Page 49 of Sultry Nights

No one was there. "Hello?" A few seconds more and she said, "Hello?" Shrugging her shoulders she ended the call and thought that was the end of it, but it rang again. This time, it was a different number. "Hello? Hello? Hello?"

She ended the call and sat at the table once more. She was seated at a right angle to Quinn and next to Jalyn. "I don't know why someone's calling and not talking to me. It was a different number both times."

Her mom leaned forward. "Honey, are you sure it's not Isaac trying to call again?"

Quinn turned his head to her. "Isaac called?"

"Yes, while you and Dad were grilling. He wanted to talk. I told him no, and not to call me anymore. Apparently, he's in town."

"Okay, and you're sure those calls aren't from him?"

"They're not his number."

"Okay, well we'll see what happens with it." He reached across the corner of the table and placed his hand over hers.

Her phone rang again, and she jumped.

This time, Quinn leaned over. "May I?"

She handed him the phone. "Have at it."

He answered the phone. "Hello, this is Quinn." He listened. He didn't say anything further. He finally said, "Rather than this cowardly act why don't you act like a man? If you have something to say, say it. If not, this harassment is illegal as hell on a phone according to the FCC. Keep it up; you'll find out." The call ended. He turned off her phone and handed it back to her. “How do you feel about just keeping it off for the rest of the night so we can enjoy ourselves?”

"I'm fine with that." She put it in her back pocket and tried to relax. Her shoulders had stiffened up through all this nonsense, but maybe she and Quinn would have a way of working those out later. Her cheeks heated when she thought of that, and Jalyn leaned over and asked why she was blushing.

"It's nothing."

"I'll bet it's nothing," Jalyn teased.

"Stop it."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear why just sitting here next to Quinn makes you blush."

"Stop it."

Quinn chuckled. He nudged her foot under the table and she looked up at him. The grin on his face made her cheeks heat up even further. Her mom tittered across the table and she couldn't wait for this night to be over. My god it was as if her mom was possessed by another creature.

Her mom stood. "How about if we have dessert in the living room? I made a blueberry pie."

"That sounds great, Mom."

She and Jalyn got up and began clearing the dishes. Quinn carried his plate and some extra dishes into the kitchen and her mom looked at him, batted her eyelashes, and said, "Oh, that is so nice."

Hanna scoffed, "Oh my god, Mom. Quinn, go into the other room so she can't see you. Good lord."

He chuckled. Then he surprised the hell out of her by leaning down and kissing her lips. If her cheeks hadn't been red from before they sure were red now. Not only her cheeks, but the tips of her ears burned, and her chest was hot.

Jalyn had a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

Hanna wanted this part of the evening to be over. She was too tense from all this teasing, and the nonsense from her mom acting like a teenager. And why wasn't her father a bit irritated at that? It was like she didn't know any of these people anymore.

26

After dessert, they sat outside in the Florida room for an after-dinner drink. Lance made the best homemade Irish Cream. Maybe one day he’ll try to make that. He'd never felt all that domestic, always looking for a reason to be away from home. But now he found himself thinking about making homemade Irish Cream, and perhaps he'd actually learn to cook a few dishes to help out. He grinned as they drove toward Hanna's place.

"What are you grinning about?" Hanna asked.

He chuckled. "I'd like to learn how to make Irish Cream."

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