More Than This

by Shannyn Schroeder

  Quinn threw open the door to her loft. “I am so done with walking today. I hope you parked close, or you’ll have to carry me to your car.” She dropped her keys on the side table and bent to untie her sneakers.

  Ryan strolled in behind her and went straight to the couch. “Okay, so I misjudged how far you live from Clark. It was still a nice walk.”

  “How dressy is this place we’re going?”

  “Casual is fine. It’s a steakhouse. By the time we get there, I’ll be ready to eat a side of beef.”

  “After all the exercise, they better have a great dessert menu too,” she commented as she plodded up the stairs. From the top, she called, “Help yourself to anything in the fridge. I’ll be ready soon.”

  She sat on her bed and mentally ran through wardrobe options. Exhaustion dragged her down, but it had been well worth it. She’d had a great time with Ryan. Maybe she’d been too quick to brush aside his offer of friendship. She couldn’t recall the last time she had so much fun with anyone but Kate or Indy.

  This is what dating is supposed to be. Having fun while getting to know each other. Why doesn’t this happen on a real date?

  This felt like a date. The notion nagged at her. After a quick shower, she tugged on her favorite black dress and found sandals to match. Expectations. That was the problem. She and Ryan held no expectations for each other or their relationship. They enjoyed their time because it was just today.

  She suddenly realized she’d been gone much longer than planned and hurried downstairs. Ryan had sprawled across her couch with his eyes closed. “Are you sleeping?”

  “Just dozing.” He pushed against his elbows to sit and rubbed his hands over his face. He looked her up and down. “Wow. If that’s your idea of casual, I’d love to see dressed up.”

  Despite how her nerves tingled over his examination, her response was light. “It never hurts to look good. You never know who you might meet.”

  “Are you trying to find Mr. Right tonight?”

  “I won’t be actively seeking him, but you’re my wingman. You can teach me what to look for.”

  A thump sounded at her door. She swung it open and Nick almost fell on her. “Nick?”

  “Hey, babe,” he slurred.

  Ryan was at her back as Nick stumbled to lean on the doorjamb. His dark, shaggy hair hung almost to his deep-set brown eyes. Ryan’s warmth radiated through her clothes. “How did you get up here?” she asked.

  “The old lady downstairs let me in when she left.”

  “I’ll have to remind Mrs. Cannon you don’t live here anymore.”

  Nick pushed away from the wall to stand semistraight and ran a finger along the scalloped neckline of her dress. “I guess this explains why you didn’t call me back.”

  Before she even had the thought to step away from Nick’s touch, Ryan had Nick pinned against the wall. He held him with his forearm against Nick’s chest. “Did she say you could touch her?”

  Nick put his hands up in surrender. “Hey, man, relax. Quinn and me go way back.”

  The movement startled Quinn. Ryan was always so laid-back, she never would have guessed he had a violent streak.

  “Ryan, let him go. It’s fine.” She laid a hand on Ryan’s shoulder.

  He released Nick and took a cautious step back, offering no apology. Quinn took a step to stand beside Ryan.

  “Who’s he?” Nick asked, tilting his chin toward Ryan.

  Quinn inhaled deeply. “Ryan, Nick, my ex. Ryan is a friend. Why are you here?”

  “I got fired. I wanna talk.”

  “You’re drunk at six in the evening. I don’t need this.”

  Nick stumbled past them. He went to the couch and plopped down. “I texted before I started drinking.”

  “You have to go, Nick. I’m on my way out.”

  “Aw, come sit with me, Quinn.” He patted the cushion next to him. His eyes were slits, and his sloppy grin told her he would pass out soon.

  “Did you drive here?” She struggled to keep her voice from shaking.

  “ ’Course I did.”

  “Stupid son of a bitch. Give me the keys.” She held out her hand and swallowed tears. Nick knew how she felt about drinking and driving. He’d met her father, hadn’t he?

  Nick fell over trying to reach into his pocket and laughed.

