Page 20 of Inked Heart
There it is.The question I’ve been trying not to answer.I shove my hands into my pockets and glance up at the sky for a second before looking back at her.
“Because I don’t like seeing good people treated badly.”
“That’s very noble of you.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”She studies my face carefully.“You’re a good friend, Damien.”
Friend.The word lands square in the center of my chest.Friend.Right.That’s what this is supposed to be.
Still...The thought that’s been sitting in the back of my brain since the grocery store finally pushes forward.
I take a slow breath.“Quinn?”
She steps closer without thinking and suddenly she’s inside my space.Close enough I can see the tiny gold flecks in her eyes.
“Yeah?”She is standing too close, looking up at me.The scent of her perfume clouds my senses.I hesitate for a second before I say the thing that’s probably going to haunt me later.
“When you’re done playing with boys...”Her eyebrows lift slightly.“...there’s a man out there who’ll treat you the way you deserve.”
She blinks.Processing.Before a small smile spreads across her face.
“That’s sweet.”
Sweet.She thinks I’m giving general advice.Talking about some hypothetical future guy.Not the one standing right in front of her.
“That man’s going to be very lucky,” she says.
My heart does something strange in my chest.“Yeah.”Lucky.That’s one way to put it.
She closes the trunk and steps closer, giving me a quick hug before I can react.It’s brief and friendly but the warmth of her body lingers long after she pulls away.
“Thank you,” she says softly.
“For what?”
“For reminding me I’m not crazy.”
“You’re definitely not crazy.”
She smiles again before she climbs into her car and starts the engine.I step back as she pulls out of the parking space and watch as her taillights disappear down Main Street a few seconds later.
I stand there in the quiet parking lot for a moment longer than necessary.Because the truth is ...I didn’t mean some random guy when I said those words.I meant me.
And one day when she finally realizes she deserves better than Emette Black ...I’ll be right here waiting.
