Page 53 of All You Need Is Love

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve had enough of it to last me a lifetime.”

That didn’t make sense. “So that makes it okay to lie to everyone? To manipulate me?”

“No. It doesn’t.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Marshall. You have to believe me.”

Actually, he didn’t have to. And he didn’t want to.

But something was shifting inside of him, dousing the coals burning in his chest as Shannon’s voice played on a loop in his head. “I know she acts like that, but there has to be a reason, you know?”

“Even if I believe you, that doesn’t change what needs to happen now. You have to tell your family the truth.”

Quinn blew out a breath before squaring her shoulders. “I will. Soon. I promise.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. Just let me be the one to do it. Please.” She rubbed the corner of her eye. “I’m the one who made this mess, and I’m the one who has to clean it up.”

He could respect that. At the very least, he could accept it, even if he preferred for the truth to come out sooner than later.

“On one condition—you promise not to slander Shannon or hurt her chances of adoption.”

Shaking Marshall’s offered hand, Quinn nodded. “Looks like we’ve got a deal.”

He only hoped she wasn’t the devil in heels.

---