Page 73 of Loving You

“The apartment behind his shop was vacant, and I needed a place to stay. I kind of wore him down until he had no choice,” Quinn says calmly.

“And then you just started working for him?” Sully follows up.

“Pretty much. Miles works a lot, maybe too much, and it made sense that he get a little help.”

“I still think it’s crazy that you two didn’t really get along and then all of the sudden you’re dating,” Cherry says, her comment coming out of nowhere.

“You two haven’t always been friendly?” Danny asks.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“No,” Cherry answers for us.

I cast a glance at Quinn, whose eyes meet mine as she scrunches her nose.

“Everyone in this town knows that Quinn and Miles never got along until this summer,” Cherry goes on. “In fact, one rumor I heard was that Miles used to avoid, sometimes even leave, places because she showed up. Apparently now, he’s smitten with her.”

I close my eyes and drop my chin to my chest.

She’s not wrong.

I wouldn't do it now, of course, but I’ve done it in the past.

The way Cherry says it makes me sound like a dick. Which I am, or was, but I didn’t always do it in the way they are all thinking.

I chance a glance at Quinn, but her head is down as she keeps walking.

The not caring for her part isn’t new information to Quinn, but the fact that I used to leave places is.

I clear my throat. “Things changed last summer near the end,” I say, remembering that Quinn’s friends think this has been going on since around that time. “Things are different now.”

“Clearly,” Cherry snaps.

“Do you come to Lovers often?” Danny asks her.

“My family and I have come here every summer for the last seven years.”

“Oh, wow. It really is beautiful. What’s your favorite part?”

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but thank god for Danny and his smooth segue way to change the topic. Cherry is looking at him with confusion, but then she sighs and answers his question.

“I like that nothing here is rushed. City life can get crazy, and when I’m here, everything just seems simple.”

Before we know it, Cherry and Danny are deep in conversation over places they’ve traveled and comparing trip secrets.

All in all, they seem to be hitting it off very well.

As for me, guilt is settling in.

I reach my hand out and rub Quinn’s back. “Are you all right?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Are you sure?”

She nods.

I stop, reaching my hand out to grab hers and halt her as well.

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