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“Now, you all go on and sit,” Miss Marla said, waving her hands. “You girls place your orders and I’ll bring them through.”
“I probably need to head home,” Quinn said, suddenly uncomfortable.
“Why? We don’t bite.” Rory nudged her to get her moving. “Come. Sit and eat. You can then watch me and realize I’m nothing like the Princess Aurora you knew.”
After ordering her coffee, she found herself moving toward the other area in the shop. This one had books. Quinn found herself at a table with the women. Not something she did often, if ever, actually.
She wasn’t a girlie girl. She’d never really wanted to dress in frills or lace. It just hadn’t been her thing, and still wasn’t. When she’d left Ryker Falls and joined the air force, that hadn’t changed, in fact she’d stepped into a man’s world where what she wore didn’t matter. What mattered was her brain and ability to operate under pressure.
“How’s your dad?” Mandy asked after they’d talked with the comfortable familiarity of friends for a few minutes. “I hear he had an accident.”
“He’s okay, thank you.”
“They had a fire too. I heard the barn was destroyed,” Piper said.
“Yeah, but the insurance will help build a new one. We all got out without anyone being hurt, so that’s the main thing,” Quinn said.
“What is it you do, Quinn?” Rory said.
“I’m in the air force.”
“Yeah?” Rory frowned. “I don’t remember anyone telling us that.”
“We knew what Matt was up too though.” Piper frowned too.
“Yeah, he’s doing great,” Quinn said, fighting back the hurt that her mom never talked about her. Her father would, but he wasn’t much of a gossip, unlike her mother.
“Thanks for your service, Quinn,” Piper added.
“How long are you home?” Rory asked.
“A few weeks.”
“Are you single?”
“Rory!” Piper glared at her.
“Bailey is trying to get bachelorettes for the auction. I’m just asking if maybe Quinn could participate.”
“She’s pretty,” Luna said, and then suddenly all eyes were on her.
“You got a dress you could wear?” Piper asked.
She shook her head and could honestly say that she had no dresses in her closet. Or skirts for that matter aside from her dress uniform. Or tops that had flowers or frills, or… pretty much any color other than dark ones. Her mom would be horrified if she knew.
Thinking of her mom reminded her of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
“I don’t think I’ll be here for the auction.”
“Shame, but if you are, it would help the kids out getting their new minivan,” Rory said.
“Here you all go.” A plate of delicious-looking scones was lowered to the table before her, which had Quinn’s stomach rumbling. Everyone reached for them. Mugs of tea or coffee followed.
She sat there in the warm tea shop with a bunch of women she didn’t know who were happy for her to be with them, and listened as they chatted. They threw a few questions her way, but for the most part they talked. What surprised her was that it felt comfortable.
She had friends, but they were mostly men. She’d never really wanted more than that but sitting here with these women she wondered if relocating closer to home would allow her to change that. Quinn had been all work and no play for years now. The small tug of longing for more of this made her uncomfortable enough to get out of her chair.
“I need to get back to the farm. It was nice to meet you all.” Quinn nodded and waved to the Robbins sisters, then headed for the door.
