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Selene. And not Quinn. Especially not Quinn.
Her jeans on, the T-shirt in her hand, she frowned into space. Quinn already treated her as if she were fragile, and not in a good way. Not as if he wanted to take care of her, but rather as if he thought she was completely incapable of taking care of herself. He did things without asking whether she wanted him to, then managed to look irritated because he had to do them. If she admitted she could hardly go out to the grocery store because she was so sick to her stomach, he’d be unbearable.
She let out an exasperated puff of air. Be unbearable? He was unbearable. Ten times in every conversation she had to remind herself that he meant well. And he was incredibly capable. Apparently he’d been fielding calls night and day from Mick Mulligan, who really did need his hand held, Dean had said. Quinn dealt with the lawyer, he’d negotiated the sale of Fenton Security, he’d arranged for the boat to be trailered to a marina and put up for sale, and he mowed the lawn.
And he judged her. She saw it in his eyes. He thought she was selfish, silly, lazy. At first he hadn’t believed she really loved Dean; now he seemed to think she should get over it and whip her life into shape. Except he obviously didn’t think she could.
In fairness, he was doing his best to see that she walked away with as much money as possible. Presumably because he didn’t believe she was able to make a living, and he felt he owed it to Dean to be sure she was okay.
That was what rankled: the fact that he despised her and was helping only out of a sense of obligation to Dean. At first she’d been grateful no matter what. The truth was, she didn’t have anyone to step in, and at first she hadn’t been in any shape to make decisions. But now she could make her own, only Quinn persisted in treating her as if she were a developmentally disabled adult who needed a new guardian.
And, oh boy, if he found out she was pregnant he’d become so much worse. Instead of being the proverbial thorn in her side that could be plucked out, he’d become something painful but permanent. Arthritis that sent white-hot jolts through her knees every time she stood up. Because Quinn would feel an obligation to be sure Dean’s child was okay. And given his attitude toward her, he’d be positive she was incapable of being an adequate parent. Everything she did, he’d criticize, if only silently, with a lift of a dark eyebrow or condemnation in his eyes.
Mindy sank onto the edge of the bed.
She wasn’t sure she wanted him to ever find out about the baby.
There. She’d thought it. Maybe that did make her selfish, because it was possible that a relationship with Dean’s son or daughter would mean something to Quinn. He and Dean had been friends for a very long time.
But maybe...maybe later she could deal with him. Once she’d had the baby, and gotten her life together. Maybe then she’d call Quinn and say, “Hey. You want to meet Dean Jr.?”
And then, if he glanced around and said something like, “Shouldn’t his crib be in his bedroom, not yours? He’s got to learn to be independent,” she would be able to stand up to him. Right now, that was really hard for her to do. She owed him too much.
So right now, she didn’t want him to know she was pregnant. And that was a problem, because pretty soon he was going to notice. He wouldn’t be able to help noticing.
Only, there was a way to make sure he didn’t notice. That was to not let him see her.
Not to see Brendan Quinn—maybe never to see him again—would be an enormous relief.
CHAPTER FIVE
Q UINN COULDN ’ T BELIEVE how fast the fight blew up.
He’d come over to mow the lawn only to find it had been done. He could tell whoever had done it had used a mulching mower, which was supposed to be good for the grass. He’d have raked anyway, but he supposed it looked okay.
Mindy answered the door in a baggy
T-shirt and shorts, her legs long and tan. She must
Her jeans on, the T-shirt in her hand, she frowned into space. Quinn already treated her as if she were fragile, and not in a good way. Not as if he wanted to take care of her, but rather as if he thought she was completely incapable of taking care of herself. He did things without asking whether she wanted him to, then managed to look irritated because he had to do them. If she admitted she could hardly go out to the grocery store because she was so sick to her stomach, he’d be unbearable.
She let out an exasperated puff of air. Be unbearable? He was unbearable. Ten times in every conversation she had to remind herself that he meant well. And he was incredibly capable. Apparently he’d been fielding calls night and day from Mick Mulligan, who really did need his hand held, Dean had said. Quinn dealt with the lawyer, he’d negotiated the sale of Fenton Security, he’d arranged for the boat to be trailered to a marina and put up for sale, and he mowed the lawn.
And he judged her. She saw it in his eyes. He thought she was selfish, silly, lazy. At first he hadn’t believed she really loved Dean; now he seemed to think she should get over it and whip her life into shape. Except he obviously didn’t think she could.
In fairness, he was doing his best to see that she walked away with as much money as possible. Presumably because he didn’t believe she was able to make a living, and he felt he owed it to Dean to be sure she was okay.
That was what rankled: the fact that he despised her and was helping only out of a sense of obligation to Dean. At first she’d been grateful no matter what. The truth was, she didn’t have anyone to step in, and at first she hadn’t been in any shape to make decisions. But now she could make her own, only Quinn persisted in treating her as if she were a developmentally disabled adult who needed a new guardian.
And, oh boy, if he found out she was pregnant he’d become so much worse. Instead of being the proverbial thorn in her side that could be plucked out, he’d become something painful but permanent. Arthritis that sent white-hot jolts through her knees every time she stood up. Because Quinn would feel an obligation to be sure Dean’s child was okay. And given his attitude toward her, he’d be positive she was incapable of being an adequate parent. Everything she did, he’d criticize, if only silently, with a lift of a dark eyebrow or condemnation in his eyes.
Mindy sank onto the edge of the bed.
She wasn’t sure she wanted him to ever find out about the baby.
There. She’d thought it. Maybe that did make her selfish, because it was possible that a relationship with Dean’s son or daughter would mean something to Quinn. He and Dean had been friends for a very long time.
But maybe...maybe later she could deal with him. Once she’d had the baby, and gotten her life together. Maybe then she’d call Quinn and say, “Hey. You want to meet Dean Jr.?”
And then, if he glanced around and said something like, “Shouldn’t his crib be in his bedroom, not yours? He’s got to learn to be independent,” she would be able to stand up to him. Right now, that was really hard for her to do. She owed him too much.
So right now, she didn’t want him to know she was pregnant. And that was a problem, because pretty soon he was going to notice. He wouldn’t be able to help noticing.
Only, there was a way to make sure he didn’t notice. That was to not let him see her.
Not to see Brendan Quinn—maybe never to see him again—would be an enormous relief.
CHAPTER FIVE
Q UINN COULDN ’ T BELIEVE how fast the fight blew up.
He’d come over to mow the lawn only to find it had been done. He could tell whoever had done it had used a mulching mower, which was supposed to be good for the grass. He’d have raked anyway, but he supposed it looked okay.
Mindy answered the door in a baggy
T-shirt and shorts, her legs long and tan. She must
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