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I gave her a grateful look.
“Her mom died?” Bree asked.
“Yes, early this year. Cancer. So young, such a shame,” Mom said, shaking her head.
“That’s awful,” Bree said, sighing. “Poor Lanie. Well, it’s nice of you to help her out, Quinn.” Bree nodded her approval of the plan.
“What can I say, I’m a nice guy.” I shrugged, wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Thanks for dinner, Mom, it was great. Can I help clean up before I go? I’ve gotta jet.” I’d had enough of the interrogation for the evening.
“No, no, honey. You just head home, your brother can help clean up.”
I shot him a ha-ha look and stood up. Ruffling Charlie’s hair one more time, I said, “Great to see you, little man. See you guys.”
I gave a quick wave, hugged my mom, cleared my place at the table, then bolted before anyone could ask me any more questions.
5
Quinn
After dinner with my nosy brother, I was too agitated to go home and sit on my couch watching TV, so I headed over to the one and only bar in town,The Rowdy. It was a local hot spot and a favorite with the firefighters, given its close proximity to the station.
The lot was crowded, being Friday night and the only game in town. I parked my bike and headed into the thumping building, the music already several decibels louder than authorized by municipal noise ordinances. Mercifully, noise pollution was not my jurisdiction and I wasn’t trying to sleep.
I swung by the bar and ordered a beer from Macy, my favorite bartender and a one-time fling.
“How’s it going, Quinn?” she asked, eyeing me as she slid the bottle across the metal bar.
“Good. How’re things?”
“Same old, same old. Can’t complain.” She rested her forearms on the bar and I got a nice shot of her breasts.
Drawing my eyes back up and out of her cleavage, I took a slug of beer. “Keep my tab open.” Then I headed across the room, towards the pool tables, weaving my way through the crowd of people already grinding on the dance floor.
I recognized a few of the guys from the station. They were all crowded around a pool table in the far corner, a pile of bills stacked high on the edge of the rail. My old high school football buddy LeSean high-fived me as I walked into the dim room.
“Man, Jesse is about to get taken.” He elbowed me as a cue hit the balls squarely, a loud crack echoing off the wood-paneled walls. I glanced over at the table where Jesse was indeed getting taken. Only one striped ball remained, compared to five solids. My eyes lighted on a nice, round, jeans-clad ass bent over the table and I figured she was the one stomping Jesse soundly.
After she hit the shot, she stood up, her wavy, brown hair cascading down her shoulders.
“Of course it’s her,” I muttered under my breath, sighing.
“Huh?” LeSean cut his eyes at me. “I’ve never heard you complain about a fine lady at the tables.”
I shook my head. “That’s not just any fine lady, man. That’s Josh’s little sister, Delaney.”
LeSean’s eyebrows shot up and he whistled, low and quiet. “Fine piece of ass.”
I elbowed him. “Shut up, man. Have some respect. That’s Josh’sbabysister.”
“Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but she isn’t a baby anymore. And it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate what God gave her.” LeSean rocked back on his heels, enjoying the view. “Plus, she’s damn good at pool.”
Jesse whiffed the next shot and Delaney crossed to the other side of the table. She lined up her cue, her blue eyes icy as she stared down the table.Thwack.Another solid shot sunk her last ball. She straightened up, now directly across the room from me, and our eyes locked. I nodded at her. She raised a brow at me, a tiny smile playing on her lips. My stomach tensed and I was torn between closing out my tab right then or staying and seeing where this might go.
I took another chug of my beer, played it cool. She lined up her last shot, sinking the eight ball, and the room erupted into cheers for her, jeers for Jesse. Delaney walked over to the stack of cash, picking it up and handing it to Mars, who was sitting at a high top in the corner.
LeSean elbowed me in the back, pushing me towards Delaney. “Introduce me, man.”
“Calm down, Seany. What is this, middle school?” I said, snickering. He nudged me harder. “Fine, fine.”
