Page 15 of Sultry Nights

Jalyn whipped around in her seat and faced her. "Say what?"

"Date."

"With who?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Quinn Kurtz."

"Oh, lordy, he's as hot as they come." Jalyn fanned herself with her hand. "I wondered when he'd start dating again. That ex of his gave him a run for his money. She threw every stone she could at him. She threatened all sorts of bad things, and tried telling everyone in town he was terrible. That he hit her and treated her badly. Just to make herself look like the victim. But he handled it with grace and dignity. Kept his nose to the grindstone and worked." Jalyn grinned. "He asked you out?"

"I can't go."

"The hell you can't. Why on earth not?"

"He's charming."

"And the issue with that?"

"Isaac was charming."

"They are NOT the same kind of charming. Isaac is smarmy and sneaky and charming, so he can get something. Quinn is a southern gentleman, charming and raised right. He's raised his kids right too. They're both upstanding people."

She stared into her friend’s green eyes. Her dark ponytail was still perched high on her head. "But..."

"No buts. Quinn Kurtz is an absolute yes, Hanna. If you're talking to me to see if I'm going to talk you out of it, I am not."

8

Quinn walked across the beach and pointed to markers in the sand. He looked at Jared and the couple of guys with him from his crew.

"Okay, we're starting here. The stage is going to be this way. We want it to be slightly situated so that it partially faces the beach but also partially faces the crowd sitting on the sand. I've got the markers set. We should be ready to go. A load of lumber will come in later on today. I had it ordered for another job that’s now been cancelled. Jace must have a fairy godmother or something to be so damned lucky. I'll have them drop it over there." He pointed to an area between the soon-to-be stage, and the parking lot. "So right now, set the footings and start the frame. Square it on the ground and then we'll lift it tomorrow once the cement dries. Questions?"

Jared and the guys all shook their heads no.

He grinned and nodded. "All right. I'll be back later. I'm going to go check on another job."

He felt happy.

He felt excited.

He felt buoyant.

He felt good about his date tonight. It had been a long damn time. A long damn time since he'd had a date. And he was ready.

Hopping in his truck, he decided to swing past Miracle Garage and see if Sid was about. As soon as he pulled into the parking area, Sid looked up from the car he was working on. Cooper Lucht, who used to own the garage, was only seen from his ass down. He was bent over under the hood of a car. It looked almost comical. Like a pair of stuffed bib overalls just to make it look like the garage was busy.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

Quinn chuckled, shook his friend's hand, and gave him a quick slap on the back, in a half man hug.

"I thought I'd stop by. I've got a crew building a stage over at Jace’s for my party and then obviously for afterward. But I just thought I'd come and check in. I haven't seen you for any length of time recently."

Sid nodded and grinned. "Yeah, been busy here, but hey, Grace and I set a wedding date. We're getting married in a month. Gonna keep it small. Friends only. Hope you'll attend. Kind of expecting you to be my best man."

Quinn grinned broadly. "I'd be happy to be your best man. What about Jace?"

"He's my best man, too. I'm gonna have two, cause I can't really do it without you guys."

Quinn nodded. "That sounds about right. Anything else we're gonna have to do on your wedding day?"

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