love really matter in the long run if your lives were at such different places that they couldn’t land together?
And yet...
And yet here she was sitting at the bar at the Eagle’s Nest on a Sunday night.
If there was anything her time here in Oak Creek, the time with Baby, had taught her, it was that the real Quinn was more than the person she’d been at Harvard. Not merely the stiff, structured intellectual who liked to examine things from all angles. That was part of her, an important part of her, but it wasn’t the only part.
The passionate part of her was equally important. The one who had screamed at Peter in his office. The one who had a zeal for making sure that students understood the basics of language and communication.
The one who came apart in Baby’s arms every single night.
That passionate part was just as important as the rational part of her.
She’d never been one to take big risks, but this one was worth taking. Putting herself out there, for Baby. Letting him know that she wanted him and wanted a permanent future with him was a big risk, but he was worth it.
She’d talked to him both nights she’d been in Boston. He been excited for her and all they’d been offering. When she told him they wanted her to stay, there been a pause before he’d quickly gone on to say he wasn’t surprised.
That pause. She was putting herself out here based on the pause.
She’d left him a voice message thirty minutes ago.
Hi Baby. Listen, I know things are up in the air right now, and this may seem a little weird. There is someone I want you to meet. Someone I think you will really hit it off with. I think she’s perfect for you in the oddest way. Anyway, she’s going to be in town for one night and is waiting for you at the Eagle’s Nest, so get over there and see what you think of her. A new start for a new future.
She’d been about to hang up when she had a little second of panic. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to talk to her if he didn’t feel the same way.
But, you know, if you’re not interested, if she’s not what you want, she’ll understand. So that’s okay. Okay?
She’d hung up before she could make it any worse.
This was why she didn’t play these silly games. She was terrible at them.
She wrapped her hands around her soda and took a sip. The important thing was that she’d taken the first step. She let him know that she was interested and wanted something serious between them.
Hopefully, they could make it work.
Oh God, she hoped they could make it work out. She hoped he wanted her the way she wanted him.
Because there was no job at any Ivy League school in the country she wanted more than she wanted to be with him.
Their paths were different, but maybe they could find a way to make them intertwine.
“You look like you’re about to bolt any second now,” Lexi said from behind the bar.
“I asked Baby to meet me here. To let him know I’m interested.”
Lexi laughed. “You don’t think he’s figured that out already seeing as you two have hardly come up for air since you met one another?”
She could feel herself turn bright red. “I mean future stuff. Hopefully, permanent future stuff.” She took a sip of her drink, wishing it was something stronger. Stronger wouldn’t help her right now though; she needed to keep a clear head.
“Is that stupid? I’m so much older than him.” Those tiny insecurities tried to seep in as the minutes ticked by.
Lexi reached over and squeezed Quinn’s hand. “Professor, I think you’d have to be a hell of a lot older before Baby Bollinger would consider you too old for him. You guys have something special. You have what’s important. Trust.” Lexi glanced down toward the other end of the bar before snapping her eyes back to Quinn. “You guys have what’s most important.”
Quinn didn’t have to look down at the other end of the bar to know that Gavin Zimmerman was sitting there. Word was already flying all over town how the now ex-sheriff must have a crush on the town’s newest bartender since he was at the Eagle’s Nest every single night that Lexi worked.
Quinn knew it wasn’t a crush. Lexi knew it too. Gavin was surveilling in the least