“Yeah.”
“You know you are an impressive, powerful woman, don’t you? Kind too. Luke told me the stuff you did for Nixon.”
“Piper—”
“Here’s the thing,” Piper cut her off. “I respect your mom, because you do that with your elders. I’ve always found her nice and pleasant. My mom likes her a lot.”
“Okay.”
“But that in there was not cool.”
“She wants grandkids.”
“Matt’s engaged. Let him and his bride-to-be supply them.”
“But he’s not her daughter. That, plus I’m not the girlie girl she hoped for. She loves me, Piper.”
“Get that.” Piper pulled out of her drive. “And she’s raised two great kids. Not that I know your brother, but I’m sure if he’s your blood he’s okay.”
Why did those words of acceptance humble her?
“All respect to her, because yes, she’s your mom and as such deserves it. But surely she can see what her daughter has achieved. I’m totally in awe of you, and Jack’s still not over the fact that you’re a fighter pilot. He tells anyone he meets.”
She tried to push down the little swell of pride, but it was there. Quinn never talked about what she’d achieved; she just got on with it.
“Don’t let someone else dim your light because theirs never reached its full wattage, Quinn.”
“Did you make that up? Because it’s good. It should be on a shirt or something.”
“Thanks. Miss Marla, actually.”
“I love those sisters.”
“And then some.”
They drove through town, then swung right and down past shops.
“That’s Maggie Winter’s art shop there.” Piper pointed out the window.
“Artsy Fartsy.”
“Don’t ask. And that is where you can get a kale smoothie from Ms. Celery Stick, aka Ophelia. She’s an absolute nightmare and always lecturing me on my sugar intake.”
“Well I better not meet her then.”
“She loves Luke, or thinks she does. They dated a few times, she freaked him out with her intensity, and she’s been trying to lure him back into her lair ever since.”
Quinn told herself she was not jealous. Like her, Luke could sleep with whomever he wanted. She looked to the water and the little cabins on the land across it.
“Still the green belt,” Piper said, noting where she was looking. “Rory went over when she came back and was having a bad day. Ate a whole shit ton of cookies. She was high as a kite.”
Quinn giggled.
“And here is the rec center.”
The building was big and had a large parking lot and plenty of windows.
“Wow. Matt and me would have loved this when we were kids.”