Page 55 of Fall for You (Flirting with Forever 4)

“I was at an appointment with Quinn.”

“So it’s true. I just took a guess.” Her eyes narrow on me, hand fiddling with her fork. She studies me, and I wish I could say I knew what is going through that head of hers, but I don’t.

I suppose I’d better just be open with her and ask. “It is. What do you think about that?”

“Will she move in with us?” She out-and-out stabs some macaroni with her fork before shoving it into her mouth. She focuses on chewing while her eyes silently accuse me—of what, I’m not sure.

That she’d go there first—directly to whether Quinn would live here—throws me for a loop. Teenage brains are just wired differently, I think. “What? No. In fact, we aren’t actually together right now, so I don’t know how we are handling any of this.” I run my hands through my hair.

“Why?”

Ah, shit. “Why, what?”

She gives me the duh face before answering me with an expanded question. “Why aren’t you together?”

I gaze steadily at her, unable to answer because I don’t know how she’ll react.

Slowly, she slides off of the stool. Quietly, she whispers, “I see. It’s because of me,” as she passes behind me on the way to the staircase.

“No.” Ugh. I spin toward her. “O. Come back here so we can talk.”

“That’s okay, Dad. I hear you.” She runs up the stairs as fast as her legs will take her.

Her mood has shifted so quickly, I swear I have whiplash.

Chapter 32

Quinn

Mom’s surgery is scheduled for first

thing tomorrow morning. I’m in the middle of grading papers at my desk and pulling together sub plans after school when I hear a soft knock on the open door. To my surprise, Olivia stands there, an odd look on her face, and gives me a little wave.

I take a deep breath before the words tumble from my mouth, “You know I’m not supposed to tutor you anymore, right? I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you about it. I thought you knew.” I understand Becky’s decision, but that doesn’t make this any less embarrassing to discuss with my student.

My child’s half sister.

Oh. My. God. I swallow. I hadn’t thought of it like that yet.

She shakes her head. “No. I know.” She glances down at her yellow Converse, hands gripping the straps of her backpack more tightly. “I was just hoping you had a few minutes to talk.” She sighs as she points to my desk. “You look kind of busy, though. It’s okay. I can go.” She turns to leave, her shoulders drooping.

“Olivia? Wait.” I don’t know what this is about, but it must be important to bring her here after everything that’s happened in the last week.

She tentatively walks through the doorway, and when I get a closer look at her, I can see she’s close to tears. It just about rips my heart out. I swallow carefully. “What do you want to talk about?”

Olivia drops into the chair on the other side of my desk and wiggles free from her backpack. She inhales as she looks me in the eye. Her fingers hurry to wipe away a tear from below her eye before it has a chance to break free and run down her cheek. Her voice starts out shaky. “I—I’d been wondering for a while why my dad had been so happy lately. I mean, I wasn’t sure when we moved here how things would go with him opening the cider mill and me starting a new school. Mom said it might be tough for a while, but I was absolutely sure about moving here with him.” She sniffs a little and catches her lower lip between her teeth for a second. Her gaze drifts around my workroom, anywhere but at me. I watch her carefully; I think she’s considering what else to say, and I just hope she isn’t on the verge of a meltdown. Interestingly enough, though, she brightens as she meets my eyes to continue. “But everything has been fine. Except me being a goofy, boy-crazy girl and messing up my science grade.” Glancing up, she gives me a weak smile. “But like you said, that’s fixable. And I do intend to make sure I do that, even if you can’t work with me.”

“That’s good, Olivia. I’ll help however I can. I agree with your mom, though—me tutoring you right now is … complicated.” I wince and shrug my shoulders.

She nods, giving me a small smile. “A month ago, maybe even earlier, I saw a spark of sorts in my dad. Something that hadn’t been there in a long time. Something had changed in him.” She hesitates and I sense the war within her over whether she wants to give me this piece of information. “I think it was because of you.” Her eyes become wet and glassy.

I’m out of my seat like a shot and kneel next to her chair. I put a cautious arm around her shoulder. “I don’t know what to say. I’m well aware of just how hard this whole circumstance has been on you.”

She swipes at her face with both hands, trying to stop the tears from falling, clearly embarrassed. I reach for the box of tissues on my desk and hand them to her. “It’s probably for the best that your dad and I just take some time to figure things out.”

She shakes her head, her eyes darting to mine like she’s scared. “Please say it’s not too late. That you aren’t breaking things off with him. I’ll do anything.”

I almost lose it right then. Damn hormones. Instead, I suck in some air and ask simply, “What?”

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