The Gritty Truth (The Whiskeys Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor #7) - Melissa Foster Page 0,81
want to do all those things with you, babe. I don’t have a lot of money, but I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure you never miss out on anything ever again.”
“Look who it is,” Penny said with a wink at Roni and Quincy as she came around the counter and hoisted Lincoln into her arms. “Two of my favorite tiny humans.”
Kennedy jumped up and down and said, “We’re on a date! We saw Toy Story!”
“How fun! Tell me all about it,” Penny urged. “Is that the one about Shrek?”
“No, silly,” Kennedy said. “It’s about Andy and Woody and Buzz Lightyear…”
As Kennedy went on about the movie, and Lincoln bounced in Penny’s arms babbling at record speed, Quincy took off the kids’ jackets and Lincoln’s hat and set them on a chair. He ran his hand over Lincoln’s staticky hair, and Lincoln flashed a toothy grin, reaching for Quincy with grabby hands. Quincy took him from Penny, and Penny crouched to give Kennedy her full attention as she told her about the movie. Lincoln beat the top of Quincy’s head like a drum, and Quincy tickled his belly, making him squeal with delight.
Roni could watch them together all day long. “You’re so good with him,” she said as she put her jacket with the others.
“Thanks, beautiful,” Quincy said with a sexy grin.
Lincoln threw himself in Roni’s direction, arms outstretched, and said, “WantBooful.”
Roni warmed all over.
“Did he just say…?” Quincy’s brows slanted. “That’s my girl, buddy.”
“There’s enough of me to go around,” Roni said, taking Lincoln and settling him on her hip. He wrapped his arms around her neck, grinning like he’d won a prize.
“Guess I can’t fault the boy for knowing a hot babe when he sees one,” Quincy said as he took off his jacket, looking handsome and delicious in a gray Henley.
“I wanna be a hot babe like Miss Woni,” Kennedy chimed in.
Quincy scowled, and Roni and Penny exchanged an amused glance.
Roni tried not to laugh at the quandary in Quincy’s expression and offered Kennedy her hand. “How about we check out the ice cream?”
Penny patted Quincy on the back and said, “Breathe, Uncle Q. She’s only five.”
“I want a special movie sundae,” Kennedy exclaimed. “A happy-ending sundae!”
Quincy slid such a heated look at Roni, her pulse quickened.
“Looks like Uncle Quincy wants one, too,” Penny said with a chuckle.
Quincy’s eyes never wavered from Roni’s as he said, “Only from my girl.”
“Uncle Quincy, Miss Woni doesn’t make sundaes,” Kennedy said. “Only Penny does.”
The kids chattered as Penny made their sundaes, and Quincy put his hand on Roni’s back, whispering about happy endings and making out in the back of a movie theater when the kids weren’t with them. She loved their secret sexiness.
Quincy sat between the kids as they ate, simultaneously wiping Lincoln’s mouth and responding to Kennedy’s litany of remarks and stories, adding more reasons for Roni to swoon over him. He even let Lincoln feed him ice cream, and he gleefully missed a few times, feeding Quincy’s scruff instead of his mouth.
Roni gave him the remaining napkins and got up to get more.
Penny was finishing up with a customer. When the customer left, Penny said, “Let me get you a wet paper towel. Quincy will let Lincoln get ice cream all over him before he’s done.”
Roni glanced at him again as Penny went to the sink and said, “He’s a natural with them.”
“Yeah, he’ll make a great dad someday. Just one of the many reasons so many single ladies in the Harbor show up for his readings at the bookstore.”
“I know,” Roni said, feeling a pang of jealousy. Quincy glanced over and blew her a kiss, pushing that jealousy away. “I had fun getting to know you and Scott better at the bonfire. I really like him. You two seem happy together.”
“Thanks. We are, but it’s still new. It’s weird transitioning from friends to something more.” Penny handed her the wet paper towels and a dry washcloth.
It was funny, because Roni hadn’t felt like it was weird for her and Quincy, but they hadn’t known each other nearly as well as Penny and Scott did. Roni had learned that friendships ran deep among their friends. Penny had called Quincy a number of times since they’d been together, and she lit him up in a different way than Roni did—a friendly way, like Angela did for Roni. She was glad they had each other.