“It’s not that I don’t want to come,” Dallas said patiently.
“Or that I don’t want to stay a few extra days. It’s just that-
your parents- they don’t know about any of this, and I’m not
so sure that me showing up there wouldn’t give the wrong
vibes. Extreme party pooper vibes.”
“I could talk to them tonight.”
“Jesus. They’ll be able to tell that we- argh- this…” Dallas
pointed at the bed. “They’ll know. You are the worst at
keeping secrets. They’ll hate me even more than for showing
back up, taking twenty-five g off your departed grandfather,
seducing you, messing with you, and leaving.”
Even though she’d basically just accused Dallas of the
very same, Quinn still found herself looking for confirmation.
“Is that what you’re going to do?” She couldn’t make herself
despite Dallas very easily, which probably meant there was
something very wrong with her.
“No! I- I hadn’t thought past re-booking my flight. You
know that I have a life in Tampa. I have a job that I really do
love, a condo to pay for, my car. I have a cat. Plants. Friends.
My family.”
Quinn worried her bottom lip between her teeth, then
released when pain bloomed from the left corner where she’d
bitten a little too enthusiastically. “I know. But you don’t have
to disappear again. You don’t have to go off and be a stranger.
You could see everyone before you go. You could call this
time. You could use video. Or did you just intend for this to
be-”
Dallas shook her head hard. “I didn’t intend anything. You
surprised me by coming here. I wasn’t planning on this. And
now- I- I was pretty sure that up until about an hour ago, you