Sugar And Spice (Holidays: Valentine)

by Charlotte French

  “Helena, this is my sister, Crissy,” Andrea said. “I’d like you to see to her dress first and get it done as quickly as possible.”

  “Right away,” Helena replied.

  “And while you do that, I have to call the florist who is late with my roses.”

  As Andrea headed for the door, Crissy caught her elbow.

  “Why are you doing this?” she said.

  “Doing what? Having your dress fitted?”

  Crissy hesitated. One wrong word could send this whole thing toppling over in a heartbeat. She had to be very, very careful. Andrea was actually being considerate for a change and Crissy didn’t want to risk screwing that up.

  “I think you know what I mean,” Crissy said. “Ever since the fire you’ve been….”

  She let the sentence trail off, not quite sure how to continue, not quite sure she even wanted to continue in case Andrea took offense.

  “Not quite as heartless as usual?” Andrea finished for her.

  Crissy kept her mouth firmly closed. She wasn’t touching that one. Not even coming near it.

  “Look,” Andrea sighed. “When I saw that fire and I hadn’t heard anything from you…I was…”

  “Concerned?”

  “You could say that. Mother refused to call and she didn’t want me to call either. But I…” She paused and took a deep breath before she continued. “But I didn’t agree with her.”

  Crissy blinked. “You…you always agree with her. On everything.”

  “Well, not this time. You’re my sister. And maybe we haven’t exactly been getting along for most of our lives but I…I still didn’t want to hear the news that you were dead. Believe me, Mother hasn’t been happy about what I did.”

  Crissy squeezed Andrea’s elbow. “Thank you.”

  Andrea nodded. Neither one of them moved for a second until finally Andrea brushed Crissy’s hand away and smoothed her pencil skirt down.

  “All right, that’s enough chit-chat,” she said. “Time to get back to work. A wedding doesn’t plan itself.”

  Crissy watched her sister stride down the hallway and out of sight. Maybe Andrea had a sliver of warmth in her heart after all…

  ***

  The dress fitting went faster than Crissy expected and she was downstairs again within only an hour or two. Andrea’s voice floated out from the living room, still on the phone with the florist, and Crissy went in search of Quinn. She found him in the back yard with Kenneth and she stopped at the door when she found the two of them laughing together. She lingered for a moment, watching Quinn at ease, before she slipped up behind him and tucked her hand in his elbow.

  “Hey,” he said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into his side. “That was quick. Everything okay?”

  She nodded. “You?”

  He smiled down at her with a nod. “It’s perfect now.”

  “One wedding usually leads to another,” Kenneth said. “And you two are so smitten, I believe it’s safe to say we’ll hear wedding bells again soon enough.”

  Crissy raised an eyebrow. “It’s good to see you, too, Kenneth,” she said.

  He grinned and Crissy couldn’t help but marvel that Kenneth and Andrea were actually getting married. They were complete opposites, Kenneth always so warm and welcoming, while Andrea was all business and brusque….but then again, Andrea had expressed concern for Crissy’s well-being. Maybe being opposites had its advantages, rubbing off on each other in the best possible way, like Quinn did for Crissy.

  “Andrea told me about the coffee shop,” Kenneth said. “How are you holding up? If you don’t mind my asking that is. You’re probably sick to death of hearing that same question over and over.”

  Crissy smiled slightly and slid her hand down Quinn’s arm to lace their fingers together.

  “It’s all right,” she said. “I don’t mind at all. It’s been…difficult to adjust to. But it’s not the end of the world.”

  “Are there any plans to rebuild yet? Or is it too soon to tell?”

  “Since the building wasn’t actually owned by me, no, unfortunately, no plans to rebuild.”

  “So it’s back to the job hunt then.”

  She sighed. “Yes it is.”

  Kenneth started to say something more when his attention shifted past her and he raised a hand in acknowledgement. Crissy turned to see Andrea gesturing at the window for a moment before she disappeared into the house again.

