Chapter Seven: Quinn

Chapter Seven

Quinn

“Fine. Be mad at me. But you’re being overdramatic.” I take off my shoes and shake my head. “I wasn’t gone that long.”

My words do nothing, and Lily continues to glare at me. Luna jumps up on the counter, meowing for food, and the others come running. Neville rubs against my legs, and I reach down to scoop him up.

“I think you got fatter since I left.” He starts purring, and I carry him with me to the pantry. After I feed the cats, I change into pajamas and sit on the couch to call Archer. He doesn’t answer, so I leave him a message letting him know I got home safe and sound. He must have gotten called in for surgery, and my heart aches for him. He’s such a hard worker and needs a break, especially with everything that happened this weekend.

I drag my suitcase into my room, pull out my essentials and push the suitcase to the side, saying I’ll empty it later. Really, it’ll sit there for at least a week before I get to it. Bringing my phone into the bathroom with me so I can answer if Archer calls back, I take a shower.

My phone rings as I’m getting out, but it’s not Archer. I wrap my towel around myself and answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sis,” Logan says. “I haven’t talked to you in a while. How are things?”

“Good. I just got back from Indy. I spent the weekend with Archer.”

“And he’s still treating you well? We don’t need to go over and threaten to break his knuckles or anything, do we?”

I laugh. “No, you definitely don’t. Archer treats me better than anyone has.”

“That’s good to hear. I really don’t want to have to hurt him. I like the guy.”

“That makes two of us.” I put my phone on speaker and go into my room to start getting dressed for the night. “Have you talked to Dean recently?”

“Yeah, we all went over for dinner Sunday night.”

“And?”

“He’s still being an immature ass. All Mom talked about was planning for the baby shower and Dean didn’t say anything, but you could tell he was pissed.”

“He’s such a baby.”

“He’s always been one. Don’t worry about it. He’ll get over it eventually and then will realize what an ass he’s been.”

“They can move their wedding date if it bothers them that much. I can’t change my due date.”

“I think he’s more mad about Archer liking you more than him now.”

“Well, I can offer things to Archer that he can’t.”

“Gross, Quinn.”

“Hey, I am pregnant.”

“Are you still getting sick every morning?”

“Yeah, and it lasts all day. I caved and started taking medication to help with it. How are you guys? Is Owen around?”

“He’s always around. We’re good. Nothing has changed much on our front.”

“You both need to find nice girls and settle down. Have some babies too so we can have playdates.”

Logan laughs. “If I find a nice girl, I’ll gladly settle down. Owen, on the other hand…we both know how that’ll go.”

“Right,” I say with a snort of laughter. The day Owen settles down is the day hell freezes over. Though as a believer in true love, I think he’ll find someone to come into his life and change all that. “I miss you guys,” I admit with a sigh, struggling to get my pajama pants on one-handed. My wrist is aching again, and I know I won’t be able to splint it as well as Archer did for me this morning.

“Then move back here.”

“But I like my job and the city.”

“Then stop complaining.”

I sink down onto my mattress. “I’ll complain all I want. And I’m not above pulling the pregnancy card.”

“You’re stooping low, sis,” he says with a chuckle. We talk for a few more minutes before hanging up. I go into the kitchen to find something to eat, and the only thing that sounds good right now are Sour Patch Kids. So healthy, I know. I’m down to one box, I take them into my room, sitting in bed while I catch up on emails and the work I’m able to do from home.

An hour later I’m all caught up, and I exit out of my emails and open P*******t, browsing nursery ideas. My apartment is really nice, with a great view, but isn’t family friendly. I only have one spare bedroom, and I use it as an office. I suppose I could combine the office with the master and turn that room into the nursery, but if Archer moves in, we’ll be tight on space.

Knowing I’m getting ahead of myself, I log onto the building’s website to see if there’s anything else available. They offer bigger arrangements, and I can definitely afford it. I took the smaller space when I moved in since it was just me, and this has worked perfectly.

There’s another apartment available two floors up with double the square footage of what I have now. I’ll have my same view plus another wall of windows on another side of the building. I click through the pictures, thinking it’s perfect. There’s plenty of space for the baby and me, and of course Archer if things keep going as well as they are.

