The Key West Anthology (10 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Quinn

“Let’s get you out of here. Come home with me so we can talk,” Jett spoke against my ear. He held me close as I rested my head against his shoulder.

“Talking is so overrated,” I whispered. “I’ve talked so much over the last couple days, yet nothing has changed. Talking doesn’t fix anything.”

“Baby, it does if the person you’re talking to is really listening. I’m listening, Quinn. Whatever is going on, I want to help. I want to be here for you. Let me.” He kissed my forehead and soothingly rubbed my back.

I allowed him to guide me to a dark SUV with tinted windows. When he opened the door, I realized we weren’t alone. Kade and another guy were in the front, both offering a kind smile. Seeing Avery in the backseat surprised me. She hugged me before sliding toward the opposite side of the vehicle, allowing me to take a seat next to her. Jett took the empty space next to me, holding me close to his side.

I allowed my head to rest against his shoulder, closing my eyes, concentrating solely on him. My stomach was churning and my head was pounding. All the reasons why I normally don’t drink were coming back to me now.

They dropped off Avery first, and she leaned over Jett’s lap and kissed my forehead. “Call me tomorrow, love. He cares, let him. You deserve someone who’ll fight. Let him in, let him fight,” she whispered. After kissing me once more, she then placed a kiss on Jett’s cheek and waved bye to the guys in the front.

The ride to Jett’s was quiet, and if my mind hadn’t been racing a hundred miles a minute, I may have fallen asleep.

I didn’t fight Jett when he picked me up and carried me to his front door. I also didn’t fight his insistence when he carried me inside and placed me on the couch. My fight was gone. The last couple days had drained any I’d had left.

He sat down next to me. I rested my head against the back of the couch as I looked up at him.

“I don’t belong in your world, Jett,” I whispered. He frowned, but I continued before he could speak. I knew if I didn’t I may not tell him what I needed to say. “My mother is an alcoholic. She has been my entire life. My father is a felon. Hell, I didn’t even know who my father was until a few days ago.” I took in a deep breath and looked down at my hands. “I’m a poor waitress just trying to get by from day to day.”

“I don’t give a shit about who your parents are, Quinn.” He tilted my chin up by placing his finger under my jaw. “‘Your world’? What the hell does that mean, anyway?” he asked. “We live in the same world. Do you think I give a damn about money? They are just that, possessions. They don’t make up who we are. You are an amazing person, regardless of where you came from or what you have in your bank account.”

“I’m embarrassed by my life.” I admitted. “I don’t want you to judge me based on those things.”

“I would never do that,” he assured me.

I ran my hand over the light stubble along his jaw. “You will, believe me. One day you’ll be sick of my garbage too.”

“We all have garbage, babe. It doesn’t change the way I feel about you,” he stated. “Tell me what happened over the last couple days to make you feel like you do. What’s been going on that pushed you to this point?”

I let my head fall back against the couch. “It is all of it, Jett. My mom’s back to her old ways. My father, who she’d always told me ran out on us, just shows up at my house. The greatest part was my mother thought he came for her. When she found out he was only there to meet the daughter he didn’t know about, she fell apart once again.” I wiped at the tear that escaped.

“I’m just so tired, Jett,” I admitted. “I’ve taken care of her my entire life, and I am tired. I can’t keep picking her up off the floor when she stumbles in night after night. I have put my life on hold over and over to take care of her, and I am so tired.

“You don’t know how many times I wished she’d want to change for me. I prayed night after night that I would be enough to sober her up. Yet she woke up and kept getting drunk again.” I fisted my hands, gripping the small throw pillow. “I wanted to be enough. I used to envy my friends and the relationships they all had with their mothers. I wanted that so bad.”

A long pause filled the air before I spoke again. “I just wish I could freeze life and take some time for me for a change.” I spoke softly, just above a whisper.

“Go away with me,” he said as he rubbed my leg. “My sister, Alex, is getting married, and I want you to come with me.”

“That’s the problem. I can’t. What if she needs me and I’m not here?” It was always the same thing.

“You need to make her realize that you won’t keep accepting it. Baby, if she knows you’ll be there to pick her up, she’ll keep falling.” He rested his head next to mine on the couch. “I’m not saying walk away from her permanently, but stop making it so easy for her to continue her habits.”

“When is the wedding?” I asked.

“We would have to leave next Friday. The wedding is Saturday,” he said. “We’ll be back on Sunday.”

“Where?”

He smiled. That smile warmed my insides. He truly was a beautiful man. “Georgia,” he whispered. His gaze dropped to my lips, and I licked them on instinct. I had sobered up quickly, but I guess an emotional overload followed by a breakdown would do that to anyone.

“I already told her I was bringing you, so you can’t say no,” he said, his voice full of arrogant amusement.

“Hmm,” I hummed. “You may have to find a replacement. I’m pretty sure we could come up with someone to fill my spot.”

He gripped my hips and pulled me over onto his lap. Our lips were now only inches apart. “The only one I want is you,” he whispered, skimming his lips over mine. Then his voice became serious. “You deserve a break, baby.”

He was right. I knew he was. I just felt guilty knowing she would be alone. “When do you need to know?” I asked.

His lips covered mine in a soft kiss, sending tingles throughout my body. “I already bought your ticket.”

I tried to pull back, but he gripped the back of my head, holding my lips to his. Our kiss quickly intensified. I turned on his lap, placing one leg on each side of him as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Stop pushing me away, Quinn. Please, just let me in. Let me be someone you can rely on,” he said between kisses. “I want you fully, please just let us happen.”

