Page 45 of Stick Around,
After taking a picture with the girl, they left. I stood in front of the mirror again, my reflection staring back at me with wide eyes beneath the brim of the tan hat. What had I gotten myself into?
I tried on several more hats in different colors and shapes. Finally, after I must have tried on every hat in the store, I found the perfect one in medium brown.
I ran my fingers along the brim, then glanced once more in the mirror. It suited me more than I wanted to admit. The woman staring back at me looked a little different than she hada week ago: still unsure, still figuring things out, but maybe beginning to believe she could belong.
I took the hat to the register, wondering what else I’d end up carrying home from this summer that I hadn’t planned on.
Chapter 16
To Sparkles
Kellan
Ileaned against the counter, watching Quinn dance around the kitchen in full hostess mode. After she’d returned from her afternoon shopping, taken a nap, and helped with some chores, she’d commandeered the kitchen and kicked us all out, insisting she wanted to cook for us. I’d tried to argue that it was literally our job to feed her as part of our room and board agreement, but she’d shooed me away with a wooden spoon.
Now, pasta bake in hand, she moved like she’d cooked us a million meals as she set the dish on the table with a flourish. “Dinner is served, gentlemen.”
Her smile was infectious, lighting up her whole face with a glow that reached her eyes and softened every feature. It was the kind of smile that made my pulse do weird things.
I’d seen plenty of gorgeous women smile before, but there was something about Quinn’s that felt genuine in a way that cut through my usual defenses. Maybe it was how proud she lookedof her pasta creation or how at home she seemed in our kitchen. Whatever it was, I found myself smiling back.
Reid leaned forward, inspecting the pasta. “This looks edible.”
“Such high praise.” Quinn raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know I’m an excellent cook.”
Enzo grabbed his fork. “Let’s put that to the test, then.”
I watched their expressions carefully as they took their first bites. Reid’s eyes widened slightly, and Enzo paused mid-chew, looking pleasantly surprised.
I took a bite, savoring the perfect balance of cheese, meat, and pasta. “This is amazing.”
Quinn rolled her eyes, but her pleased smile gave her away. “The bar for impressing men is literally on the floor.”
“The bar for impressing hungry ranchers is pretty high.” Reid helped himself to a second serving, which said more than any compliment could.
Dinner passed with easy conversation, the four of us falling into a rhythm that was surprisingly natural, like Quinn had always been part of our nightly routine instead of someone who’d barely moved in. I watched her reactions to Enzo’s dry comments and Reid’s perfectly timed observations, enjoying how she gave as good as she got. Something about her presence at our table filled a space I hadn’t realized was empty.
After we finished, I went up to my room, where I’d stashed my surprise for her. I’d spent my lunch break and a little downtime at the end of the day working on it. When I returned, I watched her for a moment from the doorway, struck by how much I wanted all of our nights to include her.
Dangerous thoughts.
I approached her from behind, keeping my hands carefully hidden. Enzo caught my eye from the table, his expression turning curious.
“Quinn.”
She turned, bubbles clinging to her forearms from washing the casserole dish. “What’s up?”
I pulled Thunderbolt from behind my back, and her mouth fell open, eyes going wide as she took in her resurrected hobby horse. I’d picked up all the stuffing from around the living room and carefully stitched the head back together. I’d even added a few embellishments with a bedazzled bridle and some sparkly flower barrettes I’d picked up from the store.
“You saved him!” Quinn squealed, quickly wiping her hands on a dish towel before reaching for him.
“I might have gone a little overboard with the accessories.”
Quinn clutched the hobby horse to her chest, her eyes shiny as she looked at me. “He’s perfect.”
“Where did you even get butterfly hair clips?” Enzo shook his head, taking a pull from his beer.
“Kellan is secretly a fourteen-year-old girl.” Reid smirked.
