Crazy Eights (Stacked Deck #8) - Emilia Finn Page 0,118
the couch with her legs crossed, and studies her nails with a smile. “That fight we had this morning shouldn’t factor into your answer right now.”
“You fought?” Quinn’s shy grin seems to morph into something a little more playful. “What did you fight about?”
“That’s private,” Miles blusters. “We don’t have to—”
“Lyss wants a bra,” Brooke murmurs playfully. “Miles isn’t keen.”
“All the Miss Kincaids took me shopping,” Lyss adds. “I didn’t get a bra, but I got—”
“A two-piece bathing suit,” Miles growls. “A two-piece!”
“Aw.” Snickering, Quinn reaches out and pulls the girl into a side hug. “I bet it’s cute. Is it frilly?”
“Uh huh. And it has sparkles, too. And Miss Evie said when I’m old enough, she’ll take me to get an earring, but in my bellybutton.”
“If Miss Evie does that,” her father growls, “then Daddy and Miss Evie are gonna have beef.”
“Whatever.” Evie lounges back in a pair of denim shorts, but with the button and zipper completely undone. Her thighs are toned and muscular, but above those sits a belly that looks entirely too large for her frame. “I don’t have the energy to argue right now.” She looks to Ben. “I think this baby missed its stop, Sasquatch. Now it’s too big to get out.”
“It’s gonna be fine.” And yet, Ben watches his baby roll in her stomach. “It’ll be fine.”
“I think maybe it just… ya know, forgot to get out on its due date, and now it’s too late. It’ll just keep growing in there until I burst. There’ll be guts all over the place, placenta and maybe baby poop. But it’s the only way for this to work out now.”
Lyss remains beside Quinn, but she tilts her head and looks at my cousin. “What’s placenta?”
“That’s enough of that.” Brooke jumps to her feet and brushes the tips of her fingers along Miles’ cheek as she passes. She stops in front of Quinn, extends a hand, and smiles. “Welcome to the family, Quinn. We’re not as scary as we look.”
“Um…”
“I can tell you’re not a hugger.”
“Uh…” Quinn shakes her head. “Not particularl—”
Brooke pulls her in anyway, for a bone-crushing hug. “Like I said. Welcome. And thanks for looking out for Lyss and Miles back in the day. I heard all about your friendship from five years ago.”
“I-I babysat,” she stammers as Brooke pulls away. “I just… We watched a movie and went to sleep.”
“And because you kept Lyss safe, Miles was able to fight and do what he had to do. Come on, baby.” She takes Lyss’ hand and brings her around to stop in front of me. “I’m happy you’re back.” Throwing her arms around my shoulders, Brooke pulls me in until my back stings, but my heart throbs.
This is my family. They’re loud, bossy, annoying, and overwhelming. But they’re mine, and around here, we love unconditionally.
Each member of my family makes their way through the room. They welcome Quinn to the family – not awkward at all – they hug, or shake hands, or study her, and either they don’t notice that she doesn’t want to be here, or they don’t care.
After her, they come to me, hug me, thank me for coming home, and then they let themselves out one by one until all we’re left with is Bean, my mom, my dad, and two Great Danes.
“Bean.” I take my sister’s hand and pull her up from her seat on Deck. “Can you take a look at Q’s shoulder? She said she pulled something while at work, but she hasn’t had it looked at.”
“No, it’s okay.” Quinn steps back. “It’s fine. I’ve learned to live with it at this point. But maybe you could take a look at Jamie’s back.”
Bean’s eyes whip back to me. “Your back?”
“It’s nothi—”
“I tried to disinfect it already, and I think I did a decent job.” Quinn reaches around to her back pocket and grabs her phone. “There’s broken skin, though, and I’m no medical professional, so maybe just take a look and make sure it’ll be fine. I’m just gonna…” She looks to my mom and turns pale. “I need to make a phone call.”
She ducks out of the room and leaves us standing in an awkward huddle that ends with Bean turning me, and lifting my shirt.
“What the hell happened to you?” she demands.
My sister is shorter than me by almost a whole foot, so after only a moment of reaching up, she pushes me down to the couch and shoves my shirt up so it