AllFreeNovel
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Glancing at the clock, I see that it’s a quarter past three. I shake my head, knowing we only really started sorting at noon.
“Blossom said she’d be ready around four-thirty. Besides, Friday happy hour doesn’t start till five, anyway. Do you think you can last till then?” I laugh and head to the kitchen to grab us drinks. Quinn follows me and opens the fridge while I grab us two cups.
She spins around with a devious smile on her face. Glancing down, I see she has all the ingredients to make her new favorite drink, Ranch Waters. I shake my head and turn to grab bigger glasses.
“What? It’s after five in New York and you know damn well these are delicious and hydrating…” She laughs and starts to cut the limes.
After placing the glasses on the counter for her, I grab my phone and sit on the couch.
Me: Making progress! Although Quinnie thinks drinking Ranch Waters at 3pm is a good idea.
I don’t have to wait long for a response.
??Love of my Life??: Two more weeks and I get to wake up next to you every day… and you’ll be fine.
Me: That’s what you think. We’re meeting Bloss for happy hour at 5pm.
??Love of my Life??: Ha! Let me guess… Los Borachos?
Me: Obv ??
??Love of my Life??: Love you baby, be safe. Call me later.
Me: Love you too!
Plugging my phone in to charge, I notice Quinn isn’t in the kitchen anymore, but my drink is there waiting.Where did she mosey off to?
I grab my glass and head back to my room, where Quinn is sitting on the floor looking at her phone. She doesn’t even pick her head up when I enter.
“You okay, babe?” I ask, as I attempt to gracefully sit on the floor next to her. She has been off since she got here. I thought maybe she was just a little jet-lagged, but it’s becoming quite apparent that there’s more to it.
“Yeah,” she says with a deep breath, placing her phone face down beside her. I nudge her shoulder lightly.
“You sure? Do you want to talk?”
Shaking her head, she sighs, “I’ll be okay. Just got to come to terms with the cards I’ve been dealt in life.” Hearing her words puts a frown on my face. Here I am, excited as hell to be moving on to the next stage in my life, and she’s beside me, silently suffering. I have a feeling it has something to do with my brother, but since she hasn’t outright said anything, I don’t want to assume.
“Let me know what I can do to help… I'm here for you always. Even if that means sitting beside you in a cell.”
She laughs and rests her head on my shoulder. “No one is going to jail… Yet. But I’ll keep you in mind.”
“Come on, let’s get showered and ready to go. Blossom can meet us when she’s ready.”
“Are you sure? I feel like we still have a lot to do. I don’t want us to stop just because I’m having a moment.”
“It can wait… But if I can’t pick my head off my pillow in the morning, I'm blaming you,” I say, wrapping my arm around her and kissing the top of her head. “Love you, Quinnie.”
“Love you, too. Now help me get off this floor… My ass fell asleep.”
* * *
“You know,you can stay on at AOS for however long you need, Bloss… or you can just move your ass to New York. You can even bring Mom,” I say, as our next round of margaritas are delivered to the table.
“Aw, that’s very kind of you, but you know that old bat will never leave L.A. Besides, it’s time I move on to something new. I don’t think I could stay in that office indefinitely, knowing you won’t be walking through the doors.”
“That is sooo fricken sweet. I can't even…” Quinn croons from beside me. She’s quite tipsy at the moment. I’ve caught her several times staring off into space, seemingly deep in thought. But I don’t blame her… I’m just glad she’s smiling and enjoying herself.
Taking a sip of my drink, I ask the questions that’s been nagging me lately, “Do you think placing Genevieve in charge was the best decision? You, obviously, were my first choice, but once you turned me down, I figured she was second best.”
