Chapter Twenty-five: Quinn

Chapter Twenty-Five

Quinn

I need a drink. A big one. With lots and lots of alcohol. I close my eyes in a long blink, praying I misheard Kara.

“That’s less than a year away!” Mom exclaims. “Do you think you can get everything ready in time?”

March isn’t that far away, she’s right. And there is a lot to do before then, and I’m not thinking about the wedding.

“I think we can swing it,” Kara says. “I’ll have to get right to work, I know, and my mom’s already on it.” She looks back at Dean, smiling. “We don’t want anything fancy, anyway.”

I bring my hand to my head, subconsciously rubbing the space between my jaw and my ear. It’s been hurting off and on since last weekend, and I knew I should have listened to Archer about a sinus infection lingering for longer than normal now that I’m pregnant.

“Are you okay, hun?” Mom asks, and I flick my eyes up to her.

“Oh, yeah. I think I have an ear infection, that’s all,” I blurt. I should have made something up, but I’ve never been a good liar and not telling the truth is as bad as lying in Mom’s book.

“I thought you said you were feeling better,” Archer says, turning to me.

“I was,” I say guiltily. “But I got busy with work and started feeling crappy again. You were right about the cold turning into something more.”

“Wait a minute,” Weston says, eyes narrowing. It clicks in my mind right before he says it. “Why does Archer know you were sick?”

Dean stares at me before shifting his gaze to Archer. “Is he your doctor or something now?”

Shit. Shit. Shit. This isn’t how it was supposed to go. Damn you, Archer. Stop being so genuinely concerned for me, why don’t ya?

I inhale, look at Archer, and give him a tiny nod. “No, he’s not my doctor now. He’s my boyfriend.”

Dean lets out a snort. “Funny.”

Archer puts his arm around me, and I lean in, needing his support. “Quinn and I are dating,” he says, voice steady. “That’s why I came to dinner tonight. We wanted to tell you.”

Silence falls over the table. No one talks. No one breathes. And then Dean’s fist comes down on the table.

“You’re dating my sister?”

“Dean,” Mom scolds, sticking to her don’t raise your voice at the dinner table rules.

“My sister?” Dean repeats, looking at Logan, Owen, and Weston. He expects them to be outraged like he is. Weston gives me a guilty look, feeling bad for outing us. Logan’s expression is unreadable, and Owen, that asshole, is amused.

“What the hell, man?” Dean waves his hand out in front of him. “Did you even think to stop and ask my permission before you made a move on her?”

“Permission?” I echo. “Seriously, Dean? Like I need your approval before I date someone. Like I need any of your approval.”

Wrong choice of words. Everyone starts talking at once. Jackson gets up from the table, running into the kitchen while no one is looking.

“You don’t own me,” I retort, narrowing my eyes at my brother. “Or Archer. We can see whoever we want and we want to see each other.”

“But he’s my best friend,” Dean says, turning from the table.

“So now you’re mad at me?” My voice gets higher pitched than I’d like. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t ask for your permission to date Archer. I forgot he belongs to you and you alone.”

“Dean,” Archer starts, and Jackson runs back into the dining room, holding a bag of Sour Patch Kids he took from my purse.

“Can I have these, Aunt Winnie?”

“Sure, if your daddy says it’s okay.”

Jackson jumps up and down and toddles over to Weston, asking him if he can have the candy.

“Enough,” Dad says, voice booming over everyone. “You both have valid points.”

“Really, Dad?” I throw up my hands. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot we went back fifty years and I needed approval from the men of the house before I can date someone. Why don’t you arrange my marriage and line up a dowry too?”

“Quinn, you’re overreacting,” Mom says softly. I have a tendency to do that, and it never went unmentioned growing up. “Calm down, everyone. This is a sensitive subject, but yelling and pointing blame isn’t going to solve anything.”

I lean back, heart racing. Archer’s arm is still around me, and I rest my head on his shoulder. I’m starting to feel sick again.

