Page 88 of Waiting for Friday Night

“The Nikes your parents bought Shania.”

Confusion clouded his face. “What Nikes?”

Halle opened the box so he could see the pair of black and red shoes. “These Nikes. They bought them for her.”

Frustration crept across his features. “When?”

“I don’t know when, but they gave them to her yesterday.”

“Shit, I told them not to buy her anything. I’m sorry, Halle. I didn’t know about this.”

She searched his face for any signs of deceit. “Really?”

He raised a brow and lowered his voice. “Do you think I would have gone through last night and not said anything?”

Heat crept up her neck and across her cheeks. She shifted as the memories flickered through her mind again. “I’d hope you wouldn’t do that and not tell me.”

He stepped outside. His fingers laced with hers and he pulled her close. “I wouldn’t have let things go so far last night if I’d known. I promised that I would check in with you when it came to Shania and that’s what I meant.”

The righteous indignation that had driven her there melted against the heat in his gaze. “I just had to be sure.” She tried to make her voice firm, while her heart raced.

“Trust me. I meant it when I said that I was here to support you. Not make things harder.”

“I know she really wanted these shoes, but I don’t want your parents to think they have to buy her gifts. Or for her to expect them every time she sees them.”

“They want to spoil her. My dad said that the other night. I told them to take things slow. That you’re still getting used to this.”

Her brows rose. “Aren’t you still getting used to this?”

He nodded. “I am.”

“Why aren’t you upset that they stepped over a boundary already?”

He lifted a shoulder. “I’ve known my parents all my life. One thing I can safely say is that they’re going to do what they want and they’re stubborn. I’m afraid that even though we tell them not to buy Shania anything that they’re still going to try.”

She tried to pull back. “She doesn’t need gifts.”

Quinton held on and didn’t let her step back. His eyes stared back into hers. “She may not need a gift, but that doesn’t mean that my parents won’t want to show her some type of affection. They’re happy. She’s happy to have them. They never got the chance to give me and my sister the things we wanted. Now they’re making up for it with Shania.”

Halle understood that, but it didn’t change how she felt. “I don’t want to spoil her.”

“Neither do I, but can you at least try to understand where my parents are coming from? They finally have a child they can afford to do stuff for. I’ll talk to them and ask them not to do anything extravagant.”

Halle shook the shoebox in her other hand. “Two-hundred-dollar sneakers is extravagant.”

“When I was a kid, it was. Now it’s not.” He spoke easily.

She narrowed her eyes. A suspicion that her claim of his parents being unable to afford expensive gifts was about to be proven wrong. “They have more money now?”

“They have the money I gave them and the investments that they’ve made. I meant it when I said going pro meant I helped them out. I never wanted anyone in my family to struggle. Don’t worry. Two-hundred-dollar sneakers isn’t going to break my parents’ bank account.”

“But I can’t afford two-hundred-dollar sneakers like that. I’m a principal. I have to save up for big gifts. These were going to be her Christmas gift.”

Her world shifted again. She’d fooled herself into thinking that just because Quinton taught school that he was on the same level as her financially. She’d been wrong. “Are you rich?”

“Do you care if I’m rich?” His voice was calm but he watched her warily.

“Yeah. I need to know what kind of life you plan to give Shania. Are you going to spoil her?”

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