Chapter21
“Ted!”
Quinn watched the quiet Mandy Robbins sprint to where her man was. He met her halfway and picked her up in a bear hug.
“The basketball I play is not like that,” Sam said.
“I bet.”
She wanted to laugh at Piper’s tone, but managed to swallow it. Sam had been standing with her while they watched the game and offering snarky comments. Quinn was disliking him more and more.
“So how about a meal at the Lodge tonight?”
“No, thanks,” Quinn said, then turned to face Piper, hoping he got the idea that she wasn’t interested in him. “So Ted shooting that basket is a big deal, I’m guessing?”
“Huge deal. Ted couldn’t catch a beach ball if you were two inches in front of him and held it out. He just won them the game.”
“I wonder if they’ll ever grow up enough to not want to maim each other when they play,” Luna said from beside her. “Nash has blood on his shirt.”
“No,” Maggie Winter said from her other side. “They’ve been doing that since they were kids.”
Maggie had an amazing head of beautiful red hair and attitude that Quinn wanted to have when she eventually grew up. From what she could gather, both she and the equally as beautiful gentle Mandy Robbins were the team mascots. They had also cheered loudly for their men. Quinn vaguely remembered Maggie from school and that she’d had an attitude then.
“Did you see that pumpkin on Jack’s forehead?”
“Is that what that is?” Maggie asked Piper.
Luna giggled.
“I’m looking forward to your game, ladies.”
“Sure, thanks,” Piper said to Sam.
“I’m just going to get coffee.”
“And don’t come back,” Quinn muttered.
“He’s a douchebag, and don’t forget it.” Piper gave her a steady look.
“He came into the gallery,” Maggie said. “Went on and on about how much art he’d purchased and how discerning he was. Man couldn’t spot a Monet from a paint by numbers, if you ask me.”
“I used to love those,” Luna said.
“Right, let’s go and warm up,” Maggie said.
“I love the way you make it sound like you’re going to join us.”
“I’m warming up. It’s just my vocal chords, not my legs,” she replied to Piper.
They all moved together to their court, which was the one the boys had just played on. Quinn looked at Nixon. He’d said hello to her, but she saw the wariness in his eyes. This had to be a big deal for him. The family, all these people. She wondered what was going on inside his head. Luke had asked her to talk to him, so she would. Quinn wasn’t sure what she’d say, but she’d try. She felt invested in Nixon now, as she’d been there to bring him home to his family.
“We used to just play in their team,” Piper said, pointing to the guys. “But decided it was time to make a stand and show them just how good women could be.”
“No one doubted it,” Dylan Howard said. He wrapped his wife in a sweaty hug.
“Stop canoodling!” Maggie roared. “Focus.”
“Haven’t heard that in a while. In fact, never,” Nash said.