by Amy Brent
You love her, you son of a bitch. No amount of miles is going to change that. Might as well resign yourself to that fact.
I tried to ignore the thought but damned if it didn't hit me right in the fucking gut. It had taken me losing her to realize it, but I was in love with Quinn Moore. Maybe I always had been and had just been too blind to see it, but now that I knew it, the knowledge flashed like a neon sign in my head. Unavoidable. Impossible to ignore.
I loved Quinn, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. The fact was, I'd never meet anyone like her for the rest of my life, but that thought was little comfort in the cold, lonely motel room. That's why I had to leave. I had to get away.
A knock at the door interrupted my train of thought but I ignored it, focusing on packing away the rest of my meager things in the bag at my feet. No interruptions. No distractions. I just needed to get the fuck out of there before I did something stupid.
Like crawl back to Coral Springs on my hands and knees if I have to. I nodded. It wouldn’t be any more painful than the ache in my chest that I couldn’t escape. No matter what I did I couldn’t get Quinn out of my system. She was like a drug, and now that I’ve had a taste, nothing else would do. I would always need her. I’d come to terms with that. But Jonah had been right.
It was time to do the right thing, for once in my sorry life. And if that meant leaving Quinn with someone else, well, as long as she happy then maybe she was better off without me.
I would treat her better. I would love her more. No one else could love her as much as I do.
“I can’t go back. Not after what happened the last time.” I mumbled the words to myself, trying to make me believe them.
There was another knock at the door, more insistent this time and I flung it open with a curse that dried up before I could even get it out as I stared at the last person I ever expected to see on my doorstep.
“Hey, can I come in?”
After a moment, I opened the door the rest of the way and gestured to the dark room.
“Be my guest.” I was surprised I even got the words out, I was so frozen in shock that I could hardly move, but I finally shook myself out of it as my shock melted into anger. “What the fuck are you doing here, Jonah?”
Chapter 32
Quinn
“Come on. Just a little bit higher.” I stretched up on the tip of my toes, my arm reached up as high as it could with the paintbrush in one hand and a bucket of teal paint in the other but no matter how I tried to maneuver my limbs I couldn’t seem to reach the upper corner.
My belly was well and truly rounded now, enough to brush against the freshly painted wall of one of the newly finished bedrooms and it was making things a lot harder for me as I desperately raced to get the bed and breakfast ready before it opened for business. I only had a few short weeks before my brother’s deadline, and I’d be damned if I was going to miss it.
A sharp pain stabbed through me at the thought of Jonah. We still hadn’t spoken since the night that I’d left and it was like a black hole inside me, eating up all the light and happiness in the world.
I tried to shake it off, tried to put all my focus on the task in front of me. I was running out of time to finish the renovations and even though the major things were finally complete, there were a million small details that still needed to be seen to.
A million small things that were made ten times harder than they should have been because I was roughly the size of a planet. My new weight and the swell of my belly that just continued to grow made me feel awkward and unbalanced in my body.
I had tried to crawl up to the attic to retrieve the treasured box of photographs and I’d gotten stuck up there! I’d called for help for ten minutes and when Lily and Finn had finally found me, stick sitting on the floor and unable to get up, they’d both burst into laughter. Eventually, they’d helped me get back down again but it had been damned inconvenient to say the least.
I reached up a little higher, balancing precariously on the footstool to try and reach the top of the trim that ran the length of the bedroom. In my head, I ran through the list of things I needed to get done before Jonah's deadline. And it was daunting.
“I won’t let him sell it.” I muttered to myself as I worked, “I won’t let him.” If I had to, I would chain myself to the front porch, but in the back of my head I knew even that wouldn’t work. I was so close to reaching my goal, but I was running out of time, faster than I could keep up with.
I would make it work. I would prove to Jonah, to myself, to the whole world that Quinn Moore wasn’t a failure.
“You already have some reservations on the books,” I reminded myself. It was meant to be reassuring but it only served to fill me with panic. Yeah, guests are coming in a few weeks. I just hope I have bedrooms for them to sleep in.
I was so caught up in my worry that I didn't feel the foot stool slip underneath my feet and a second later I was flying backward, the breath rushing from my lungs as I braced for impact. But it never came.
Strong arms stopped my fall, wrapping around me with a familiar warmth that eased something deep inside me I hadn’t even known was broken.
I knew who it was before I even opened my eyes, meeting Leo’s dark gaze as he looked down at me with concern creasing his brow. After an eternity, he spoke.
“Do you really think you should be climbing up on that thing in your condition?” His voice was warm and scratchy like a favorite record and I was so surprised that I couldn’t speak. I didn’t even know what to say. My thoughts were a maelstrom of questions and I didn’t know where to start.
