Megan cast a worried glance at her then sighed. She looped her arm through Crissy’s elbow and walked to the far side of the kitchen, out of Quinn’s hearing range.
“Is this,” Crissy said, “the ‘if you break his heart, I’ll kill you’ speech?”
Megan raised an eyebrow, a slight smile teasing at her lips. “You’re a sharp cookie. I like that. I like you, Crissy. You’ve been so good for him. I haven’t seen him this happy in a very, very long time.”
Megan looked back over her shoulder and took Crissy’s hand. “Don’t tell him I told you any of this. But he seems pretty serious about you so you need to know.”
“You’re kind of worrying me now,” Crissy said.
“Quinn left because he was absolutely crazy head over heels in love with a woman. Shannon.”
A rush of cold flooded through Crissy’s veins. He had never once mentioned her. And if he had returned to Breckenridge only a few months before she met him then…was he still in love with her?
“No,” Megan said as if in answer to her thoughts. She squeezed Crissy’s hand so tight, her fingers went numb. “He is not in love with her anymore. But Quinn has an enormous heart, and he loves so hard and so deeply and there are scars that aren’t easy to get over.”
This was not how Crissy had envisioned this night would go. She hadn’t been prepared for any of this.
Megan swore under her breath at the panicked look on Crissy’s face. “Wow, I am screwing this up really, really badly, aren’t I?”
“No, it’s…all right,” Crissy said, but her voice was soft and weak and so, so small. “I’m glad you told me. I didn’t know.”
“Crissy, what I’m saying is that Quinn will always remember her but he doesn’t love her anymore. She left him high and dry. She had big dreams of becoming a Hollywood actor and Quinn promised he would follow her to the ends of the earth. But Shannon got bored. She never liked being in one place for more than a few months. And she got bored of Quinn too. She cheated on him, Crissy. She cheated on him and she made sure that he walked in and saw it all.”
Crissy forgot the creeping doubts edging into her mind and only felt pain for Quinn.
“Why?” she said. “Why didn’t she just break it off if she wasn’t interested?”
Megan shrugged. “I don’t know. Because she didn’t have the guts? Because she liked to say that he left her and she was blameless? I don’t know. But I wanted to hurt her so, so badly, Crissy.”
Crissy nodded. “I don’t blame you. You’re his sister. Of course you would want to protect him.”
“You have to understand, Crissy. Quinn was broken when he came back to us. He was a mess. He tried to hide it and he put on a brave face but I could still see it. That girl tore him to pieces.”
Megan’s words fell away and there was only her intent gaze, fixed on Crissy, mingled with pleading and sincerity.
“I won’t do that to him,” Crissy said. “I would never dream of doing that to him.”
Megan nodded slowly and squeezed Crissy’s hand. “When he met you, I saw the change immediately. After you left the party that night and he came back inside…I had my little brother back again. All the way home and during the week after, the only thing he would talk about was you. He talked a mile a minute, even when I begged him to shut up. And he was just…glowing. You did that to him.”
Crissy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She saw the way he greeted her, comfortable and happy and at ease every time he kissed her or wrapped his arm around her or simply looked at her. But to think that she had brought out this lighter side of him…it was hard to put the pieces together, to imagine it could be real.
“Anyway,” Megan continued. “I thought you should know that. I’m not going to give you the whole protective big sister speech but I do have one request.”
“Anything.”
“If at some point you realize it just isn’t working between the two of you for whatever reason, let him down easy. He’s like a big puppy, Crissy. He loves crazy hard. I wish I could protect him from getting hurt again but I learned a long time ago, he doesn’t want to listen to his bossy bratty sister.”
“I really don’t think that will be a problem, Megan,” Crissy said. “Thank you for looking out for him. He has a good sister.”
Megan snorted. “He would definitely not agree with you on that score. Just…don’t break his heart, okay? He can’t take that again, and I can’t watch him go through that again.”
The timer went off and Megan tore herself away, the intensity of their conversation slipped away like a mask.
“Now,” she said. “It’s still a bit soft in the middle. Time for the aluminum foil?”
Crissy nodded, her head reeling with the information that had just been stuffed into it over the course of only a few minutes.
“All around the edges,” she replied, grasping at the thought of food to stabilize herself. “It’ll cook the middle and keep the crust from burning.”
Megan fitted the foil around the crust and slid the pie back into the oven. She glanced into the living room but Quinn hadn’t budged, still entranced with watching the sleeping baby. She smiled at Crissy and patted her hand.
“What would we do without you?” she said.
***
Megan didn’t bring up any further serious topics of conversation and she didn’t even hint at the conversation that had passed with Crissy. Instead, she herded children and swept the baby from Quinn’s arms and spread food out on the table, making everything look deceptively smooth and easy.
“I’ll go get Mom,” Quinn said. He left the kitchen with a brief touch to Crissy’s shoulder, a promise to return and not leave her alone for too long amid his family.
Summoned by the smells of cooking dinner, the children surged into the kitchen and scattered around the table. Without even saying a word, two seats were left unoccupied side by side, waiting for Crissy and Quinn. Megan beamed with pride.
“I train my minions well,” she said.
