Whatever it Takes (Healing Hearts book 3)

by Laura Farr

  It was Friday afternoon, and it was safe to say I was dreading the weekend. It was Claire and Ryan’s wedding anniversary and Ryan had booked them a weekend away in Austin. This left me and Brody alone in the house. Sav, Josh, Lib, and Mason, were going to one of Savannah’s friend’s birthday parties. Savannah had asked me to go along, but with no money to buy even a card, I felt awkward tagging along. Instead I’d planned to cook meatballs and sit in front of the TV all night, assuming Brody would either be going out or spending the night in his room. What I hadn’t told anyone was that today was my birthday. It was the first one since my mom had died and I really didn’t see the point in celebrating. I was more than happy for the day to pass by without a fuss. The one and only thing I wanted for my birthday was a hug from my mom, and that was never going to happen.

  After eating early, I made my way upstairs to shower. I’d left meatballs for Brody on the stove. He could help himself when he got in if he wanted to. Taking an extra-long shower, I washed and conditioned my hair, before pulling Brody’s Dallas Cowboys shirt on. I had a pair of shorts on underneath, but the shirt almost came to my knees, completely covering the shorts. I didn’t bother drying my hair, I just plaited it down my back and left it to dry naturally.

  Making my way downstairs, I grabbed a soda from the kitchen along with an armful of snacks to eat in front of the TV. Swinging the door to the den open I stopped mid stride. Brody was sitting on the couch eating his dinner. “Oh...” I stuttered. “Sorry. I didn’t realize you were home. I’ll go watch TV in the sitting room,” I told him, turning to leave.

  “No. Quinn, wait.” He sighed and ran his hand through his dark hair. “You don’t have to leave. Sit down.” He gestured to the loveseat opposite him.

  “Really, it’s fine. I might just go to bed.” I didn’t want him to feel like he had to be sociable just because his parents were away.

  “Quinn, it’s like…” he paused and looked at his watch, “six thirty.” I fidgeted in the doorway, biting down on my bottom lip. “Look, I know I’ve been a jerk these last couple of weeks. There’s no excuse. I’m sorry. Please, sit down.” Hesitantly, I closed the door behind me, dropping all my snacks onto the loveseat. “Hungry?” he asked, eyeing all my food.

  I smiled. “I like to snack while I’m watching TV.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s your favorite?”

  Digging through the pile of treats, I held up a bar of Hershey’s Cookies 'n' Creme. “I would kill for this.” I hugged the bar to my chest and he burst out laughing. “Hey!” I exclaimed. “Don’t laugh at my chocolate obsession. It’s my weakness.”

  “Chocolate’s for girls,” he scoffed.

  “Well in case you hadn’t noticed, Brode, I am a girl,” I laughed and rolled my eyes at him.

  “Yeah, I’d noticed once or twice,” he mumbled.

  “So,” I said, eager for the conversation to continue. “If chocolate's not your thing, what is? What’s your guilty pleasure.” He suddenly started coughing and spluttering and I held my can of soda out for him. “Are you okay?” I watched him take the can from me and take a long swig. Nodding, he handed me the can back.

  “My guilty pleasure?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. What do you eat lots of that you know you shouldn’t?”

  “Erm… potato chips, I guess.”

  “Well then it’s your lucky day as I’ve got some of those too!” I declared triumphantly, holding a large packet of chips up in the air.

  “Movie night then?” He sounded nervous as if he thought I might say no.

  I nodded and smiled. “Sounds good.”

  “Your meatballs are amazing,” he said, standing up, his empty plate in his hand. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Why don’t you choose a movie while I’m cleaning up? The DVDs are in there.” He pointed to a cabinet beside the huge TV. “No girly shit though, yeah?”

  I laughed. “Okay, no girly shit,” I promised as I opened the cabinet and started to look through the hundreds of DVDs. I heard the door close behind me and I smiled to myself. Maybe this weekend wasn’t going to be all bad after all.

  Brody

  Leaving the den, I closed the door behind me. I’d planned to go out tonight with Beth, but seeing Quinn in my goddamn shirt again, her hair wet and her face flushed from the shower… she was like a walking wet dream and I found myself suggesting a movie night. Grabbing my phone from my pocket I fired off a text to Beth telling her I wasn’t feeling well, and that I’d catch up with her next week.

