Page 72 of The Unforgiven
“It’s otherworldly, especially at twilight.”
“Don’t get all fanciful on me, Dr. Allenby. Just finish the assignment and come back to us. We miss you.”
“I love you and miss you. Give my love to Emma. I can’t wait to see her.”
“I will. I love you, Quinn.”
Gabe disconnected the Bluetooth and fixed his eyes on the road. All in all, the conversation hadn’t gone as badly as he’d feared. Quinn was well, if a little spooked and homesick, and not completely averse to moving up north. And the baby… Gabe couldn’t wait to meet his child. Quinn had been hardly showing when she left, but he hadn’t felt the baby move, so on some level, itstill didn’t feel quite real. He wished he’d been there for the scan and seen the little one with his own eyes.
A few more months.Be patient,Russell.
He pressed his foot on the gas pedal and the Jaguar roared into life. It was time to get his girl back.
THIRTY-SIX
Quinn grabbed her handbag and sunglasses, remembering to slip a bottle of water into her bag before heading for the elevator. She’d been making a conscious effort to drink more fluids. She did feel better, and the headaches were not as severe, but a dull ache still hovered behind her eyes, ready to escalate if she allowed herself to get stressed or overly tired.
She rode the elevator to the ground floor of the hotel, hoping to have a cup of decaffeinated tea at the restaurant before leaving for the day. Perhaps Jason would join her when he arrived. She’d had breakfast in her room already, so she ordered a pot of tea and settled in to wait for Jason. He’d know to look for her here.
Her conversation with Gabe was still fresh in her mind, and truth be told, she was more than a little upset despite the brave face she’d put on for him. The fact that Gabe hadn’t called her when Graeme passed away rankled, even though she’d accepted his apology and understood his reasons, and the sudden prospect of moving to Northumberland didn’t thrill her either. She understood Gabe’s dilemma, and wanted to be there for Phoebe, but she liked being in London and was just beginning to forge a relationship with Sylvia and Logan. She’d miss Jill too. Quinn popped into Jill’s shop whenever she was near, but now she wouldn’t see her cousin for months on end, possibly longer.
Quinn stirred sugar into her tea and took a sip. The tea was hot and strong, and just what she needed. As she lifted her head, her eyes fell on a familiar figure walking toward her table. She carefully set the cup down. Her hand was shaking and she felt a now-familiar flush spreading from her neck up toward her cheeks.
“May I join you?”
“What do you want?” Quinn asked warily. “I thought we’d finished our conversation.”
“Quinn, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Luke said as he sat down opposite her and signaled to the waiter. “I only wanted to talk to you, but things got out of hand. And then that man showed up.”
“That man is my father.”
“Yes, I gathered that. How on earth did you find him?”
“I found my biological mother first,” Quinn replied. “Or, more accurately, she found me.”
“Will you tell me about it?” Luke asked after ordering a cup of coffee. He leaned in closer and gazed into Quinn’s eyes. “I know how much this means to you. You must be thrilled to finally have the answers you’ve been seeking.”
She knew exactly what he was doing. She’d seen him do it countless times. He was trying to disarm her, to win her over with his interest and undivided attention. Did he really think that was all it would take to get her back?
“Luke, I’m meeting someone in a few minutes,” Quinn said, implying he should leave, but he ignored the hint and added cream to his coffee, his movements relaxed and unhurried, as though there were nowhere else he’d rather be.
“Quinn, please give me a chance. Have dinner with me. We’ll have a nice meal, talk, and maybe you’ll forgive me just a little bit.”
“I am not sure how I can say this in a way you’ll understand. We’re done. There’ll be no dinners, no conversations, and no apologies. I bear you no grudge, and I wish you well. And I hope you can do the same for me.”
“It’s not as if you’ve never made mistakes,” Luke replied. The casual posture was gone, replaced by a tensing of his shoulders and the tightening of his jaw.
Quinn instinctively leaned away from him, not wishing to engage.
“You drove me away,” he hissed. “You always put your career first. You never had time for me.”
“Then you should be glad to be rid of me,” Quinn replied, gathering her things. “You are now free to find a woman who will make you the center of her universe. Goodbye, Luke. Please don’t come here again.”
Quinn was about to walk past Luke when he grabbed her arm. “Quinn, come on. You see what you do to me? You make me lose control because I care so much. Please sit down.”
“Everything all right?” Jason asked as he approached the table. Normally, he looked like a big teddy bear, but at the moment, there was nothing cuddly about him.
“Let me guess. Your newfound brother?” Luke asked sarcastically. “Will he threaten to rough me up as well?”