His words hit me hard, taking away my last bit of resolve. I wanted to be cared for. I wanted someone who made me feel like I was the most important thing in their life. For once I wanted to matter.

“Besides, we both know I’m not letting you get away. I’ll get my way. You have no choice, you’re mine.” Once again, his arrogance and cocky attitude were rolling off him in waves.

It was a side of him I was really starting to love.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jett

I knew she was worried about her mom. Avery and I had to do a lot of convincing, but we got her on the plane. Avery had to promise to check in on her mom daily. Quinn even asked her father to make sure her mother was okay. With recent events that was a stretch, but he was doing everything he could to be there for Quinn. I was pretty positive he too knew how much she needed a break. Apparently when Beau, her dad, admitted he never truly loved her mom, her mother didn’t take the news well and went back to her old drinking habits. She was hoping they would fall back into one another’s arms.

Quinn nervously sat next to me, firmly holding on to my hand. I watched her closely as she stared out the window with a blank look in her eyes. I tugged on her hand, and she looked over to meet my gaze.

“What’s going on inside that pretty head of yours?” I asked.

“Thinking about this weekend. I’m about to meet your entire family, yet I’m not sure exactly how to introduce myself,” she said, her cheeks reddening.

I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles. “Well, I already took care of that. You’re my girl. They know that.” Her eyes widened, and I laughed at her expression. “You don’t have a say anything. You’re mine, face it, accept it, and move on from it.” She stared back at me, speechless. I leaned toward her and kissed her quickly. “They already know all about you, babe. They’re gonna love you.”

She stared back at me with a small smile on her face. She had nothing to worry about. My family was thrilled the moment I told them I was bringing someone. I never was one for commitment. I mean, I had girls I dated, but nothing ever lasted. I was entirely too focused on the goals I had set for myself. So they all continued to drill me for information, and I knew without a doubt they would love Quinn.

My parents and Harper flew out on Wednesday. They wanted to be there to help get things set up. I was pretty sure they’d also come early for baby Colt. They hadn’t seen him since right after he was born, so they needed another baby fix.

When our flight landed we got our luggage and retrieved our rental car. Quinn was so distressed I could almost see it pouring off her. She had a nervous habit of picking at her nails, making them click as she released them.

I placed my hand over hers to stop her fidgeting. She looked up, blushing. “Stop worrying,” I insisted.

***

Colton and Alexis demanded that we stay at their place, where my parents and Harper were also staying. We would be babysitting Saturday night while Alex and Colt went to Savannah for a night alone.

Pulling into the driveway, I caught Quinn fidgeting, once again, out of the corner of my eye. “Woman, will you stop already? They are easy to get along with. My only advice is regarding Harper.” I placed the car in park and looked over at her with a serious expression. “She has no filter. She will say whatever is on her mind without thinking twice. Take nothing to heart. She is truly harmless.”

Quinn only nodded in agreement. I think my advice backfired; she appeared even more agitated now.

I grabbed our bags from the car and nudged her toward the door. “I promise you there is nothing to be nervous about.”

Before we reached the door, it came flying open. Maddison’s little legs carried her out like a bullet, running straight for me. Alex followed close behind.

“Uncle Jett,” Maddison squealed. I knelt down and placed our bags on the ground just in time to catch her in my arms.

“Hey, squirt,” I said as I lifted her and hugged her close. I turned to face Quinn and found her smiling brightly.

Maddison grinned and looked between Quinn and me. “Is she your girlfriend?” she asked.

“Yeah, this is Quinn, my girlfriend.” I looked back over at Quinn and winked.

Alex stepped forward and held her hand out to Quinn. “Hi, I’m Alex. I’m the not-so-mouthy sister.” She leaned in a little closer, holding her hand up as if to shield her mouth. “He won’t admit it, but I’m also his favorite sister.” I chuckled at her attempted to whisper. She had failed intensely.

“Hi,” Quinn said in response. “You have a really beautiful home.” Her comment reminded me of what she said about not belonging in my world. She had a really bad habit of knocking herself down, something I would work hard to rectify. I wanted more than anything for her to see her worth without weighing it by her past and how little she has to show for her hard work.

“You should have seen it a year ago. It took us a while to give it this facelift. Colton worked day and night for months, but we knew what we wanted. My guy’s a real handyman,” Alex admitted.

Colt came out carrying my nephew close to his chest. He had the proud-papa look covered.

“How was your trip?” he asked as he stepped up next to Alex. She took her son from him without hesitation. From the corner of my eye, I caught Quinn watching the exchange. She had that look girls get anytime there was a baby near, that gooey-eyed, awestruck look.

We were led inside, only to find the house completely full. My mother and father both approached Quinn as if she was some kind of mystical creature.

“You must be Quinn,” my mom said. Quinn nodded, and my mother pulled her in for a hug, making Quinn’s eyes widen in surprise. “It’s so nice to meet you, sweetheart. We have heard so much about you.”

“Let the poor girl breathe, Mom.” Harper pushed her way through the barrier. “Don’t scare her off before she even gets all the way in the door.”

She put her back to my parents and looked at Quinn. “You’ll have to excuse them. Jett has been a bachelor for so long, I’m pretty sure they were beginning to question his sexual preference.”

There you have it, the reason behind keeping Quinn far away from Harper all this time. My sister did not have a shy bone in her body. You could never prepare for her outburst, they were so random.

A few snickers filled the room, and I nudged Harper’s shoulder. “Yeah, real funny, smartass.” I looked over to find a smile gracing Quinn’s face, which made being the object of Harper’s joke worth it.