  She shook her head and turned to Ryan. “I’m sorry, but I have to ask for a rain check for dinner. I can’t let him drive like this.”

  “I’ll take him home if you want.”

  Quinn assessed his face. He was serious. Why would he offer to take on this mess? “No, he’s not your problem.”

  “He’s not yours either.” He reached out and rubbed his hands up and down her bare arms.

  Before she could respond, a snore sounded behind her. “Unfortunately, since he passed out on my couch, he is.”

  “I’ll stay and help pour him into a cab.”

  She shook her head at the offer. “No, you should go. Your evening is still salvageable. Thank you for a great time.”

  “I don’t like this. I don’t trust him.”

  “He’s passed out. Even totally sober, he’s mostly harmless.”

  “Mostly,” Ryan repeated.

  “He spent the majority of our marriage like this. I can handle him. Thanks for the offer, though.” She didn’t mention that the rest of the time he smelled like other women’s perfume.

  Ryan pulled out his wallet and handed her a card. “Here are my numbers. If you have any trouble getting rid of him or need anything else, call.”

  “Thanks.” She curled the card in her palm, unsure what to do.

  “When will I see you again?”

  Her heart thumped. “That sounds like this was a date. I thought we’re just friends hanging out.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  About which part? The date or the just friends? She wanted to ask but feared the answer. She didn’t know which she wanted it to be. “I might stop by after work on Friday. Maybe I’ll see you then.”

  Quinn locked up after Ryan walked out, kicked off her sandals, and walked to the kitchen to make coffee. She needed to sober Nick up and make sure this didn’t happen again. She wanted to start fresh this summer and she couldn’t afford to have Nick get in her way.

  The list glared at her from its post on the fridge. She grabbed a pen and placed a small check next to the first item. Seven more to go. Below her list, a photo caught her eye. It was a postcard of Buckingham Fountain lit up in colors at night. Where did this come from? She turned it over. A simple message read, “One down.—Ryan.”

  Quinn sat at her desk reading a note from the substitute. Nothing dramatic had happened in her absence. Her mind wandered back to her free day in the sun. With Ryan. She hadn’t thought about school or her students all day. A small pang of guilt blipped in her chest.

  It was only one day. Get over it. They were fine without me. And walking through the city on a quiet Monday felt fabulous.

  “That’s a heck of a smile.”

  Brian’s voice startled her and she clumsily dropped the papers in her hand. “Hey, Brian.”

  “You received a delivery. I was in the office and offered to bring them up.” From around the corner he produced a vase full of daisies, dyed in a rainbow of colors.

  “Who sent me flowers?”

  He set the vase on her desk and handed her the card stuck to a plastic stem.

  She read the card aloud, “Heard you called in sick yesterday. Hope you’re feeling better. Ryan.” She leaned over and sniffed the flowers.

  “Ryan. As in O’Leary’s?” Brian prodded.

  “Yes,” she answered, touching the petals of a pink daisy.

  “Sounds like a story dying to be told.”

  “Not so much. He hung out with me yesterday. It was fun.”

  “Which explains the happy glow. I’m glad you took the day.”

  “So am I.” To her surprise, she meant it. The bell rang, forcing Brian into the
chaos of the hall.

  Quinn moved the vase to the bookcase by the window. She wondered how Ryan knew she loved daisies. Teens buzzed into the room and questioned her absence. Thoughts of Ryan and her list were pushed aside.

  It wasn’t until on her way home after school that Quinn realized she didn’t have her phone. Ryan hadn’t given it back to her yesterday. Her brain was clouded from a long night of futilely trying to wake Nick.

  She should head to O’Leary’s to get her phone, but she was tired. If Ryan wasn’t there, it would be a wasted trip. She had his card at home. She’d call and make arrangements to pick it up later.

  As she rounded the corner of her building, she saw Nick leaning near the door.

  God, I don’t need more of this.

