Baby can cut you a deal to make up for missing your date.”
Quinn cringed. Oak Creek Auto had a much better reputation for being fair than the other shop in town, so his was the logical choice, unless she’d wanted to have her car towed all the way to Reddington City.
“It wasn’t a date,” Quinn said as she helped herself to a cup of coffee.
Lexi raised an eyebrow and gave a half-grin. God, whenever she did that Quinn could swear she knew the other woman from somewhere.
But then Lexi would withdraw back into herself, shutting down her expressive features, and the feeling would vanish.
“Not a date,” Quinn murmured again.
“Well, everyone says Baby is a fantastic mechanic. If your car can be fixed, he’ll get it done. And honest too—doesn’t ever overcharge.”
“Yeah. I’ll make the call soon.” That was a conversation she wasn’t looking forward to. The awkwardness would be horrible, she knew, but she would keep it professional...somehow.
“You know Baby, for all his charm and panty-meltingness, isn’t really a player when it comes to women—or at least that’s what the rumor mill says.” Lexi went back behind the bar. “I’m surprised he didn’t show up for your date. Doesn’t seem his normal MO.”
“It wasn’t a date,” Quinn said again. “He and I both agreed it wasn’t a date.”
After he’d kissed her senseless. And made her orgasm in a way she hadn’t thought was possible.
Lexi held up a hand in surrender. “If you say so, I won’t argue. How’d you get into work today?”
“I walked.” Quinn took her last sip of coffee and put her cup into the dishwasher. She didn’t want to hear her boss’s opinion about walking the two and a half miles into town from her house. “I’m picking up a rental after work.”
Another expense she couldn’t afford. But missing her classes again today was absolutely not an option. She’d missed on Friday, and despite immediately sending proof of her emergency room visit to the Teton State College dean, she’d still been reprimanded.
As soon as she’d gotten home on Friday, despite not being able to see out of one eye, she’d fired up her computer to send her students instructions and work to make up for the missed class.
And found an email from Dean Edmonds herself. Evidently, she’d been warned of Quinn’s “tendency toward drama” when she’d hired Quinn as an adjunct. She wanted Quinn to know that sort of behavior would not be tolerated at TSC.
Quinn wanted to shoot back that next time she was bleeding on the side of the road she’d be sure to drag herself to class anyway but figured that wouldn’t help the situation.
She’d learned the hard way that losing her composure—even when she was right—didn’t improve an academic situation. Maybe if she’d kept her cool with Peter, she’d still have a job back at Harvard.
Instead of writing a heavily worded email like she’d wanted, Quinn had politely apologized and assured Dean Edmonds she would do her best not to miss any more classes.
She definitely didn’t plan to run her car off the side of any more roads in the near future.
She was renting a car today right after her lunch shift. The timing should be right to get her to her class this afternoon, plus still have it to go back for tomorrow’s class. A one-day rental was all she could afford.
She was going to have to let Riley know she was in town.
Another conversation she wasn’t looking forward to.
Hey, little brother! What’s up with me? Oh, nothing. Just lost my job, my credibility, had to leave Boston, am pretty much broke, crashed my car, am living here in Wyoming, and, uh, probably need to borrow money.
What’s up with you? Sorry to hear your girlfriend has MS and all.
Yeah, not going to be a good conversation.
Lexi headed back toward the kitchen. “There was some sort of big brouhaha involving the Linear Tactical guys and half the town the past few days, so I have no idea how that will affect the lunch crowd today. There was a wedding reception here on Thursday evening, but it ended quick.”
The wedding reception she’d almost been a part of. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. I hear Riley Wilde, everyone around here calls her Girl Riley since her boyfriend’s name is also Riley, was kidnapped by some guy from Dubai or something.”
Quinn nearly dropped the coffee pot she’d picked up to wash out. “What?”
“Yeah. Evidently, she’s back home, safe and sound, and swears the only kidnapping involved was