Page 11 of Lost the Handle

God, I’ve missed him.

When my suitcase is empty, my clothes put away, I realize Quinn isn’t back yet. I bring in my brows. Did he leave? It doesn’t usually take this long. Before I can walk out of the room to go look for him, praying he didn’t drop my computer and is deciding whether death would be better than telling me, my phone rings.

Elli Adler.

Fuck.

I hesitate for only a second before I answer, “Hey, Elli.”

“Hello, Emery. Do me a favor. Go in the bathroom.”

I do as she says, but slowly, because what if she is setting me up and a sniper will be waiting to blow my brains out?Okay, Emery, this isn’t one of the mafia romances you read. Get it together.

What? I have a huge brain; it’s always busy. So what if I enjoy smutty mafia romance to help me relax?

When I reach the bathroom, I shut the door and sit down on the closed lid of the toilet. “Okay, I’m in here.”

“Great. Listen, Quinn called me.” Of course he did. He’s such a mama’s boy, but not in a creepy way. In a sweet way. Or maybe it’s a red flag that I’m ignoring. “What are you doing?”

I pause. I could lie, but the truth is always better with Elli Adler. “I’m on Operation Get Quinn Back.”

She exhales gratefully. “Thank God. My son hasn’t been the same since you left. I wanted to hate you, but I couldn’t. I get it. You were both young. But then he goes and tries to marry this girl, and I’m not happy. She doesn’t eat my food because it’s ‘heavy.’ What the hell?”

“That’s so rude.”

“Precisely,” she agrees quickly. “I don’t know what she has over him. The whole family has been trying to figure it out, but he’s so tight-lipped and insists they’re in love.” I grunt and she laughs. “My thoughts exactly. Now, you’ll be living there withhim, and he always tells you everything. So, will you do me a favor?”

I already know what she is going to ask, but I agree anyway. “Absolutely.”

“Figure it out for me, and don’t let my son make a second mistake.”

“A second?” I ask, confused.

“The first was letting you get away.”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. I swallow thickly, the emotion and love for this woman overwhelming. “It was all my fault. I pushed him away.”

“I know, but he shouldn’t have let you get so far. You were scared. He should have fought harder.”

I shake my head, though I know she can’t see me. “No, Elli. He fought hard. I pushed harder.”

“So, fix this, Emery Elaine.”

I close my eyes, hating when a tear escapes. “I will.”

“Good. Don’t drive him too crazy.”

“Can’t promise that, but I will promise to break up this engagement.”

“Great. Make my baby happy again.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

Hearing that he hasn’t been happy causes another tear or two to slide down my face. My heart pounds in my chest as I nod. When I hear a knock at the bathroom door, I quickly say, “I gotta go.”

“Oh! Okay. Love you.”

More tears fall. “Love you.”

I hang up just as the door opens, and Quinn’s eyes widen at the sight of me. “I didn’t know where you— Wait, are you crying?”

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