Quinn returned with an older woman on his arm, her smile friendly and warm and brilliant and looking exactly like Quinn’s own smile. He eased her into a chair at the foot of the table and pulled out Crissy’s chair.
“Mom,” he said. “This is Crissy. I told you about her. Crissy, this is my mom, Katherine.”
Katherine’s smile grew even wider and she reached across the table to clasp Crissy’s hand.
“Oh you’re even more beautiful than Quinn described you,” she said. “No wonder he snatched you right up.”
“Mom,” Quinn groaned.
“Well,” Crissy said, “it’s more like the other way around. I snatched him up first.”
Katherine eyes brightened and she gripped Quinn’s arm. “I like her, Quinn. She’s got spunk.”
Crissy snuck a peek at Quinn. She couldn’t resist letting her hand slide from the table and come to rest on his knee. His hand disappeared under the table to cover hers.
“Children are present,” Megan sing-songed as she scooped out heaping spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and distributed them across her children’s plates.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, sis,” Quinn replied lightly.
For the entire dinner, Quinn and Megan teased each other back and forth. Crissy watched the volley of friendly insults between them, like a tennis match, and each insult always delivered with a smile or a laugh. Katherine met Crissy’s gaze across the table and rolled her eyes.
“I could never get these two to stop,” she said. “At least they don’t bite and kick each other anymore. I can’t tell you how many times I had to break these two up because they wanted to scratch each other’s eyes out.”
“Mom,” Quinn said. “That’s not true.”
Megan nodded. “I hate to admit it, but I agree with Quinn.”
“Did you just say I’m right?”
Megan pointed her fork at him. “Actually, no. I said I agreed with you, but I purposefully did not say that you were right. I
was very careful with my wording, little brother. I know what I’m doing. Besides, agreeing with you leaves a bad enough taste in my mouth.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll tease you about it all week.”
“I would expect nothing less. Mom, we didn’t want to scratch each other’s eyes out.”
“We wanted to strangle each other,” Quinn finished.
Megan grinned at him. “And I still feel that way sometimes. I’m simply mature enough to not always act on my impulses.”
“I appreciate that, dear sister.”
Katherine shook her head. “Like that’s any better.”
“You’re a very patient woman,” Crissy replied with a smile.
Quinn feigned an expression of mock hurt. “I was the model son and brother growing up.”
Megan choked on her mashed potatoes and wheezed.
***
The dinner lasted well after the children had wandered off to sleep in the living room, sprawled over couches and chairs and spread out over the floor. When Megan distributed healthy portions of pie around the table for dessert, she took a bite and made a small sound of satisfaction.
“About time I got that challenge under my belt,” she said. “Crissy, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for saving my butt.”
Quinn draped his arm over Crissy’s chair, one finger creeping up to curl into a stray lock of her hair.
“You made me lose my bet,” he said. “I thought you were on my side.”
She grinned up at him. “Us girls have to stick together.”
“Oh, that’s it. I’m done for now. I’ve always been outnumbered in this house and now my girlfriend has abandoned me, too.”
She giggled and leaned into him, taking his hand from the chair and tugging his arm over her shoulder. Megan watched them for a moment, a slight smile at the corner of her lips. She glanced at Katherine then ducked her head.
“What?” Quinn asked. “What was that look?”
Megan’s eyes widened with innocence. “What look?”
“Trying too hard, sis. Come on. You and Mom were smirking.”
“Nothing,” Megan said, gathering her dirty dishes and turning away to place them in the sink.
Quinn glanced at Katherine. “Mom?”
Katherine reached out and touched his cheek, softly, gently. “We were just thinking that the two of you will make the most beautiful babies.”
Crissy let out a small laugh. Quinn groaned.
“Mom, Megan,” he said. “Stop.”
“Fat chance, little brother,” Megan said, ruffling his hair. “I’m going to put the baby to bed. Don’t do anything exciting while I’m gone.”
Quinn tore himself away from Crissy and stood. “I’ll help get the kids to bed too.”
As soon as Quinn left and headed to the living room, Katherine slid into his empty chair and edged closer to Crissy.
“Don’t let Megan scare you away,” she said. “She’s just worried. That’s all.”
Crissy raised her eyebrows. “I don’t…”
Katherine waved her off. “Oh, I know Megan gave you ‘the speech.’ I tried to talk her out of it but she insisted. That wasn’t why she asked you here though.”
“Then why did she ask me here?”
“She likes you. And she sees how happy you’ve made Quinn.”
Crissy glanced over her shoulder to see Quinn scoop up a sleeping child into his arms. She returned her attention back to Katherine’s steady, blue-eyed gaze, unwavering, waiting.
“Can you be perfectly honest with me?” Crissy asked.
Katherine nodded. “I’m an old woman, Crissy. I have no patience for anything else.”
“Am I a rebound for him? After…Shannon?”
Katherine shook her head. “That girl – I refuse to even use her name – she left him long before he came back here. He stayed in California to clear his head, find his direction again, but his heart led him back here. To you.”
“I’m not sure I believe that but…”
“I do,” Katherine replied immediately, without a hint of hesitation.