And then I think about my childhood and how much I loved being in the country. I grew up riding horses and being an active member in our local 4H group. The crime rate is drastically lower in Eastwood, and the pace of life is just slower.

I put my hand over my stomach, unable to ignore the anxiety building inside me. I love my job. I really like the city. But I always assumed I’d end up back at Eastwood. It was part of the big picture in my mind, though I didn’t often let myself get that far ahead. I probably imagine raising my kids in a big, old farmhouse just because that’s how I was raised.

Lots of people live in the city. They have kids and they turn out just fine. There’s nothing wrong with staying here. So why am I starting to feel guilty about it?

Getting even further ahead of myself, I check out houses for sale in Eastwood. There’s only five, and none are houses I’d buy, though with Dad being a contractor, it makes sense to build something new anyway.

My phone rings again, and this time it is Archer. Closing my computer, I smile as I answer, missing Archer already.

“Hey, babe,” I say.

“Hey. How was your flight?”

“Fine. We got in faster than I thought. Did you get called in for surgery again?”

“No.” He lets out a sigh. “Bobby showed up again. He went through his usual bullshit apologies and then passed out.”

“Like, passed out drunk?”

“No. His blood pressure dropped when he stood up and he fainted.”

“Oh my God. Is he okay?”

“For now. He’s at the hospital with my parents. I just got home.”

My chest tightens, and I hate that I’m not there with Archer. “I’m so sorry. Do you want me to come back?”

“No,” he says quickly. “You need to take care of yourself and I meant it when I said you shouldn’t waste any time on Bobby.”

I bite my lip, not sure what to say. Worrying about Bobby isn’t a waste of time, and it’s something I’m going to do because I care about Archer. He might not get along with his brother, but losing Bobby would still hurt.

“What’s going to happen?”

“He’ll probably be here for a few days, and then my parents will take him home and try to get him into rehab again. This is another reason why I didn’t bring him up, Quinn,” Archer says, and the emotion in his voice kills me. “This happens over and over, and this won’t be the last time.” The microwave beeps in the background. “Anyway, I looked up robot fights while I was waiting and I have to say it’s pretty fucking cool.”

“It is! Careful you don’t get sucked in. You’ll start watching a fight or two here and there and then it becomes your life and you’re under-the-table funding lasers to go on your team’s robot.”

Archer laughs. “Only you’ll go down that rabbit hole. But if you want to go see a competition, I’d go with you. I mean, if you’re still interested in that stuff.”

“Are you serious?” I exclaim.

“So I take that as a yes,” he chuckles. “Then it’s set. Our next date is to a robot fight. That’s something I never thought I’d say.”

“Embrace it, Archer. You’re going to love it and become one of us.”

“I can’t be a nerd. I’m a doctor, remember?”

“Oh my God! I almost forgot. Thank you for reminding me.”

“I will start reminding you every hour on the hour.”

“Only if you send photos along with it.” I get under the covers.

“For some reason, I think the naked and just wearing the lab coat looks much hotter on you. I’m getting a boner thinking about you in it now.”

“I’m glad you liked it. I’ve never done that before.”

“I’d hope so. Because I’d question whose lab coat you were naked under.”

I laugh. “I mean dress up like that. I own lingerie no one has ever seen.”

“I will gladly be the first one to see you in it.”

“You need to come visit me soon.”

“I want to,” Archer groans. “I miss you already.”

“I miss you, too.” I close my eyes, wishing his arms were around me right now. Maybe some distance between us will help me figure things out. I know you can’t rush love, but this baby puts a time limit on things, and I want to know one way or another before I give birth.

“I’m going to get carpal tunnel now,” Archer jokes. “Especially if I keep thinking about you in that lab coat.”

“I have toys to help me with that.”

Archer groans. “And now I’m thinking about you touching yourself. You’re not helping me, Quinn.”

“You should invest in some toys,” I say with a giggle. “I can get you a mold of my vagina.”

Archer laughs. “I honestly don’t know if I should turn down your offer or not. Nothing will be as good as the real thing.”

