “In hindsight, I obviously know he’s an asshole. A lying, cheating, thinks money can solve everything, asshole.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t think that when you married him,” I counter.
“No,” she breathes out. “But maybe I should have.”
I squeeze her shoulder. “Or maybe you should have believed him when he told you he loved you,” I say. “When he asked you to marry him, even. You loved him, Quinn. That’s not a crime, just like it’s not your fault he is an asshole.”
She huffs out a breath and says, “Fuck.”
With a laugh, I drop a kiss to the top of her head as I whisper, “I like you for who you are, Quinn, nothing more, nothing less. And certainly nothing to do with him.”
She nods, saying nothing as she sits beside me. Eventually, I feel her take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she asks, “Are you and Miles close?”
“Yeah,” I say with a chuckle. “Very close. My whole family is.”
“I like that,” she whispers.
I drop another kiss to the top of her head as I say, “They like you too, you know.”
