Page 44 of Sultry Nights

"Then you call him while I'm rolling out these cookies and get that taken care of. We'll grill steaks. Your dad is really good at grilling steaks."

"Okay, well, don't get too far ahead of yourself. Let me give Quinn a call and see if he's even interested. He was planning on cooking for me tonight."

Her mom scoffed. "How could he not be interested? If he likes you at all, he's going to want to meet your family to see where you come from."

Hanna chuckled and walked out into the front of the bakery. It was quiet right now, so it was a good time to call him.

She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and tapped his number.

"Hey there, beautiful. Good to hear from you."

His voice was so happy and cheerful that it brought a smile to her face. "Well, you may not think so in a minute."

"Uh oh, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on, but my mom is kind of insisting that you come over tonight and have dinner with them. I know we haven't talked about meeting my parents, but is that something that you might be interested in?"

Quinn laughed. "Well, first of all I know your parents, sort of. In passing mostly in and out of church, at weddings. Small town, you know."

"Right yeah, I know." She laughed.

"But I don't see why that wouldn't work. Yeah, let's do it. Why don't we have dinner with your parents tonight? I'd love to meet them. What are they having? I'll bring wine and some flowers for your mom. How about that?"

Hanna laughed. "You'll turn her head. She already thinks you're dreamy."

He laughed out loud, and the sound made butterflies take flight in her tummy. She smiled as she listened to the melodic sound.

"Dreamy huh?"

"Yes, those were her exact words. As a matter of fact, when I asked her what Dad would think, she said, 'Honey I will tell him I'm having dinner tonight with the dreamy Quinn Kurtz.’"

He laughed again and she closed her eyes to focus on the sound. And then it dawned on her that she'd had little laughter in her life with Isaac. This was so… well it was so darn nice.

"Yes, okay, well, I don't know that I want to play that up too much, but I'll pick up flowers and wine. I'll pick you up at your house at six o'clock to meet the parents."

"Thank you so much, Quinn. I do appreciate you being willing to change your plans for them, and on the spur of the moment. Sort of, at least formally."

He laughed again. "It's fine, hon it's fine. It'll be fun. Talk to you later, sweetheart."

"Talk to you later." She tapped the end call on her phone and her heart beat so hard in her chest she wondered if anyone else could hear it. Butterflies rolled around in her stomach. He called her hon and sweetheart. Things were starting to get a little real. She turned around and jumped.

Her mom was standing right there, listening.

"So I suppose you heard."

"Well no. I just... Well, so he's coming, right?"

Hanna laughed. "Yes, he's coming. Oh my god, Mom, you act like I've never had a boyfriend over before."

Her mom sighed. "You've never had a quality boyfriend, sweetheart."

And then it dawned on her that her mom called her sweetheart, too. Two times in one day. A girl could get used to that.

She went back into the kitchen to roll out her cinnamon rolls and get them ready for baking when her phone rang again.

"My god it's like everybody wants to talk to me today."

Her mom tsked. "Of course they do. You’re Hanna, cinnamon roll girl, Valentine. Why wouldn't they want to talk to you?"

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