Page 108 of Out Of A Fix

“I dunno, but she doesn’t look good.” He sounded a bit grossed out. “Is that a rash?”

Quinn shot me a look, and I bit the side of my cheek so I wouldn’t smile.

“He’s never gonna get married like that.”

“I’ll fix it,” I promised her. But Griff wasn’t wrong. She was getting redder by the second. “You don’t need some kind of shot, do you?”

“No,” she said miserably, scratching her arm.

I got up then. “Come on, we’ll get a Benadryl on the way out, and I’m taking you to this really pretty B and B. You can see mountains from there.”

“Rainy mountains,” she muttered. No way not to like a woman choking on snot who could still make jokes.

“But no cats,” I pointed out.

“That you know of. They probably have a cat named Bernard sitting in the lobby.”

I chuckled, and she laughed along with me.

Once we were in Luke’s bathroom with the medicine cabinet open, I leaned around her and yelled for a glass of water. Luke was there in moments, passing it to Quinn.

“I’m sorry about this,” he apologized. “But in my defense, the cat was acquired while I was out of town.”

I scowled at him. “You love the stupid cat.”

His grin made his eyes glint. “I do,” he agreed before pressing his face to my shoulder for a moment, then smacking my ass and leaving the room, just as Wink jumped in. “Hey, no, buddy. C’mere, you tiny terrorist. You’ve already got her breaking out in hives.”

Quinn groaned. “I hate hives.”

“They’ll go away,” I placated her as she took two pills to be on the safe side.

“By the way,” she said, squinting at me. “In case you’re this clueless, a man who can’t keep his hands off you is a man who’s into you.”

“It’s complicated.”

“It’s not.” She patted my arm. “But that’s okay. You’ll figure it out. You seem like a pretty smart guy.”

I arched an eyebrow.

“Okay, maybe not.”

When Tatum came to check on us, we were both laughing.

ELEVEN

An hour later, all three kids were standing in the doorway of the garage, watching as Luke helped Quinn into the rented Toyota 4Runner. She had decided to go to Manhattan after all for a Friendsgiving, ex-husband be damned. It would cost nothing, as she’d gotten millions of frequent-flier miles in her divorce. It had been one of her stipulations. I was happy she could go somewhere she could breathe. She got my number and hugged me before she left.

“You belong here, Nash. Don’t fuck it up by worrying.”

“You’re pretty great,” I told her.

“I know. I tell people that all the time.”

I waved at her as they backed out. John was driving the rental, and Luke was following his father to the airport, as now that Quinn was leaving, the 4Runner was no longer necessary. John had conceded that a rental was a waste of money. I could chauffeur them wherever they needed to go as he could not drive a stick. This was the real reason he didn’t like the Jeep.

Once they were gone, I was making myself tea and asked Viola if she’d like some.

“What kind do you have?”