  I’d been acting like a jerk since my run-in with Savannah. She had been right. I was attracted to Quinn, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. Any other girl would have been in my bed by now, and I’d have moved on to the next one. Quinn was different though, and I had no idea what I was supposed to do. It was no secret I’d never had a real relationship. I’d dated a lot, but I’d never dated anyone who made me want more. Her age was also an issue, although I wasn't sure why. The more I thought about it, the more I began to wonder if my problem with her age was just me trying to find a reason to stay away from her.

  I’d ignored her and made her feel like she was in the way. When she didn’t turn up for the rest of her week with me, I knew it was because of my behavior. I couldn’t blame her. I’d been an ass.

  After a quick shower, I threw on some sweats and a t-shirt and went back downstairs. Putting my head around the door to the den, I found her still rifling through the DVDs. “Hey, do you want a beer?” She turned around to look at me, hesitating before she answered.

  “Erm… yeah, sure. Thanks.”

  In the kitchen, I pulled two cold beers from the fridge before heading back to the den. After seeing the amount of food she’d brought in with her, it was clear we had enough snacks for the night. Opening her bottle of Bud, I walked over to where she was kneeling in front of the cabinet and held the bottle out to her. Smiling, she took it from me.

  “Thanks.” She took a small pull, her face scrunching up as she swallowed.

  “Is it okay?” I lifted my bottle to my mouth to check it tasted okay. I swallowed a mouthful down and found it tasted like it always did.

  “It’s just a bit stronger than the beers I’ve had in the past. I’ll get used to it.”

  I nodded and gestured to the cabinet with my bottle. “Have you picked one yet?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what you want to watch? You said no chick flicks so…” She trailed off and picked up a copy of The Avengers. “I take it this is yours?”

  “It is. Have you seen it?” She shook her head, looking at the image on the case. “You want to watch it?” I’d seen it a million times but was happy to watch it again.

  “Sure. Chris Hemsworth will make it worth watching.” She winked at me and took another pull on her bottle. I rolled my eyes at her and took the case from her hand. Turning on the TV I put the disc in the player and sat on the couch. Quinn had sat herself on the loveseat surrounded by all the food.

  “Hey, come and sit over here.” I patted the seat next to me. “You can see the TV better and we can share the snacks.” Her eyes fixed on mine for a few seconds before she slowly got up. Scooping all the food into her arms, she carried it over to the couch, dumping it on the middle seat. She sat down and folded her legs underneath her.

  “You all set? Can I put it on?” She nodded, and I turned the movie on, grabbing the bag of chips she’d brought over.

  About an hour into the movie and we were onto our third beer. Quinn began fidgeting in her seat and I could see she was uncomfortable. With all the snacks laid out on the couch there wasn’t much room. “Do you mind if I move these?” She pointed to all the food in between us.

  “No, I’m good with my chips anyway.” I watched as she pushed all the snacks onto the floor. She stretched her legs out and moaned.

  “Ahhh, that’s better. My legs were starting to cramp up.” Her feet were touching my thigh, and I had to stop myself from running
my hand up her bare leg.

  “Another beer?” I asked, standing quickly before I did something I’d probably regret.“Sure. Why not? Thanks.” When I got back with the beers she was lying down on the couch. Her head was resting on the arm and her feet were in the spot where I’d been sitting. When she saw me she started to move.

  “No, don’t,” I found myself saying. Using my free hand, I lifted her feet and sat down, bringing her legs down to rest on mine. “Comfy?” I asked as I held out her beer. She nodded and even though the room was a little dark, I could see her cheeks flush pink. Taking a pull from my bottle I tried to concentrate on watching the movie, but it was hard with her legs on me.

  A little while later, I gently rested my hand on her leg and began drawing circles with my fingers. Feeling goose bumps erupt over her skin I heard her gasp. “Is this okay?” I asked her quietly, my eyes finding hers in the dark. She nodded, and I squeezed her leg before continuing to massage her calf. I saw her take a long swig from her beer, draining the bottle. I knew I was probably making her nervous, but I couldn’t sit there any longer without touching her.