  “You should get going,” Kenneth said.

  “Is something wrong?” Quinn asked.

  He shook his head with a smile. “No, no, nothing like that. But tomorrow’s a big day and you’ve already had a long drive. Crissy, if you’re done with the dress fitting…?”

  She nodded. “Everything went fine.”

  “Then make a run for it while you still can. I reserved a hotel room for you just a few blocks from here. Order room service or something. Enjoy not being married while you still can.”

  “You don’t mean that,” Crissy said with a sideways glance at him.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, okay, you got me there. But when I say you should make a run for it before you get reeled in to something else, I really do mean it.”

  Quinn’s fingers tightened on hers and she glanced up. A slight spark of confusion filled his gaze and he lifted one shoulder in a tiny shrug. Something was off and he had noticed it too. She tipped her head to the side and he nodded. For a moment, his hand came to rest at the base of her neck as he kissed her cheek then headed to the car.

  “What’s going on?” Crissy said to Kenneth once Quinn was out of hearing range.

  Kenneth shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Nothing, like I said.”

  “You and Andrea have both been acting a little off ever since I got here.”

  Kenneth watched her for a moment then chuckled.

  “You’re sharp like your sister,” he said. “Not much gets by either of you.”

  “I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

  He blew out a breath and glanced back at the house before he returned his attention to her again.

  “That fire turned your world upside down, didn’t it?” he said.

  Crissy hesitated then nodded. “That might be a bit of an understatement but yes, it did.”

  “Well it messed up your sister’s world too. She’s been…unsteady. Like she can’t find her rhythm anymore.”

  “She seemed fine to me. A little concerned which was…strange. But she got down to business quickly enough.”

  “Don’t tell her I told you this but she’s a master at masking how she truly feels. The rest of the world can’t see that she has emotions like a regular human being.”

  “So you’re saying…”

  He smiled slightly. “I’m not saying anything. You didn’t hear any of this from me. But we had a little talk last night at about…” He paused and rubbed a hand over his face. “Three in the morning.”

  “And that’s…not good?”

  “Depends on your perspective, I guess. From my point of view, when she gets stuck on something, she doesn’t sleep a wink.”

  Crissy ducked her head to hide a smile. She had the same problem. Maybe they were more alike than she thought before…

  “But here’s where things get weird,” Kenneth continued. “Andrea admitted I was right. You and I both know that doesn’t happen often,” he said with a teasing glint in his eye.

  “No, it certainly doesn’t. It’s usually Andrea’s way or the highway.”

  “Exactly. And yet somehow we both agreed to make sure to distract your mother until the day of the wedding to give you a break.”

  Crissy’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  “There’s no way to put this delicately so I’ll just say it. Lisa hasn’t been…hospitable…about the fire. And it’s been upsetting for Andrea to see. She’s been very confused by it.”

  “That’s why Mom’s been out of the house all this time,” Crissy said.
r />   Kenneth nodded with a slight wince. “Are you mad?”

  She blinked slowly, shaking her head. “No. Just…processing what you’re telling me. Shocked, not mad.”

  “I know you and Lisa have been at odds for a long time. I tried to talk to Andrea about it before, told her to go easy on you, but…you know family, things get sticky sometimes.”

  Crissy nodded then rubbed at her forehead. Kenneth stepped closer and touched her elbow, steering her towards the car.

  “Get going, Crissy,” he said. “Your mom is on her way back and you should be long gone when she gets here. We won’t be able to run as much interference tomorrow during the wedding I’m afraid.”

  “I’ll manage,” she said. “Thank you.”

  Kenneth dipped his head in acknowledgement. Crissy ducked back through the house, hoping to catch sight of Andrea to thank her as well but she was nowhere to be seen among the few guests milling about. She didn’t want to run the risk of lingering too long so she hurried out to the car. Quinn was waiting, leaning against the side of his truck. When she showed up, he opened her door for her. She rose up on tiptoe to kiss him, squeezed his hand and climbed inside.

