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“I’m sorry you’re hurting,” Jules offered.
“You’re a good person. Here your dad is sick and you’re helping me.”
“It’s you helping me,” she unequivocally declared. “I haven’t had a friend in a long time,” she sniffled.
That I couldn’t understand. She was the sweetest person around. “Then there are a lot of people missing out.”
“That’s nice of you to say.”
“I absolutely mean it.” I opened the car door and braved stepping out into the cold, clear night. At least it wasn’t snowing. My car wasn’t handling the winter weather well.
We both grabbed coats, hats, and gloves and put them on, trying to stay warm. Once bundled up, we linked arms and hurried to find Quinn. She’d texted to say she and Tristan were standing near the Mercantile Store that sold vintage toys, sodas, and candy. I used to take Quinn there on her birthday when she was little and let her pick out whatever she wanted.
I tried to steel myself before I saw Tristan. He’d obviously gotten the hint we needed to spend less time around each other. Which was a good thing, but I feared my eyes would tell him a different story. The one where I could see us living happily ever after in his cozy cabin with lots of kids and my cat. But I knew his family would turn that fairy tale into the Grimm brothers’ version. I wouldn’t put it past Cordelia and Frasier to attempt feeding me a poisonous apple or hiring a huntsman to carve out my beating heart. And let us not forget Tristan had already stabbed me in the heart, so there was that.
It didn’t take long for us to find Quinn and Tristan.
When Quinn spotted me, she waved furiously, all smiles among the sizable crowd. Everyone had bundled up in winter attire. Many were rubbing gloved hands together or jumping up and down trying to stay warm. Quinn was wearing her purple puffy coat with a matching beanie, her long hair cascading down her back. She was as adorable as could be. Unfortunately, her uncle was looking mighty fine. His dress coat and clothes spoke to his coming straight from work. I never thought I would enjoy him looking so professional, but it totally worked for him. Unlike everyone else, he stood stiffly, as if bracing himself for my arrival.
With no time to change, I was still in scrubs and my hiking boots.
I embraced Quinn as soon as I made it to her. “Hi, Quinny. How was school and work?” I said loudly, to make sure she could hear me above the crowd and Christmas music blaring from the passing float decorated like a candy cane forest. All the while, I did my best to ignore Tristan, who stood faithfully by our niece, doing his best to ignore me. Fun times.
“Both were good. Beckett’s going to meet us here.”
Of course he was. The girl was obsessed with the boy. I was anxious to finally meet him.
I let Quinn go and gestured toward Jules. “I want you to meet my friend Jules. We used to go to high school together.”
“Neat.” Quinn smiled.
Tristan held out his hand to Jules, avoiding me at all costs. “I’m Tristan. Nice to meet you.”
Jules looked between Tristan and me before taking his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you,” she playfully claimed.
“I’m sure,” Tristan grumbled.
He probably thought I’d told her the details of how he broke up with me. He would be mistaken. That would stay between me and the sexy man.
“Are you two fighting?” Quinn asked, worried.
“No,” we both said quickly. And it was true. We weren’t fighting. It felt a lot like mourning.
“Okay,” she said, not convinced. But then the devious thing took my hand and pulled me right next to Tristan. “Stand here. I want to get a picture of the three of us.” She turned to Jules. “Would you mind taking a picture of us?”
“Not at all,” Jules laughed, taking the phone and waiting for a suitable moment to step out into the street.
I flashed Jules a look that said, I thought you were my friend. Her smile said she was, and that’s why she agreed to take the picture. Did she forget how dangerous this could be to my career?
“Quinny, you should be in the middle,” I suggested, more than nervous someone in the crowd would spot us and report me to the Grangers. I hated feeling not like myself. Never did I think I would let this town win.
“Uh, no. It will look better from tallest to shortest,” Quinn gave the lamest excuse of all time.
We just needed to get this over with. “Hurry,” I agonized over the situation. I was stuck between two conflicting but vital forces: make Quinn happy or keep my job so I could protect Quinn if need be.
“Put your arm around Aunt Calista,” Quinn admonished Tristan.
He let out a huge, disgruntled breath.