  By the time the movie had ended she was fast asleep and had been for a while. Not wanting to wake her, I gently lifted her legs off me. Standing up, I scooped her up off the couch. Once again, she fit perfectly in my arms. Letting out a contented sigh, she snuggled into my chest as I held her close. Suddenly her eyes flew open.

  “Brody?” she asked in confusion.

  “Hey, sleepyhead. You fell asleep on the couch. I was going to take you up to your room.” Reluctantly, I put her down, my hands slipping from her waist. She tried to stand but stumbled. Fortunately, I managed to catch her before she hit the floor. “Whoa!” I quickly picked her back up, and she snuggled straight back into my chest, inhaling deeply.

  “You smell so good,” she mumbled, laying her head on my chest.

  “Erm… thanks,” I said, a little taken aback. Looking down at the four empty beer bottles by where she’d been sitting, realization suddenly hit. “Quinn, are you drunk?”

  “Dunno. Maybe. I’ve never been drunk before.” Her fingers landed on my top, and she began tracing patterns across my chest.

  “Quinn, have you ever had a drink before?” I asked, feeling a little panicked I’d gotten her drunk.

  “Nope, never.”

  “Shit.” Flicking the TV off, I carried her out of the den. “I think you need to go to bed.”

  “Mmmmm, bed with Brody. That sounds good,” she mumbled, patting me on my chest.

  I groaned inwardly. She had no idea how much I wanted her in my bed. But it wouldn’t be tonight. Not when she was drunk. “No, sweetheart. Your bed.” She stuck her tongue out at me and I laughed.

  “Spoilsport.”

  “Come on, you need to sleep it off. You’re going to have a headache in the morning, that’s for sure.” She nodded and then cocked her head.

  “Where’s your hat?” she slurred, reaching up and running her fingers through my hair.

  “What hat?”

  “Your hot-as-hell cowboy hat.”

  I laughed, “It’s in my room.” Her hand fell out of my hair, her fingers tracing the side of my face.

  “Hmmmm. Loving the hat,” she whispered, closing her eyes. Grinning, I carried her upstairs. Kicking the door to her bedroom open, I crossed the room. The drapes were already closed, and the room was in darkness. I didn’t want to turn the light on and wake her, so I navigated the room in the dark. When I came to the bed, I pulled the comforter back and placed Quinn on the sheet.

  “Brody, is that you?” she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

  “Yeah, still me, Quinn. Go to sleep, darlin’; you’ll feel better in the morning.” I felt awful I’d given her beer and now she was drunk. To top it off, I’d totally lied to her. She was going to feel like shit in the morning.

  As I went to stand up, she wrapped her hands around the front of my shirt and pulled me toward her. “Quinn, what are you—” I began, but was interrupted as she crashed her lips against mine, winding her arms around my neck and pulling me closer toward her. For a few seconds I kissed her back, unable to stop myself. She tasted like chocolate and beer. As her tongue snaked into my mouth she moaned, and I came crashing back to reality. She was drunk and had no clue what she was doing. I was taking advantage. Pulling out of her hold, I stepped away from the bed.

  “You stopped? Don’t you want to kiss me?” Covering her with the comforter I sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Quinn, you have no idea how much I want to kiss you. But you’re drunk.”

  “So, you want to kiss me when I’m not drunk?” Her voice was sleepy, and she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

  “Yes, baby,” I whispered in her ear before brushing my lips across her cheek.

  “Best birthday ever,” she mumbled.

  “It’s your birthday? Quinn?” I prompted when she didn’t answer. Her soft snores filled the room, and I smiled. So, it was her birthday. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t mentioned it. I guess with losing her mom she didn’t want to celebrate, but now that I knew, I was going to make sure tomorrow was special. We were all the family she had now, and she couldn’t miss celebrating her birthday.