  “So what was going on?” he asked as he started the car and backed out.

  “Apparently Andrea is full of surprises,” Crissy said.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Kenneth hadn't skimped on their hotel room...It was more like a suite, huge and spacious, with a complimentary bottle of champagne, chilled and waiting for them. Crissy dropped her suitcase by the door and immediately dragged Quinn off to explore the massive walk in shower, much bigger than the shower at Quinn's house.

  As Quinn's hands trailed over her skin, slick with soap and water, she closed her eyes and tipped her head back against his chest. The day's events kept replaying in her mind and she couldn't stop thinking about how Andrea had actually agreed to run interference for her against their mother. She still couldn't quite wrap her head around the completely foreign concept that Andrea had been concerned for her...

  Quinn hands drifted down her waist and over her hips as he kissed down her neck, nosing at her ear. The expanse of his chest was impossibly warm and solid, pressed to every inch of her back.

  Then he hooked an arm around her waist as he slid into her and every rational thought and every worry flew from Crissy's mind.

  ***

  When Quinn had long since fallen asleep, Crissy pushed her knee between his and sidled closer. His arm came tighter around her, his fingers flexed against her back. Even when he was dreaming, he still wanted to touch her, to hold her a little tighter. Crissy closed her eyes and focused on the steady, even rhythm of his breathing. When everything was quiet like this and Quinn was wrapped around her, keeping her safe and protected and warm, she didn't have a problem falling asleep.

  But her thoughts started to wander again and once she started, she couldn't stop. Minutes stretched into hours as she tried not to think about tomorrow, about what was in store for her. Andrea and Kenneth might have been able to head off her mother for a little while but eventually, Crissy was going to face her and she would hear everything her mother had been holding back for months. It was becoming impossible to ignore the thunderstorm waiting on the horizon, boiling and black.

  By the time the first glow of sunlight slipped through the curtains, Crissy still hadn't slept. Again. And the exhaustion was starting to seep into her muscles, into her bones, making the impending day even harder to face.

  Quinn's breath hitched as he woke and nuzzled against her ear, peppering her shoulder and neck with kisses.

  "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" he mumbled.

  She hummed and buried her face in his shoulder. His hand smoothed over her hair as he kissed the top of her head.

  "I'll order some coffee," he said.

  She slid her hands up his back. "Not yet," she said. "Just a few more minutes."

  He smiled as he kissed her forehead and his hands skimmed down to her waist, pulling the blankets up around her as he slowly extracted himself from Crissy's arms. She caught his hand and pressed a kiss to his knuckles before she finally released him and burrowed deeper into the warmth of his body heat still lingering on the sheets.

  After a minute or two of listening to his muffled movements in the hotel room, Crissy's phone blared to life somewhere in the depths of her purse. She groaned and buried her head under her pillow. Quinn's hand settled on her ankle as he peeled a corner of the blanket away. He tucked the phone in next to her and pulled the blankets over her again before he headed for the shower.

  Crissy squinted at the glare of her phone screen to see Amy's number.

  "Good morning!" Amy chirped.

  "It's even earlier for you there than it is here," Crissy replied.

  "I know you didn't sleep, sugar, so it's not like I'm waking you up. Besides, I wanted to catch you before you were swept off into the chaos today."

  "Speaking of which, you wouldn't believe what happened."

  Amy gasped and Crissy could just see her wiggling with excitement.

  "Juicy gossip fresh out of the oven right from the start," she said. "I'm so ready for this."

  "Andrea was concerned for my well-being after the fire," Crissy said. "And she asked me all sorts of questions to make sure I was okay. She didn't look or sound entirely comfortable doing it but she did make an effort."

  A beat of silence passed.

  "...what?" Amy said. "Run that by me again?"

  "And Kenneth convinced her to help him run interference yesterday during my last minute dress fitting. I haven't actually seen Mom yet."