“We can do a two-for-one special and you can make a cast of your dick. I’m thinking I’ll get it made in pink with sparkles.”

“Can I do the same for your vagina?”

“I’d expect nothing less.” I roll over with a big smile on my face. Archer gets me and my weird sense of humor. He makes me laugh. Makes me feel safe.

I am so falling for him.

“What are you doing the rest of the day?” he asks, and I hear him turn the TV on in the background.

“Nothing really. I caught up on work already so now I plan to watch TV and try to win back the affection of my cats.”

“You lost it?”

“They get mad when I’m gone for too long. I have a neighbor come over and feed them and clean their litter boxes, but I got the evil eye from everyone but Neville when I got home today.”

Archer chuckles. “Are you going to officially adopt him yet?”

“I should. I’ve had him for months. All I have to do is email the rescue group too, and I haven’t. How lazy is that?”

“You’re anything but lazy, Quinn.”

I brush Sour Patch Kids crumbs off my sheets and roll my eyes at myself. “Thanks for lying to me, babe.”

“My mom is calling me,” Archer says after his phone beeps.

“Let me know if anything happens. I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Okay. Good night, Quinn. I…I…I’ll talk to you later.” He hangs up and I’m left a little stunned. Was he going to tell me he loves me?

*

“Whoa,” Marissa says, pouring herself a cup of coffee. It’s Tuesday morning and I’m at the office. I just got done telling her about this past weekend’s events. “Not gonna lie, that’s a little fucked up.”

“I know.” I go for the pot of decaf and fill my cup halfway up. I read online that it’s okay to drink caffeine in moderation, but now I’m starting to feel guilty about it. But dammit, I’m tired and it’s been a routine for years to get up and drink at least one cup of coffee.

Adding a splash of regular coffee to my cup, I flick my gaze to Marissa. “I know. I feel so bad for Archer. And I feel bad that I’ve known him for years but didn’t really know him.”

“That’s not your fault,” Marissa counters. “From what you told me, you two never really sat down and talked or anything.”

“True.” I tear open a package of sugar and dump it in my coffee. “And it’s not like I’m chummy with Weston’s friends. I hardly even know Logan and Owen’s friends and they’re closer to my age.”

“I listened to a great podcast last night about how women feel guilty over pretty much everything. You need to accept that things aren’t your fault and stop putting blame on yourself.”

I go to pick up my coffee with my left hand and almost drop it. My wrist is too weak to even hold a cup of coffee. Great.

“Yeah. I know. And the guilt game is strong with me. I can only imagine how much worse it’ll be once I’m a mom.”

Marissa laughs, and we head out of the breakroom. “So when are you going to tell people?” she asks quietly.

“When I’m out of the first trimester. We want to find out what we’re having as soon as possible, and once I know, I’ll make an announcement.” Which reminds me to call the OB office and ask about that blood work.

“And Dean is still being a dick?”

“Yep. I talked to Logan yesterday about it. He thinks Dean still feels like I stole his best friend. Which I kinda did, I guess, but it’s not like that.”

“It’s not like the three of you were some tight-knit friend group before. Dean’s getting married too. And he and Archer don’t hang out that often anymore, do they?”

“Nope. Archer barely gets away from work. If anything, Dean and Archer will see each other more now that we’re dating.”

“Exactly. And his best friend is the father of his niece or nephew. He’ll come around eventually.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s just irritating. And given everything going on with Archer’s brother, it makes Dean seem all the more childish.” I take a sip of my coffee. If only there was a way to prove to Dean that he and Archer are still friends and nothing has changed…

“You look like you’re plotting.” Marissa lifts her eyebrows and stares at me. “Don’t do it, Quinn.”

“It’s nothing big.”

“But?”

“If I can get Dean and Archer together this weekend and they hang out like normal, then maybe my brother will stop acting like an idiot. I know Archer could really use his friend right now. Dean knows about Bobby and has been through this with Archer before.”

“I agree with your scheming for once.”

“It’s not scheming. I’m simply arranging for my boyfriend to hang out with my brother.” I take another sip of coffee and smile. “It’s foolproof. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”