Crissy said nothing. In the few months she had known Quinn, it seemed no matter how slow she wanted to take things, it all careened out of her control anyway. His family seemed to like her at least, which was an enormous relief. But was it going to last? What if, after a year, Quinn wanted to move on?
Quinn’s hand smoothed down her hair and he kissed the top of her head as he took Megan’s chair next to her.
“Has Mom been scaring you with more baby talk?” he asked.
Katherine waved him off. “I can talk about plenty of other things besides babies, Quinn,” she said. “I was telling Crissy that she shouldn’t let you get away with anything. She needs to stay sharp, keep you in line so you don’t misbehave.”
Quinn cast a teasing look at Crissy. “Crissy is the one with a mean streak a mile wide.”
Katherine chuckled. “Then she’ll make sure you stay on your toes like a good girl should. It’s about time you had some spice in your life, Quinn.”
Quinn tipped his head back with a sigh. He leaned across the table and took Crissy’s hand, pulling her to her feet.
“I’m rescuing you from my family,” he said. “It’s getting late anyway. I’ve kept you out too long as it is.”
“You’ve done no such thing,” Katherine protested. “Crissy seems to have enjoyed herself.”
Quinn glanced at her, a question in his eye. “Did you?”
She nodded and slid her hand around his waist. “I did.”
Megan returned to the kitchen and pulled up short when she saw Crissy and Quinn standing.
“You can’t be leaving!” she said. “I was only gone a few minutes.”
“I’m afraid so,” Crissy said. “I’ve got an early start tomorrow and I’ve already stayed much longer than I meant to. You’ve been so kind and generous tonight, it’s difficult to leave.”
Megan wrapped Crissy in a crushing hug. “We’ll definitely do this again sometime soon.”
“I’ll volunteer to do the cooking next time.”
“I’d love that. Kick back with a glass of wine and let Quinn chase the kids.”
“Hey,” Quinn protested.
Crissy dragged herself away and climbed into Quinn’s truck. She sagged into the seat, exhausted in the best possible way. She loved Quinn’s family, how comfortable and easy they were with each other. Quinn took her back to the coffee shop and walked her to the door, lingering much longer than necessary.
“I had a good time tonight,” he said. “My family wants to adopt you already.”
“I had a good time, too,” she replied, smiling up at him.
He brushed his thumb over her chin, his gaze roaming over her face. Suddenly, that one question popped back into the forefront of her mind. That one question she had been putting off all evening. She could ask it now, while he was still happy and warm from the dinner. But at the same time, it felt wrong, as if it was cheating to pose the question when he was off guard and relaxed like this.
Crissy knew though. She knew if she didn’t ask now, there wouldn’t be a better time. She would keep putting it off and putting it off until the wedding arrived and then she couldn’t possibly spring it on him last minute. He deserved time to prepare himself to meet her family as much as she needed time to prepare. She really didn’t want to ask him now but she had to.
Crissy reached up, sliding her hand over his chest and tracing a finger along the lapel of his coat. Her gaze followed the line of her finger and she couldn’t look him in the eye when she put the question out there.
“Quinn,” she said. “I…have a question.”
Quinn made a small noise of acknowledgement as his hands slipped around her waist. Automatically, she stepped forward, fitting against him like a puzzle piece, perfect and warm and safe. His jaw brushed against her hair as her forehead came to rest against his collarbone, surrounding her with the smell of apples and cinnamon and cloves.
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“Does it have anything to do with that thing you were going to tell me later?” he asked, his voice a deep rumble vibrating through his chest that Crissy felt humming through her own body in response.
“Do you remember everything?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for future reference.”
She paused, hesitating. Why was she nervous? Did she really think he would refuse?
No. That was exactly the problem. He would say yes in a heartbeat, of course. And that’s what worried her. What was she thinking, asking him to enter the war zone that was her family? Her family was nothing like his family. There was nothing friendly and kind in her family, no soft smiles and gentle teasing. It was all sharp edges and razor blades and drawing as much blood as possible.
She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t ask him. She had to keep him away from her family, keep him safe here, in Breckenridge. It wasn’t nearly far enough away but it would have to do. She wasn’t going to subject him to her family ripping him to pieces.
Crissy raised her gaze to look at Quinn and smiled. “Never mind,” she said. “It’s nothing important.”
Quinn squinted, suspicious. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not true? If it has anything to do with you, I’d say it’s important.”
“Well I guess I’ll just have to keep you waiting for a while yet.”
He groaned and kissed her. “Not fair.” He pulled back and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Tell me if you change your mind, all right?”
She nodded and pushed him gently. “Go,” she said. “I need sleep and you’re not helping.”
He kissed her again and again, not willing to leave her just yet, until she was laughing and really pushing against him this time.
“Go on,” she repeated. “I’ll see you tomorrow with a fresh pastry waiting for you.”
Quinn shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, more out of the need to restrain himself than to keep warm.
“Tomorrow,” he said with a smile.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Amy bounded into the kitchen the next morning and slid in next to Crissy.
“So?” she asked, eyes bright. “How did it go?”
Sugar And Spice (Holidays: Valentine) Page 18
