A Risk Worth Taking

by Victoria James

  Holly nodded stiffly.

  He raised his eyebrows. “You know how to assemble a crib?”

  Holly’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you say it like the rest of the world would know how to assemble a crib, but certainly not I, Holly Carrington?”

  He gave her a look that told her he wasn’t about to answer that. “Do you have any tools?” His tone was beginning to sound a little patronizing.

  “It comes with one of those thingies, Quinn,” she said, rolling her eyes and wishing she could remember the name.

  The muscles in his jaw twitched as he stared at her. “A thingy?”

  “You know, those L-shaped things. Really, I know what I’m doing,” she said, lying through her teeth and shifting Ella to her other hip. Assembling furniture from scratch had never been her forte, but she wasn’t about to admit that.

  “You mean an Allen key?”

  Holly shrugged, and Ella giggled with the motion. “Whatever, it really doesn’t matter what it’s called as long as I know how to use it. I’m a big girl now, Quinn. I’ve lived in the big bad city all by myself for ten years. I think I can handle assembling a crib and cleaning up an old house, okay?” Holly stood a little straighter, even though her back protested.

  “Give me your keys. I’m going to get the crib, bring it in here, and assemble it,” he said slowly, enunciating every syllable. Holly frowned at his tone. She was about to open her mouth when he held open his hand, palm side up. Ella slapped his outstretched hand and his expression changed, all the tension leaving him as he laughed with Ella and playfully slapped her hand in return. Holly watched his face transform, his eyes crinkling at the corners, his lips turning into a grin.

  “Keys, Holly,” he said again, giving her a brief frown before turning to make funny faces at Ella. He had some nerve.

  “Quinn, there are a few words missing from your sentence. Like, may I and please.”

  He turned so his full attention was on her now, his face a few inches from hers, close enough that Holly had to tilt her head back slightly to meet his eyes. She didn’t appreciate that. Nor did she appreciate just how perfect his face looked, even up close.

  “I’m not leaving a woman and a baby in the middle of a storm in a house with no electricity and nowhere to sleep. I wouldn’t do it to a stranger, and there’s no way in hell I’m going to do it to you, of all people. So give me your keys.”

  Maybe it was the way you of all people sounded like a soft caress, or maybe it was just the man himself. Or maybe it was the fact that Quinn was the only man who’d given a damn about what happened to her in a long time.

  Holly lifted her chin. Whatever it was, she couldn’t get sucked into this. And she didn’t want to get used to relying on anyone but herself. “Fine, Quinn. Thank you for your help. I’ll accept your help. Even though I’m fully capable—”

  Quinn grabbed her keys and stalked outside, the screen door bouncing against the frame as he stepped into the rain, not stopping to hear the rest of her statement.

  Chapter Two

  “Two country breakfasts, eggs over easy, brown toast, and two coffees, John,” Quinn said in a single breath, pulling a twenty dollar bill out of his wallet.

  “No prob, be out in a minute, Quinn,” John said from behind the register, handing Quinn his change a moment later. John and his wife owned the country diner in downtown Red River. It hadn’t been remodeled since it was first established in the fifties, but it was clean and the food was usually simple but good. It had become a kind of landmark in the town.

  Quinn weaved his way past the tables of chattering people, walking to an empty booth near the window. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts as he sank into one of the vinyl, orange booths beside the window. He glanced down at his watch. His younger brother, Jake, should be here any minute. Though they worked together day in and day out in the family business, they spent a lot of their spare time together, too. And both of them knew Monday morning breakfast at John’s was their “thing.” Their youngest brother, Evan, was an ER surgeon in the city, and they rarely saw him during the week.

  Despite his better judgment, Quinn allowed himself to reflect on his reunion with Holly on Saturday. He stared out the window as the rain poured down, giant raindrops forming endless rings in the puddles. But all he saw was Holly. He ran a frustrated hand through his damp hair. She had lived up to the promise she had shown at eighteen. No, she had surpassed it, by far.