  He straightened as she neared. He didn’t look as bad as she felt, and he’d been drunk. Life wasn’t fair.

  “Hi, Quinn.”

  “What do you want?”

  He stepped closer. “I want to apologize for last night.”

  “Fine. Accepted. Good-bye.” She tried to move around him and caught the scent of his cologne clashing with the stench of stale whiskey. The all-too-familiar mix assaulted her.

  He grabbed her arm. “I am sorry. I was pissed about being fired and I didn’t want to be alone.”

  “You’ve never lacked company.” She wished she’d kept her mouth shut, but old hurts still burned.

  “I wanted to hang out with you. I’ve missed that. But you didn’t answer my text.”

  “I was busy.” She forced a calming breath into her lungs.

  “Yeah, I saw. Sorry I ruined your date.”

  “Ryan is a friend, which is none of your business. You did, however, ruin our dinner plans.” She tugged her arm free from his grasp.

  He leaned back against the building with a smirk. “You may not think it was a date, but it was to him.”

  Her eyes rolled as a sigh escaped. “You don’t know anything about us.”

  “No, babe, you’re the one who doesn’t know. A man doesn’t step up to fight unless he’s protecting his territory.”

  “You would think so. Good-bye, Nick.”

  “See ya later.”

  She put her key in the door and mulled over Nick’s words. Sure, Ryan was attracted to her, but it had been his idea to be friends. Did she misread his signals? It’s not like it would be a first. Getting involved with Ryan would be like setting up a train wreck. She was supposed to be looking for a summer romance. Someone who would be gone at the end of the summer, before she had a chance to ruin it. Ryan didn’t fit the bill. At least she didn’t want him to. She liked whatever they had going on and didn’t want to see it end.

  Outside Quinn’s loft, Ryan waited. She was home. Her car was parked in its usual spot behind the building. As he raised his finger to ring again, Quinn’s irritated voice crackled out of the speaker.

  “What do you want now?”

  He glanced quickly around looking for a camera he hadn’t noticed. None. She didn’t know it was him. “To return your phone.”

  “Oh.” The slight syllable was followed by a buzz releasing the lock.

  Ryan grinned as he imagined Quinn covering her face when she realized she snapped at him instead of whoever she thought he was. She left the door open for him, but he didn’t see her. “Quinn?”

  “Up here. I’ll be down in a minute.”

  He sat on the couch. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off played on the TV. True to her word, Quinn bounded down the steps and turned into the kitchen.

  “Hey. Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”

  He looked around but didn’t see the flowers.

  “I left them in my classroom. They brighten the institutional atmosphere. What made you pick daisies? They’re my favorite.”

  He quickly debated if he should reveal his source and decided against lying. “I asked Indy.”

  “Oh.” She paused as she rattled around the kitchen, putting something on the stove. “And here I thought you were an incredibly good guesser.”

  “Sorry to disappoint.”

  She entered the living room and plopped on the couch near him. She was definitely warming up to him. The worn-thin T-shirt and shorts were far from her teacher clothes. Stretching her legs out, she rested her bare feet on the coffee table.

  “Unexpected flowers are never a disappointment.” Her smile was warm and genuine.

  “Who did you think I was?”

  “Huh?” Her eyes squinted and crinkled at the corners with the question.

  “At the door. You sounded pissed.”

  “Sorry. I thought you were Nick. He was outside when I got home.” She leaned back and a frown tugged the corners of her mouth.

  “What did he want?” He didn’t like that her ex found it acceptable to show up unannounced.

  “To apologize for last night.” She crossed her arms and stared at the TV.

  “When did you finally get him out of here?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t.”

  “What do you mean?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.

  “I tried for hours. Every time I thought I roused him enough, he’d flop back down. I gave up by midnight.”

  She still wouldn’t look at him. She was hiding something.

  “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve come back.” He scooted closer to get her attention.

  “It wasn’t your problem.”

  Ryan touched her shoulder, drawing her eyes up. “Did he do something to you?”