“Dean,” Mom starts. “Quinn is right, and she and Archer are free to date whoever they want, including each other. Quinn, you have to understand the shock it gives to all of us to find out you two are a couple. I certainly didn’t expect it, though I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Dean rounds on Mom. “And how are you okay with this?”

Mom gives Dean a stern look, silently telling him to calm the fuck down and stop being such a possessive asshole. Archer is his own person and doesn’t need Dean’s permission to do anything.

“Who wouldn’t want to date Quinn?” Mom asks seriously, and if things weren’t so tense, I’d tell her to stop. “And Archer…I hope this means we’ll be seeing you more often.”

“Seriously, Mom?” Dean spits out. “She’s dating my best friend.”

“I’m sorry, Kara,” Owen says seriously. “I think the truth is coming out. Clearly, Dean doesn’t want anyone else getting in with the good doctor because he wants him all for himself.”

“Shut up,” Dean deadpans, annoyed with Owen already.

Owen makes a face like he doesn’t understand Dean’s disdain. “Why else would you be so possessive of Archer? What really went on behind closed doors in that dorm?”

“You’d be pissed if she was dating your best friend.”

“I would be too,” Logan interjects, a smirk on his face. “We’d have bigger problems than this if Quinn wanted to date Owen’s best friend.” He turns to me and winks. “But I think I’m safe there, right sis?”

“You are all ridiculous.” I shake my head. “Archer and I are a couple, Dean, deal with it.”

“Look,” Archer starts, looking across the table at Dean. “I should have told you, and I’m sorry for that. But I really care about Quinn, and we’re happy together.”

“That’s what matters,” Mom presses. “You both deserve to be happy. Yes, it’s a surprise, but we love you both and want you to be happy.”

“How long has this been going on?” Dean asks through gritted teeth.

I open my mouth just to snap it shut again. We slept together before we became a couple, and once Dean knows I got knocked up from what was basically a one-night stand, he’ll be even more pissed.

“A while,” Archer answers for me. He turns in, looking into my eyes. “Your mom is right. Who wouldn’t want to date Quinn? She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I’ve wanted to ask her out for years but didn’t because I didn’t want to piss you off,” he admits, selling it so well I almost believe it.

“What changed?” Weston interjects.

I got her pregnant, I imagine Archer saying. Instead, he tightens his arm around me. He doesn’t feel tense though, not like I do. “I caved and kissed her. I haven’t been able to look back since.”

He’s telling the truth, to an extent. Is he telling the truth about liking me for years too?

“Grammy, Grammy,” Jackson says, tugging on my mom’s sleeve. He’s holding something else now and is asking her what it is.

“I don’t like this,” Dean huffs. “You don’t have my blessing.”

I shake my head. “Sorry to tell you I’m not losing sleep over it. I haven’t before, and I won’t now.” I take a small drink of water, hoping to settle my stomach. Dean will come around eventually, like Archer said. It’s going to be a rough road, but we’ll get down it.

Well, until they find out about the baby. Last night, Archer told me not to worry about my family’s approval, and it hit me how much I seek it. My whole life they’ve supported me, told me how proud they are of me, and protected me. My parents worked their asses off for me, and all four of my brothers would take a bullet for me in a heartbeat.

I’m a grown woman with a good job, a healthy bank account, and my own place. It’s not like I’m sixteen and pregnant. And as far as baby daddies go, I hit the jackpot with a sexy surgeon.

Still, I’m terrified to see the disapproval in their eyes. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow, deviating from my plan to further liquor my parents up, remind my mom how much she desperately wants another grandchild, and then spring the news on her.

My stomach protests and my throat feels sick. I’m definitely not ready to tell them now. I just need to make it through dinner and then go lay down, preferably with Archer’s arms around me.

Jackson gives my mom something, and I realize what it is a moment too late. He was digging through my purse to get the candy, but that’s not the only thing he took from there.

And now Mom is holding the ultrasound pictures.