  She was cute and witty and smart at eighteen. At twenty-eight, she was gorgeous, sharp, and…wounded. He had seen Holly exactly twice in the last ten years, and both times it had been for a funeral. As much as she’d tried to hide her pain, he saw it in every expression on her face, heard it in every syllable in her voice. She was no longer the carefree girl he remembered, the girl that had offered him her heart. And then there was Ella. He knew about the tragedy with Jennifer and her husband, and that Holly was now Ella’s guardian. But what he hadn’t counted on was how he would react to Ella. Or seeing Holly and Ella together. Hell, he admired Holly for stepping up and rearranging her life for her niece. He didn’t know what he’d do if he lost either of his brothers, let alone having to become a parent at the same time. She was brave, and she had as much guts as anyone he’d ever met. Not for one second had she let on that she was scared of anything. Except the mice, he thought, smiling slightly.

  But his smile faded quickly. A part of him wished he could be that same man he’d been when she’d left ten years ago, before either of them had been hit with loss. He wished he could offer her what she needed. Because the first thing he’d wanted to do when he saw her was kiss her. Kiss her and taste her, and see if the reality of Holly was better than the fantasy. That need hadn’t diminished. Even with mashed banana across his face, the only thing he’d felt like doing when she approached him with those wipes was tugging her into his body and kissing her. Exactly what he would have done ten years ago, if she hadn’t been so young.

  “Man, it’s pouring out there!” Jake said, shrugging out of his navy raincoat with their company logo branded across the back and sliding into the booth across from him. Quinn pushed his thoughts aside and tried to look nonchalant. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss Holly, babies, or feelings with Jake.

  “Yup, supposed to rain all week,” Quinn said, frowning as a slow, irritating grin emerged on his brother’s face.

  “You’ve seen Holly already, haven’t you?”

  Quinn leaned back in the booth with a sigh. “How did you guess?”

  “You look horrible,” Jake said with an unabashedly amused laugh.

  Quinn ran both hands through his hair, glancing over at the bar, wishing the coffee would arrive. Jake knew a little too much about his feelings for Holly. His brother knew everything that had happened—and everything that hadn’t. And Jake had been the one who told him to go after Holly when she left for college. But Quinn hadn’t listened. Instead, he’d let Holly go her own way, and he’d gone another. And now they were both back here, alone.

  “So, how did it feel seeing her again?”

  Quinn blinked, staring at his brother, looking for a hint of teasing. He saw none. “What kind of question is that?”

  “What?” Jake asked, shrugging his shoulders.

  “It’s a bit on the feminine side, don’t you think?”

  Jake scoffed. “Look, buddy, if you wanted feminine conversation, I’d ask you what she was wearing, if she’d had any work done, and if she’s gained any weight since you last saw her.”

  Quinn gave a snort of agreement. “Okay. Fine. Yeah, she looks pretty damn good, in case you’re wondering.”

  “Yeah, I was wondering, actually.”

  Quinn leaned forward. “Well, you don’t need to.”

  “Don’t need to what?” Jake asked, his lips twitching slightly.

  “Don’t need to wonder.”

  Jake grinned and held up his hands. “Hey, no need to go getting all riled up, Quinn. She’s all yours, buddy—the last thin
g I need in my life right now is a high-strung woman.”

  “She is high strung, isn’t she?” Quinn mumbled under his breath.

  “Yeah, that’s putting it mildly. Did you read the scope of the project report she sent over yesterday? She made notes on her own notes. You’re in for it,” Jake said, glancing up as their food arrived.

  Two chipped plates filled with runny eggs and greasy strips of half-cooked bacon slid across the linoleum-topped table, along with cups of coffee that swooshed over the rim.

  “What the hell?” Jake muttered, looking down at the plate.

  “John, did you make this crap?” Quinn called after the hastily retreating figure.

  “Yeah, Joanne got pissed off and told me to do the cooking,” John yelled across the diner, his reply earning a few snorts of laughter from the other patrons. “Look, sorry, fellas, lots of problems this morning.”

  “That is why I’m never getting married,” Jake quipped, as John’s heavy figure scurried around the busy diner.