Slowly, and with Leo’s help, I got back to might feet finally turning to look at him. I drank in the sight of his dark locks, grown longer since the last time I’d seen him. His strong jaw and sharp nose. The bruises under his eye that attested to sleepless nights. There was a haggardness about him that hadn’t been there before. A weariness that I ached to soothe away.
“What…How…Where the hell have you been?” I finally stammered out, and he greeted my question with a bashful smile and a shrug.
“It’s hard to explain.”
"Well, you better damn well try."
“Yes ma’am,” His smile widened into a grin and I fought to keep one from curling up my own lips as confusion and anger warred with a happiness like rays of sunlight after a summer storm.
“I guess I should start from the beginning. After Jonah found out about us, he wasn’t exactly happy. You have to know, Quinn. I never wanted to leave you. I never in a million years thought Jonah would try and threaten you to get me to leave. If he’d gone after me, that was one thing. But he said he was–.”
“Going to sell this place. I know about that.” I cut in with a sigh, that old anger surging up again but I pushed it back down.
“Right, well. I didn’t make it far. About forty miles or so. I tried to come back to see you but Jonah, he uh, he told me you were seeing someone else.”
"What?" I choked out. I knew that Jonah had chased him off a second time but I hadn't known about the lie. "I never…I didn't…I haven't dated anyone." I finally stammered out the words and Leo let out a sigh of relief.
“I didn't want to believe it, but…" Leo shrugged, drinking me in with his gaze as he stepped closer, his arms wrapping around me as if that's where they belonged. And it was. "He found me, you know. Jonah. He hired some private investigator to track me down and he showed at my doorstep. He told me everything. He told me he was sorry, that he thought it had been the right thing at the time. He told me about the…the baby."
Leo glanced down, taking in the swell of my belly between us and I was terrified of what I would see when he looked up again but instead of the fear or revulsion or doubt that I thought would be there, all I saw was love. Love, and look so full of tenderness that made my chest tighten.
“Jonah told me the truth. He did it for you, Quinn. I know that. But god damn if he didn’t give me the
best gift in the entire world.” Leo let out a rough chuckle, “It’s almost enough to make me forgive the guy.”
My soft laugh joined his, “Almost.”
I stared up at him in wonder, still not quite believing that this was happening, that it was real. I reached out a hand, caressing his cheek but the stubble that tickled my palm felt real enough. The warmth of his skin against mine felt real and solid.
“I love you, Leo.” The words fell out of my mouth before I’d even realized they were there. They hung in the air between us for a long moment but then Leo was moving away from me. All the doubts and fears came rushing back in a paralyzing wave but instead of leaving, he took my hand in his, getting down on one knee in front of me.
"I have to tell you something, Quinn. Those are the sweetest words I've ever heard but before I say anything back there are some things I need you to know." He looked at me expectantly I gave a quick nod of my head, standing there speechless."
“Now, I don’t know that much about family. And I don’t know that much about being in a relationship. And I sure as hell don’t know much about having a baby. But in the time that I’ve known you, Quinn…you’ve changed me.” Leo’s eyes never left mine as he spoke and I felt each and every word sink deep inside me. “You made me a better man, and a better person. You have made my life mean something. And you’ve given me a home when I’ve never had one.”
“Leo, I–.”
“No, let me finish. I need to say this.” He waited until I nodded again before continuing, “I love you and I love our baby more than I can ever put into words. I’ve never met anyone like you. Your spirit and your passion and your heart inspire me every day. And you’re hands down the sexiest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.”
I let out a hoarse chuckle at that, wiping moisture from eyes but he was speaking again.
“I’m not saying it will be easy. I know I’ve got a lot to learn. But I promise you, I will never leave you again. Not ever. I promise I will be with you every step of the way and support any crazy idea you have. I promise that I will take care of you and I promise…I promise that I will love you, and that baby, more than anyone else in the whole world if you’ll let me.”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t have a ring yet, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what’s between us. Quinn Moore, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
I stared at him open-mouthed for a long moment as he shot me a nervous look.
“Well, say something at least. Jesus, just leaving a man hanging, might as well torture the poor son of a–.”
“Yes.”
“What was that, sunshine?”
“Yes,” I said through the laughter that bubbled out of me as I threw myself into his arms. The only place I ever wanted to be, “Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes!”
I don’t know how long I would have kept babbling but Leo cut off my words with a kiss that rocked me to my toes. I’d missed him more than I’d ever missed anything and it felt like heaven to be wrapped in his strong arms as his mouth closed over mine.
“I love you, Leo.”
"I love you too, Sunshine," Leo whispered the words against my mouth, never-ending our kiss. "I love you too."
Epilogue
Quinn
“Welcome to Mayhew House. How can I help you?” I asked, walking ponderously up to the quaint, wooden workbench that I’d converted into the receptionist’s desk. I ignored the aching pain in my back and my swollen feet, pasting on my brightest smile as I greeted the two newest guests.