  “No.” She followed her answer with a shake of her head.

  He felt the familiar niggle of fear clawing below his anger. Before he pressed the issue, a kettle whistled in the kitchen.

  “I’m getting tea. Do you want some?”

  “No, thanks.” He followed her and leaned against the counter while she made her tea. “He did something to upset you.”

  “He irritated me by crawling into my bed.” Her back was to him while she dunked her tea bag.

  Ryan moved without thinking. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. “What happened?” His fingers tightened involuntarily and her eyebrows drew together.

  “None of your damn business.”

  “Oh.” He released her and stepped back. “It’s like that.”

  “No, you don’t,” she fired at him. “Don’t you dare toss a judgmental look my way. Every time I’m at the bar, I see women sliding all over you. I don’t judge you.”

  “I don’t fuck every woman I meet.”

  “And I didn’t screw Nick. He slept in my bed. I didn’t even realize he was there until I woke up for work.” She turned toward the living room and added, “Not that you have any right to question what happens in my bedroom.”

  She had him there. He’d agreed to be friends. She didn’t know he planned on having more. Would he have had the same reaction if it had been another woman? He thought of his sister, and decided, yes, he would. He followed her back to the couch.

  “Look, I thought maybe it wasn’t consensual. You have the right to sleep with whomever you want.” His stomach burned saying it. He wasn’t all right with the idea.

  She sipped her tea. “I know I do, but thanks for your permission.”

  “You don’t need to get bitchy. I came here to drop off your phone. Here.” He pulled it from his pocket and tossed it at the couch.

  “Thank you.” She curled both hands around her mug and sighed. “I don’t want to fight with you. I’m sorry. It was nice of you to send me flowers today. Have a seat. Things with Nick are complicated.”

  “How? You’re divorced, right?”

  “We’ve always been friendly. He shows up now and again to check on me. He came by a few weeks ago because he got some woman pregnant. He needed a friend to talk to.”

  She looked sad when she talked about Nick. Was she still hung up on him?

  He settled beside her on the couch and they fell into a comfortable silence watching the movie. Cameron was complaini
ng about how everything always worked out for Ferris.

  Ryan chuckled. “You’re Cameron.”

  Quinn raised an eyebrow as she sipped her tea. “And what, you’re Ferris?”

  “Without a doubt. I’m the fun one.”

  “Without a doubt. I’m the responsible one.” She sighed and then smiled. “I should’ve guessed Indy would’ve put playing hooky on my list. This is one of her all-time favorite movies.”

  “What’s one of yours?”

  “Favorite movie?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Hmmm . . . It’s toss-up. Either Benny & Joon or Never Been Kissed. I remember Indy took me to see Benny & Joon and when Mary Stuart Masterson looked at Johnny Depp and said, ‘Having a Boo Radley moment?’ I was the only one in the theater to laugh out loud. I don’t think anyone else got it.”

  It figured. He didn’t get it.

  “Boo Radley? From To Kill a Mockingbird? It’s a classic.”

  This woman was more intelligent than he was used to. Maybe she was out of his league.

  “What’s yours?”

  Her question startled him back into the conversation. “That’s easy. Die Hard.”

  She shook her head. “Guys. Never happy unless things are blown up.”

  “Yeah, well, we like excitement.” Ryan thought of the relaxed, laughing woman he’d spent yesterday with. “How’s your list coming?”

  She grunted. “There are eight items on the list. Only one is done, which happened because you dragged me out of here yesterday.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  “School is over in less than a week. Then I can focus on nothing but my list.”

  Ryan looked at her and remembered Indy’s advice—help with the list. “What’s the next thing on the list?”

  “What’s your sudden interest in my list?” She leaned forward and put her cup on the table.

  “I’m offering my help. What any friend would do.” Besides, he planned to be her summer romance. He scooted closer to her.

  “I need a karaoke bar and a motorcycle.” She crossed her arms and waited.