Page 52 of Just Let Go

She shot him what she hoped was a very dirty look, but was met only with his lopsided smile before he walked out, the bell clanging as the door closed behind him.

“Whatwas that?” Hailey asked.

Both she and Lucy started talking at the same time, demanding explanations and “the scoop” and “the whole story.” Comments like “super hot guy” and “why was he using your shampoo?” were being thrown around at mach speed until finally Quinn held up a hand to silence them both.

She told them everything—the way he’d shown up outside her flower shop, drunk; the way she’d planned to take him back to Cedar Grove, but had to improvise thanks to his level of intoxication.

“He slept on my couch. That’s it.”

Both Lucy and Hailey eyed her suspiciously.

“What?” Quinn didn’t like when the attention was on her.

“That’s it?” Hailey asked.

“You hadthatman on your couch and that’s it?” Lucy looked incredulous.

“He’s hardly my type, you guys,” Quinn said, pulling a chunk of cantaloupe off of her fork with her teeth.

“Who cares?” Lucy sighed. “He’s such a beautiful man.”

“I care. I’m not interested in dating anyone right now—didn’t you just tell me I’m taking on a little too much at once? A relationship would be nothing more than a distraction. Besides, that man is not relationship material. He doesn’t even remember half of last night.”

As soon as she said the words, she regretted it.

“What doesn’t he remember?” Hailey asked.

Betsy strolled over at that exact moment—lifesaver!—and glanced at Hailey. “You clocking in, girl? I need you.”

“Oh, yes,” Hailey said, dropping her napkin on top of her empty plate. “Be right there.”

“Two minutes,” Betsy said.

“She really means five,” Hailey said. “Which is more than enough time for you to tell us what he doesn’t remember.”

Quinn rubbed her forehead, willing this whole conversation away. “It’s not a big deal, really.”

“It obviouslyis,” Lucy said. “Did he try something with you?”

“No, it wasn’t like that,” Quinn said. “He’s not a bad guy; he’s just full of himself.”

“And?” They were both looking at her like wide-eyed toddlers waiting for a giant piece of birthday cake.

“He kissed me, okay?” Quinn whispered.

They gasped. Loudly. In unison. “He what?”

“Would you both be quiet?” She hated every second of this conversation. “It was so quick it barely counted as a kiss.”

One-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one...Did that count as a kiss?

“And you kissed him back?” Lucy was not going to let this go until she had all the details.

Quinn scrunched her face, meaningI’m not really sure. It’s all a blur.But all her friends saw was...

“Oh my gosh. You kissed him back.” Lucy sounded a lot like a thirteen-year-old girl.

“Seriously. It was nothing, and like I said, he doesn’t even remember.” Quinn wished she didn’t. “And I was only nice to him because,one: I didn’t want him driving home; and two: I need him to do Jaden a skiing favor.” She pulled her billfold from her purse, left enough cash on the table to cover her meal and the tip, and stood up. “Don’t make a big thing out of this, okay? This is a man who has kissed dozens of women.”

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