“Well, we were passing through town and stopped to see the springs. We heard from some other hikers down there about the new bed and breakfast here and well, we were hoping to book a room for the rest of the weekend if you have anything available?”
“Of course. Let me just check our books. I think we have a wonderful room Ahh–.” I squeezed my eyes shut as a sharp pain ran through my body but I breathed through it. In through my nose. Out through my mouth. “Upstairs that’s available. It has a fantastic view of the springs.”
“Uh, that sounds great.”
I typed into the computer, pulling up the check in form and had to had to stop as another wave of pain swept through me. After the forms were filled out I turned to grab the key for the room but had to stop, resting against the edge of the desk. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Just like the classes.
“Quinn, I had some guests asking about the trails. Do you know if Bryan is doing anymore guided hikes today?”
I turned to Leo with a smile. The bed and breakfast had been opened for almost three months and already we were booked up for the summer. Things couldn’t be going better, and the new guided tours had been a big hit with the guests.
“I can call him and check. Just give me Ahh!” I held up a hand, stalling him as I waited for the pang to pass, “a minute.” I finally said, panting slightly. “I can try him on the radio.”
“Quinn?” Leo rushed forward, looking at me with concern in his dark eyes as he took in the sweat that dotted my brow and flushed face, “Quinn, are you having contractions?”
I waved his question away as I reached for the radio. “It’s not time yet. They’re not close enough together.”
“Quinn! The baby is coming!” Leo’s face went white as a sheet and I could see the sudden panic in his gaze. “I’m taking you to the hospital. Now.”
“No, really. There’s still hours yet before the baby comes.” I sucked in a sharp breath as another one hit. “Saturday’s are our busiest days, you know that.”
“Sunshine, this baby is coming. You are not working. Jonah can take over here. We are going to the hospital.” He wrapped his arm around me as he shouted for Jonah who came running with a worried look.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“The baby’s coming!” Leo said, still shouting even though Jonah was only a few feet away, “Can you take over?!”
“Yeah. Of course! I’ll call Lily. We’ll be at the hospital as soon as we can.” Jonah gave me a quick hug, but I think he was just using it as an excuse to help get me out of the bed and breakfast and into the car. “I love you, little sis.”
I smiled up at him. Things had been rough between us at first but it had been easier to forgive him after finding out what he’d done to track down Leo and make things right between us.
“I love you too, big brother. Don’t burn down the place while we’re gone.”
“I’ve got it under control, Quinn. Stop micro-managing and focus on bringing that little person into the world.” Jonah said with a roll of his eyes before shutting the door.
The drive to the hospital was a blur, the doctor wheeling me straight into the delivery room.
“It was close,” The doctor said from behind the surgical mask, “If you’d have waited any longer that baby would have been born. The baby is coming now.”
Leo gave me a look out of the corner of his eyes and I just shrugged, but then the contractions hit once more and the doctor was telling me to push. All I could focus on was Leo’s hand holding mine. He was by my side every second as pain like a vice squeezed around my middle but it was a distant sort of pain.
My eyes met Leo’s, the rest of the world disappearing until there was just the two of us and the love that shone between us with a life all its own. The moment was shattered as a high-pitched cry broke the silence and I collapsed back onto the hospital bed as exhaustion and exhilaration filled me.
Minutes passed like quicksand until one of the nurses finally placed a small bundle of joy into my arms and I looked down with tears in my eyes.
“A girl. A baby girl.” I whispered, glancing up at Leo.
“She’s perfect.” He was staring at her with pure love shining from the depths of his dark gaze.
“What should we name her?” I asked quietly as she wiggled in my arms, healthy and wonderful and the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my entire life.<
br />
“Rachael. Ray, for short.” Leo said, his voice hoarse with emotion as I looked at him quizzically.
“Ray?”
“She’s a little ray of sunshine,” His eyes met mine, “Just like her mama.”
I sent him a tearful smile before cradling our daughter even closer to my heart, “Hello, Ray.”
She gurgled happily as Leo wrapped his arm around us both and suddenly Lily’s words echoed in my thoughts and I nearly shook my head. She’d told me that everything happened for a reason, and sitting there, surrounded by my family, I finally believed her. Everything had happened for a reason. The best reason in the world. Love.
***The End***
If you enjoyed Quinn and Leo’s story, you would love Jonah and Sabrina’s Happily Ever After.
It’s steamy, hot and suspenseful.
Read On!
Jonah & Sabrina
Chapter 1
Sabrina
His hands were everywhere, moving so fast I could hardly catch my breath. Sliding down my body, his fingers leaving trails of shockwaves that arced through me to settle between my thighs. A burning need that had me arching my back and hitching my hips against his, hoping he would get the hint and give me what we both really wanted but he just let out a rough chuckle.