  “Yeah, you’re a smart man. Look, I’m going to be at Holly’s today if you need to reach me. Got a full day lined up,” Quinn said, pushing aside the plate with a shudder after trying the runny eggs.

  “According to that list, you might as well clear your schedule for the next two months,” Jake said, and then gagged as he tried the eggs.

  “Yeah, it’s a hell of a reno to get done in eight weeks,” he replied. Over the years, Quinn had expanded the family business beyond renovations. In fact, they rarely did home renovations anymore. But he’d never turn down the opportunity to help Holly.

  “This should be interesting,” Jake said with a smirk and shoved the offensive plate of food away.

  “Interesting isn’t exactly the word I’d use,” Quinn said under his breath.

  “You haven’t spoken to her in how long?” Jake asked, sipping his coffee.

  Quinn scowled at his brother for a moment before answering. He couldn’t remember the last time Jake had asked him so many questions that weren’t work-related. “Years. Doesn’t feel like it, though. But it doesn’t matter, anyway,” Quinn added quickly, looking out the window again. He scowled so Jake would stop talking.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m not interested,” Quinn answered in the most surly voice he could muster.

  “Yeah, right.”

  Quinn glared at him.

  “Why aren’t you interested?”

  “You know why.”

  “No, I don’t. I know you’ve had a crappy few years. And I know Holly’s been through a lot. So maybe—”

  “Maybe you should mind you own business, Jake,” Quinn growled. He clenched his jaw and broke Jake’s heavy gaze.

  “Maybe you should stop being so defensive. Maybe it’s time you moved on with your life, man,” Jake said.

  “I have moved on. That doesn’t mean I need to get married or have a kid. I like being single. What about you? You’re not married.”

  “I’m not getting married until I’m at least forty-five. No need to ruin the best years of my life with a wife and kids.”

  Quinn took a deep breath and reminded himself never to enter this type of discussion with Jake again.

  “Besides,” Jake said with a wide grin, “you’re the one who’s old.”

  Quinn cursed at him, and then smiled in spite of himself as Jake laughed. He could never stay mad at either of his brothers. Jake had issues, but he’d changed, and Quinn knew he could always count on him. He knew both his brothers had his back. They’d been there for him when it had mattered most.

  “Now, now, Quinn Manning, your mama would not have approved of that cussing.” The overly shrill voice, combined with the utter boldness of the intrusion, could only belong to one person: Mrs. Eunice Jacobs, Red River’s longtime town gossip.

  “Oh, I know, Mrs. Jacobs. I keep telling my brother over here to watch that foul mouth of his.” Jake shook his head in mock disapproval, ignoring Quinn’s glower.

  Quinn looked toward the offensive voice and tried to conceal his shock at the woman’s bright purple raincoat with giant floating pineapples printed all over it. The vivid colors in her coat, combined with the nauseating breakfast and Jake’s inquisition, made him want to hurl.

  “Sorry if I offended you, Mrs. Jacobs. I didn’t realize someone was standing so close, listening to our private conversation.” Quinn softened the reprimand by giving the plump elderly woman a wide smile. He needed to get the hell out of here—fast.

  “Oh, that’s all right, dear. I know you’re a nice boy. You should just remember to go to church more often, sweetie.” She patted his hand and smiled, her bright red lips glowing like a neon sign in her pale face.

  Jake snorted into his coffee.

  “I hear that Holly Carrington is back in town.” So that was it.

  Jake leaned back in his seat while a massive grin spread across his face. He was obviously taking way too much pleasure from the exchange.

  “Yes, she is,” Quinn replied in a guarded voice.

  Mrs. Jacobs swooped down close to him at the table, her owlish eyes peering into his. Quinn fought the urge to cover his face with his hands and hide under the table.

  “Is she back for good?”

  He took a sip of coffee, trying his absolute hardest to be polite. “Appears that way.”

  “She was such a sweet girl,” Mrs. Jacobs said, still in his personal space. Quinn pressed himself further into the booth.

  “Still is.” Damn it.

  “Really? And she always was a looker.”

  “That’s what I was just telling him, Mrs. Jacobs,” his brother said, nodding vehemently.