  "What?!"

  "Now you understand why I couldn't sleep."

  "No kidding. What about Quinn? How is he handling all this?"

  "Infuriatingly calm and level-headed, of course."

  "Distracting you properly?"

  "Amy," Crissy said, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

  "These are the details I live for, sugar, come on."

  "I know you do. What about you? Are you sunburned yet?"

  Amy groaned. "Yes. Right from day one, I got roasted. But Manny is doting on me hand and foot."

  "And his family? Are they kicking you out like you thought they would?"

  Amy made a few non-committal noises and Crissy smiled.

  "I get to say it," Crissy said.

  "No you don't."

  "They love you, don't they?"

  "Manny's mother might be ready for me to move in so I never have to return to the States but that's not the point."

  Crissy laughed. "Told you."

  "Brat."

  Quinn returned carrying two cups of coffee and sat on the edge of the bed, holding one out to her. She accepted it with a smile as he hooked his fingers under her knees and lifted her feet into his lap.

  "I'm leaving you now, Amy," Crissy said. "Quinn has coffee."

  Amy hummed. "I knew it. Coffee ranks higher on your priorities list than I do."

  "It's the same for you so don't pretend like you're just figuring this out."

  "Call me after the wedding okay?" Amy said. "Tell me everything that happens. I don't care how late it is, just call me."

  "You should be enjoying your vacation and resting."

  "And I am. But call me, sugar, I mean it. Otherwise I'll call you repeatedly until you pick up and you know I can be annoying as hell when I want attention."

  Quinn's hand trailed over her leg back and forth, sending shivers up her skin. She glanced at him as he leaned on one hand, sipping at his coffee, the picture of innocence. He knew exactly what he was doing to her...

  "Okay, okay, I'll call you," Crissy said, sliding her coffee cup onto the bedside table.

  "Promise?"

  "Amy..." Crissy sucked in a breath as Quinn's fingers wandered up the inside of her knee without looking at her, the slightest ghost of a sly smile creeping across his lips. "I really have to go. Like now."

  "I'm not leaving yo
u alone until you promise," Amy continued. "I can tell when you..."

  "Amy," Crissy cut in as Quinn placed a kiss against her hip. "I promise. Now don't say anything more because I'm hanging up."

  "Yeah, yeah, I get it, your loyalty lies with coffee."

  "Distraction," Crissy gasped, tangling her fingers into Quinn's hair as he kissed a line between her breasts and up to her neck.

  "Oh!" Amy said. "Bye! Love you!"

  Crissy tossed her phone aside, caught Quinn's face in her hands and pulled him up to kiss him until they were both breathless with laughter.

  ***

  The laughter was gone now as Crissy faced her mother's house again. This time, the driveway was crammed with expensive, shiny cars, and she could hear people talking in the backyard in hushed tones. She looked up at the pale façade of the house and she wanted to run. But Quinn squeezed her hand and smiled down at her just as he did the day before and she knew she could get through this. She'd been through worse and she had turned out just fine.

  Crissy took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. The door opened and this time it wasn't Andrea who answered. It was her mother, clad in a gold dress and jacket with matching heels, her blonde hair swept up and pulled back tight. Crissy's breath caught in her throat at the rigidly unhappy expression on her mother's face.

  "Hi Mom," Crissy managed in a small voice.

  "Cristina. You're late. I was hoping you'd be here to support your sister but apparently not."

  "Well I'm here now," Crissy replied. "Where is Andrea by the way?"

  "Last time I checked, she was in the kitchen, checking up on the food preparation."

  Her gaze drifted over to Quinn as she spoke and she blatantly looked him up and down. Crissy's fingers tightened on Quinn's hand until she was sure there would be fingernail marks permanently tattooed into his palm.

  "Is this your...date?" her mother asked, pausing for emphasis on the last word.

  "Yes," Crissy said. "This is Quinn Spencer. Quinn, this is my mother, Lisa."