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“Hello. My name is Sumi, and I’ll be showing you around today. Let’s go this way.” She led us to one of the wings, held her ID card in front of a scanner, and let us in.
I allowed the two of them to walk side by side in front of me, listening but not participating as they chatted.
As we turned a corner, Sumi glanced back at me with a smile and said to Quincy, “Is this your dad with you today?”
Somehow I managed to keep my smile pasted on my face, but her assumption hit me like a physical blow.
“Oh, no,” Quincy said with a surprised laugh. “Knox is my…boss. I nanny for this cutie patootie.” She touched Juniper’s nose affectionately as we all stopped at one of the doors.
“She’s adorable,” our guide said. Then she used a key to unlock the room and let us in.
In the meantime, I tried to act like everything was A-okay when what I really wanted to do was duck out and get the hell back to my real life, the one where I wasn’t sleeping with a girl young enough for people to mistake her for my daughter. One who I employed.
At the same time, I knew damn well I’d sleep with her again tonight and savor every damn second of it.
As the guide showed us the common area in the four-bedroom apartment—a living room and full kitchen plus laundry closet—I tried to pay attention. While we were en route to one of the bedrooms—with its own private bathroom—a thought struck me so hard I stopped for a second.
That smart-ass, backward-cap punk at the entrance hadn’t been threatened by me because he too assumed I was Quincy’s father.
I shoved the thought down deep. This was Quincy’s day, a big deal for her, and I needed to not let my hurt feelings show.
The bedroom was empty of staging but contained a twin bed, nightstand, dresser, and desk. Everything she’d need—plus the attached bathroom. They didn’t make dorm rooms like they used to…and that thought made me sound like the old fucker I was.
At some point during the apartment tour, Quincy had become subdued. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her head. On the drive into Nashville this morning, she’d chattered nonstop about the college, her possible first-semester classes, the campus, and everything else under the sun. As she glanced around at the bedroom and checked out the bathroom, I realized she’d gone quiet. She still answered Sumi’s questions, asked a few of her own, but her enthusiasm had dimmed for some reason. Looking around at what her new home away from home would be like, I couldn’t fathom why. Maybe she was just tired.
Once the room tour was done, we made our way back out to the hall to see the common areas of the building—study areas, recreation areas with Ping-Pong and pool tables, a kitchen, for God’s sake, in case the one in your apartment wasn’t good enough?
Sumi, it turned out, was also in the elementary education program, a sophomore, so Quincy peppered her with questions about classes and requirements.
I already knew the program had a top-notch reputation because I’d researched it. This was a stellar opportunity for Quincy. I remembered what the guys at Chance’s had said about how cut out for being a teacher she was, and I couldn’t argue. It hit me how it was more than possible Juniper could have Quincy as a teacher someday. If so, my daughter would be lucky.
I myself would have some shit to work out in my mind.
At the end of the dorm tour, we thanked Sumi and said our goodbyes. As we walked toward the parking lot, I reminded myself again to get out of my thoughts.
Today wasn’t about me. It was about Quincy and her future.
She’d be in a good place with all kinds of opportunities, and I needed to be happy for her.
I’d be back in Dragonfly Lake with my daughter, and we’d be lonely but just fine. Better than just fine.
Coming with Quincy today, it turned out, had been the right decision. God knew I needed all the help I could get to prepare for her moving on.
CHAPTER26
QUINCY
The campus was picture-perfect. It was a slice of green space—and gold, orange, and red if you wanted to get technical—and majestic, old buildings in the middle of the city, like an escape from the chaos. I knew college would be its own kind of stress and chaos, but it was hard not to fall in love with the setting.
Knox drove us toward Clayborne’s, the restaurant where we were meeting Ryan, my older brother. It was situated on Hale Street, the cornerstone of the redeveloped neighborhood close to both downtown and the college, and owned by Sierra North’s brother-in-law, Hunter Clayborne. I hadn’t been there before but had heard buzz about it, particularly since Hayden’s home decor store was down the street. I hoped to explore before we headed off to the baby superstore.
First, though…Ryan.
I adored my older brother. Even though we didn’t see each other all that often, we were close. He worked too much, thanks to the success of Tech Horse Software. He and his partners, Jackson Lowell and Keaton Hayes, were launching a new product I couldn’t pretend to understand, and Ryan had been traveling more than he’d been home for the past couple of months.
I was excited to see him and dreading it at the same time. Knox and I were short-term and secret. We were alone so often that it was an adjustment to be with others and to act likejustboss and employee sometimes. I was worried we might accidentally reveal too much. I’d have to be on guard.
Knox parked in a garage by the gorgeous and stately Wentworth Hotel at the opposite end of the short street, which gave us the chance to check out all the shops as we walked by.