  Quinn kicked Jake under the table. Hard. He wished he’d been wearing his steel-toed construction boots.

  “You know,” Mrs. Jacobs continued, absolutely oblivious to the tension at the table, “she might not mind that you’re divorced. It’s nothing to be too ashamed of in this day and age, Quinn. And after what happened to poor Jennifer… You know, it takes quite a woman to step up and raise a child by herself. Especially a child that’s not her own. I think it’s time you started looking for happiness again. You always were such a nice boy,” she said with a sigh, patting him on the shoulder.

  Quinn inhaled slowly and tried counting to ten.

  His brother finally had pity on him, it seemed. “Mrs. Jacobs, isn’t that your sister walking in?” The elderly woman snapped her head in the direction of the door.

  “Oh, it is. I’ll see you later, boys!”

  Quinn watched the woman bustle over to her sister. “Thanks,” Quinn said with a shudder. “Who knows how long that conversation could have run.”

  “Yeah, well, no one deserves that—especially on a Monday morning. But now, old Eunice did raise an interesting point. Did you tell Holly about Christine?”

  “She knows I was married. And I’m sure she knows I’m divorced.” Quinn slammed down his cup a little too hard and the black coffee splashed onto the table.

  “But you didn’t actually talk about it.”

  “Why would I? Seriously, your questions are irritating as hell. Are you watching daytime TV or something?”

  Jake ignored him. “So where is Holly staying?”

  “At the house.” Quinn braced his arms wide on the edge of the table. How hard was it to have a peaceful breakfast?

  “The whole weekend?” Jake nodded his head.

  “Yeah. Would not leave,” he said with a frown as he remembered her adamant refusal to spend the night somewhere else. It was the most difficult thing he’d done in a long time, driving away from her and the baby in that empty house with a storm raging. She was a hell of a lot more stubborn than he remembered. The power had come on shortly after he’d finished assembling the crib—the one that had needed a wrench and a power drill, which luckily he’d had in his truck. He’d gone around testing the appliances, the water in the kitchen and bathrooms, ensuring that everything was in working order. And then he’d left.


  Jake shook his head and made a tsking sound.

  “I don’t have time for this crap,” Quinn said under his breath as he rose to leave. “And I would think for someone who’s dropped their pants as many times as you, you’d know a little more about women. You don’t ‘let’ them do things. Not Holly, anyway. Like anyone has a choice with that woman. Besides, what Holly does with her life is not my business. And I’m not looking to make it my business,” he growled.

  “Right,” Jake said with a nod and a grin.

  “I’m not going to say it again, Jake,” Quinn said, trying to convince himself as well as his brother. “The last thing I need is a woman in my life—especially one with a baby. So drop it.”

  For a second, Quinn saw a flash of pity fire across his brother’s face. But Jake knew him, and he knew the last thing he’d accept was anyone’s pity.

  “Holly’s not just any woman.”

  “Seriously, Jake. I don’t want a woman in my life. Besides, all of that was a long time ago. She was young and had no idea what she wanted.”

  “No, I think she was pretty clear that she wanted you.”

  He never should have told Jake anything about Holly. Quinn turned his head away, thinking back to Holly’s last night in Red River. She’d been naïve and trusting—and told him that she loved him. He knew, looking into her eyes, that he loved her, too, but never said the words aloud. He didn’t want to be the guy to hold her back. She’d been too young to know what she wanted for the rest of her life.

  Jake’s waving hand in front of his eyes jerked him back to their conversation. Quinn cleared his throat and focused. “Holly needed to go away to school, Jake. I wasn’t going to make her stay here and miss that opportunity. She was eighteen—no one knows what they want at eighteen. Yeah, so she’s back—but she’s built a life for herself now that doesn’t include me. And I don’t want a baby. I don’t,” he said with a low voice, bending down closer to the table. He didn’t deserve a baby. But he couldn’t admit that aloud to his brother. He knew Jake would just try to convince him that it was stupid to think that way. There was a reason men didn’t talk about their feelings with each other. It was damn awkward.