Page 69 of The Lovers
“You just did,” he quipped. “Of course, go on.”
“Do you think psychic ability is genetic?”
Dr. Scott looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. “I tend to think that everything is genetic to some degree. I’ve never done any research on psychic ability, but I would think it runs in families just like artistic talent or an allergy to peanuts. Has this woman claimed to be psychic?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
“No, nothing like that. It was just a hypothetical question.”
“Well, I’ll give you a hypothetical answer: It’s possible, and it’s probable, but nothing is certain.”
“Thank you. When can I expect to get back the results?”
“Give me three days. You shall have them by Monday morning.”
Quinn spent a restless night tossing and turning, finally dropping off to sleep after several hours only to be awoken by strange dreams. She couldn’t quite recall what they were about, but they left her feeling unsettled and bad-tempered. There’d been a message from Sylvia on her answerphone when she got back from London on Thursday, but Quinn decided not to call her back until she had the results of the tests. The weekend would be hell, especially since she hadn’t made any plans. Rhys tried to cajole her into seeing him, but the thought of spending time with the man set Quinn’s teeth on edge. She’d have to see him sooner or later, but the way she felt now, it would have to be later—much later.
Quinn got out of bed on Friday morning feeling headachy and disgruntled. She had no idea how she’d fill the hours until Monday morning, and the prospect of three days of complete freedom filled her with dread. She’d hoped that Gabe would offerto come over, but he sounded uncharacteristically evasive when she spoke to him last night, making no mention of seeing her at the weekend. Quinn started when she heard the sound of an engine and then the slamming of a car door. She wasn’t expecting any visitors so early on a Friday morning, and she hoped that Sylvia hadn’t decided to take matters into her own hands and shown up at her door. Quinn pulled on a warm dressing gown and ran a hand through her wild hair.I must look a fright, she thought as she went to see who was at the door.
Gabe, looking fresh as a daisy so early in the morning, tried to keep the self-satisfied grin off his face as he stepped into the house and gave her a peck on the cheek. His face was cold, and he smelled pleasantly of chilly winter air tinged with a hint of pine.
“It’s bitter out there,” he said as he unwound his scarf and shrugged off his coat. “Make us a cuppa?”
“You’d better have a good reason for being here before eight,” Quinn chided Gabe as she went to fill the kettle. “I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet.” Secretly, she was thrilled to see him, her worries from last night put to rest by his unexpected appearance. They’d reconciled, but Quinn still had no clear idea where they stood. Gabe had been supportive and affectionate since Quinn’s tearful phone call, but nothing had been resolved between them.
Gabe plopped down on the sofa and gave her a furtive look. Quinn suddenly felt her heart drop. Had Dr. Scott called Gabe with the results? That would be unethical, but they were friends, and this inquiry was completely unofficial. Perhaps Dr. Scott decided to tell Gabe first so that he could be there for Quinn when she got the results, thinking that she’d need the support when she learned the truth.
“Gabriel Russell, what do you know that I don’t?” Quinn demanded as she stood over him, hands on hips. She was tremblingbehind the false bravado, praying that Gabe would just tell her, whatever it was.
“I know that you will spend the whole weekend pacing this room like a caged tiger, waiting for the results that, in your opinion, will change your life.”
“Well, they will,” Quinn replied, her tone defensive. She thought Gabe understood what this meant to her, but now he was making the outcome sound trivial and irrelevant and her anxiety unfounded.
“Quinn, you are who you are. It might be nice to know who your parents were, but it won’t change anything in the grand scheme of things.”
“Said the man who can trace his ancestry back to William the Conqueror,” Quinn retorted, crossing her arms in front of her. She was pouting like a child, she knew that, but she was hurt by Gabe’s lack of understanding.
“Said the man who’s booked us into a lovely little hotel in the Cotswolds for the weekend. If we leave within the hour, we can be there before lunch. Shall I help you pack?” Gabe asked, all innocence.
Quinn stared at him in utter astonishment. She was torn between irritation with Gabe for making plans without even consulting her and overwhelming gratitude for his thoughtfulness. He understood what she was going through and did the one thing he knew would help, secretly planning a weekend away to distract her from obsessing about the outcome of the DNA test. She knew what this weekend would mean, and suddenly there was nothing in the world she wanted more. No matter what happened come Monday, she wanted Gabe in her life, and she was ready for their long friendship to evolve into something deeper. The thought of spending a weekend with Gabe in the picturesque Cotswoldsmade her grin with anticipation, and she dashed off to the bedroom to throw a few things together.
“Does this mean you’re coming?” Gabe called out from the living room. Quinn could hear the smile in his voice as he went to pour them both mugs of tea.
Gabe came in with the tea but didn’t advance into the room. He leaned on the doorjamb, as if he needed support, his expression saying it all. He was happy, excited, and nervous. He looked like a schoolboy who’d just come to collect his date for the school dance, unsure of whether it would be a night to remember or a disaster he’d recall to his dying day.
Quinn stopped packing and accepted the steaming mug from Gabe, rising on tippy-toes to kiss him on the lips. “Thank you,” she said, smiling into his eyes.
“You can thank me by not bringing enough clothes to fill a trunk,” he said, gazing at the growing pile on the bed. “It’s only two nights. A pair of knickers and a toothbrush will do.”
“Spoken like a man.”
“I’ve perfected the art of packing light. All my possessions fit into a knapsack.”
“Well, good for you,” Quinn said as she added an aubergine-colored knit dress to the pile. “I certainly hope you’ll be taking me out to dinner. Twice.”
Gabe laughed and went to rinse out his mug. Quinn strongly suspected that he’d already had dinner reservations for both nights, in restaurants that he thought would be to her liking. It was nice to have him fussing over her like this. She would thank him again, properly, when she got the chance.
FIFTY
Quinn smiled happily as she watched the countryside fly past. It had snowed during the night, and the normally green and brown fields were covered in a blanket of sparkling white. The sun peeked playfully from behind fluffy clouds that floated lazily past, and bare branches made intricate patterns against the pale-blue winter sky. Black crows looked like charcoal smudges on a sketch as they nestled in the branches, watching the car speed by with their beady eyes and crowing madly.