  Quinn

  Waking up the next morning, I groaned. My head pounded, and my mouth felt like I’d swallowed a handful of sawdust. Why did I feel so shitty? Was I coming down with something? I hoped not. I didn’t want to put off starting work any longer. Rolling over, I saw a bottle of water and a packet of Tylenol on the nightstand. Frowning, I tried to remember if I’d put those there before going to sleep. I didn’t remember getting water from the kitchen. In fact, I didn’t even recall coming to bed. The last thing I remembered was watching a movie with Brody in the den.

  Suddenly I remembered all the beer I’d drank. Sitting up too quickly, I groaned again as my head spun. “Urgh, I shouldn’t have moved that fast,” I muttered. My stomach rolled, and I swung my legs over the side of the bed, rushing into the bathroom. Dropping to the floor in front of the toilet, I threw up, hugging the seat. When I’d finally stopped retching I sat back, leaning against the bathtub. “I’m never drinking again,” I moaned.

  I had no idea what had possessed me to say yes to one beer when Brody had offered, let alone four. The truth was I’d never had one before. I’d never had anything alcoholic. From the first sip, I knew I didn’t like the taste, yet I still took another three bottles from him. I was definitely paying for that stupid choice now.

  Climbing back into bed, I grabbed the Tylenol and popped two into my mouth, washing them down with a mouthful of water. Lying down, I tried to remember if I had said anything stupid to Brody last night. As parts of the night started to come back, I sat up, my eyes wide with horror. “No, no, no, no, no,” I chanted as visions of me kissing Brody filled my head. I rolled over and buried my head into my pillow. How was I ever going to look him in the eye again? I’d never done anything like that before; then again, I’d never been drunk before.

  “Quinn. Are you awake?” Brody’s voice echoed through the door. Groaning into the pillow, I wished I could hide in bed all day. I had to face him at some point though, may as well get it over with.

  “Yes. Come in,” I shouted, dragging my hung-over body to the edge of the bed. My eyes were glued to my hands that were fidgeting in my lap as I heard the door open and Brody walk in.

  “Hey. How are you feeling? Did you see the Tylenol I left for you?” he asked from the doorway.

  “I did.” I kept my eyes focused on my hands. “Brody, I’m so sorry about last night—”

  “Don’t apologize, Quinn,” he said, interrupting me. “It’s fine.”

  “I can’t believe I kissed you. Listen, I’ve never done anything like that before.” I hadn’t yet found the courage to lift my eyes from my hands and I knew my face was flushed.

  “Alcohol makes you do stupid things, don’t worry about it.” Although he was trying to reassure me, I groaned inwardly. So,
he thought me kissing him was a stupid thing to do. My heart dropped, and I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

  “I’m never drinking again,” I muttered, shaking my head.

  “That’s a shame. I liked drunk Quinn.” I lifted my head sharply, surprised by his comment. That’s when I saw him standing there in his sleep shorts, his chest bare. I wished now I’d looked up sooner, so I would have had longer to stare at him. God, he was gorgeous. His toned chest was tanned, with just a smattering of dark hair below his belly button that disappeared under the waistband of his shorts. As my eyes tracked over his abs and up past his chest, I was met with his smiling face and messy dark hair that he hadn’t yet styled. I didn’t think I’d ever seen anything so perfect.

  “Okay, so I know I’m a day late but…” With a flurry, he moved his arm out from behind his back and produced a blueberry muffin with a single candle sticking out of it. “Happy birthday, Quinn.”

  My eyes went wide with surprise. “How did you...” I trailed off.

  “I would say you told me, but it was more of a comment you made before passing out last night,” he said chuckling.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You said, ‘best birthday ever.’”

  “Oh God, it actually gets worse.” I dropped my head in my hands. “What else did I say? On second thought, don’t tell me. I don’t think I want to know.” He laughed and came to sit next to me on the bed.

  “Let’s just say, you were quite complimentary!” I looked at him in horror, only imagining what I might have said to him. He burst out laughing and I glared at him.

  “Glad you’re finding this amusing,” I said sarcastically.

  “You were cute.” He nudged my shoulder and held out the muffin. “Sorry it’s not a better breakfast. I really can’t cook for shit.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered, taking the muffin from him. “This is perfect. I love blueberry muffins.” I started to pull the candle from the top when he stopped me.