Sophia winces. “Right. I keep forgetting he has a child.”
“Not even a little one, either. A teenager.” Piper gives me a slightly concerned look.
“Like the ones we all teach.” Madison nods, like all this is just hitting her.
Hadleigh wrinkles her nose. “And we all know how much fun the beasties are some days.”
“Yeah, that’s why he’s telling her sooner rather than later. I don’t want to let things get too much further without her being aware of it.”
“Do you get along with her?” Zoey questions.
“I do. I think she trusts me. She’s confided in me a little bit about some things that are going on at school.” I take a sip of my drink, then set the bottle down, pushing it away, no longer interested in it. “I’ll make sure when I see Liam tomorrow that he’s planning on saying something to her.” I smile, my body still feeling loose and happy. “Now, did I miss the pterodactyl book talk?”
Hadleigh laughs, “Nah. We decided to push it to next time.”
Chapter 16
Liam
I pull up to the address Quinn gave me yesterday. It’s a quaint little two-story home, kind of off the beaten path, and because of that, it looks like they own some land surrounding the house, unlike what you get in the neighborhoods a little bit closer to the main part of town. Still, it looks like it’s well cared for, which makes me stop and think for a minute. I don’t know where Quinn’s father is, but it would seem that it’s just Meg and Quinn here. And if that’s the case, I have a feeling Quinn’s the one keeping this place maintained like it is. That’s just one more thing on her plate in addition to work, tutoring, and the bakery.
I press my lips together as I ring the doorbell, hoping I’ve read Meg correctly.
When the door opens, Quinn gives me a big grin and reaches her hands out toward me, pulling me inside. “Hi, handsome.” She leans in and drops a soft peck on my cheek.
“These are for you.” I hold out a pretty bouquet I’d picked up at the corner market on the way over. “And these are for your mom.” I hold out a second bouquet with a wink.
“Oh my, you’re going to earn some points for that. Mom just loves flowers. How did you know?”
I chuckle. “Well, when a bakery makes a point to have fresh flowers on every table, I figure it has more to do with the owner’s tastes than with selling pastries.”
Just then, Meg peeks around the corner. “Is it safe to say hello?”
Quinn presses a few fingers to her forehead, smiling. “Sure, Mom. In fact, Liam has something for you.”
“For me?”
She stands aside and lets me woo her mother for a few moments.
“Yes, ma’am. I noticed all of your flowers in your shop and thought you would enjoy a bouquet as well. Consider it a thank you for helping me with the cake.”
“Oh, well isn’t that sweet of you. Thank you.” She takes the flowers from me and lowers her nose into them, inhaling deeply. “They smell lovely.”
“Olivia absolutely loved her birthday cake. She ate a huge hunk of it every afternoon after school until it was all gone, so she obviously enjoyed it. I even caught her sneaking it at breakfast. She said she needed the extra sugar to make it through the day.”
Her mom flat-out giggles, which, from the look on Quinn’s face, is something she may not do very often. “That’s incredibly kind of you to tell me about it. I’m really glad she enjoyed it.”
“I can’t imagine what she’d have thought if I’d tried out my baking skills—or lack thereof—on her birthday cake.”
“Well, I’m happy to help any time. All you have to do is ask.”
I shoot her a charming smile, designed to bowl both women over. “I will definitely hold you to that.”
“Well, you two go on out and have a good time. Here, Quinn, give me your flowers. I’ll put them in water for you.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Quinn says as she hands her the bouquet. We wave and make our way down the front path to my RAV4. I glance over my shoulder to find Meg watching from the doorway.
If the look on her face is any indication, I’ve definitely scored some bonus points today. The real question is if I’ve earned more with Quinn than with her mom.