he
become the kind of guy she deserved?
Calling Tramp back inside, Quin put all the pies
into the large box Stella had set aside for taking
them to the fair. They were heavier than he'd expected them to be, but if he walked home with them, he could get a shower and then drive the
rest of the way.
As quietly as possible, he entered the living
room. Stella's cherrywood hair had billowed out
around her, making her look as though she slept
on a cloud. She was so beautiful, intelligent-and
precious.
His chest became tight. She felt so right in his
arms.
Before his resolve to leave crumbled, he rushed
back to the kitchen and safety. He then tiptoed out
her back door with the box of pies in his arms
instead of the woman he wanted there.
When Quin neared his house, he hoped to
sneak in without anyone the wiser. No need to
create more gossip for Stella to live down. He
opened his rental car door and carefully placed the
box of pies on the back seat.
He climbed the steps to his house, then slid the
house key his mom had given him into the lock.
Strange, it didn't meet any resistance. Pushing the
door open, his gaze met a gaggle of gossips.
TROUBLE, every last one of 'em, were sitting
in the front room with expressions much like
Tramp's after he'd gotten into Stella's pies.
Quin gulped. So much for coming in secretly.
They had probably gathered to make an early start
for the fairgrounds. Interestingly, they were all dressed head to toe in identical black shirts and
slacks. "Good morning, ladies. Why all the black?
Are you going to a funeral?"
"We're dressed in costumes for the fair. How
are you this morning?"
"Just fine." If he didn't know them better, he'd
think they'd been out skulking around in the dark,
peeping in windows and hunting for gossip.
"Good morning, Quinlan," said his mother with
a wry smile on her face. "About time you showed
up.
"I couldn't sleep so I brought Stella's pies for
the fair." It was close enough to the truth, and
might protect her from wagging tongues.
"Where are they then?" asked Prissy.
"In my car."
"Then why are you here instead of the fairgrounds?" asked Cait calmly, making his answers
resemble Swiss cheese.
"I wanted to change clothes first?" Even as he
replied, he knew how weak an excuse it was, and
how one look at his face made clear that he hadn't
shaved since the previous day. His clothing was
the worse for wear-and water balloons-as well.
Prissy confirmed his fears by adding, in a worried tone, "I see. You didn't bother cleaning up
before visiting my daughter?"
"The scraggly look is in vogue." Not waiting to hear them argue the point, he exited the room, then
headed into the hall bath and out of earshot.
Meanwhile in the living room, Debby passed
around a dish of pastries and each woman took
one. "When Ian's mother called, I was a little surprised that Quin had offered to babysit. Water balloons. How humiliating for my son."
Janice couldn't keep from laughing. "Ian surpassed himself this time."
"I enjoyed watching Quin squirm, but I'm a little disappointed that Stella did the rescuing instead
of vice versa," replied Prissy. "Although, it's possible that if she'd been the one to watch Ian, there
might not have been a need for rescue. She's always been good with children."
"It probably doesn't matter who saved whom,"
added Debby.
Cait said, between bites, "I believe this is the
second time Stella rescued him. First the dumpster
and now the basement."
"I almost laughed out loud when Quin mentioned the scraggly look being in vogue," Janice
said.
Cait nodded. "And the expression on his face
was priceless when he first walked in and saw us
waiting for him."
"His ego was getting a little too healthy," said Janice. "A little role reversal won't do him any
harm."
They all nodded, then put their heads together
to discuss their further plans. As they concluded,
Prissy's brow was furrowed in thought. "Do you
think I could hint
become the kind of guy she deserved?
Calling Tramp back inside, Quin put all the pies
into the large box Stella had set aside for taking
them to the fair. They were heavier than he'd expected them to be, but if he walked home with them, he could get a shower and then drive the
rest of the way.
As quietly as possible, he entered the living
room. Stella's cherrywood hair had billowed out
around her, making her look as though she slept
on a cloud. She was so beautiful, intelligent-and
precious.
His chest became tight. She felt so right in his
arms.
Before his resolve to leave crumbled, he rushed
back to the kitchen and safety. He then tiptoed out
her back door with the box of pies in his arms
instead of the woman he wanted there.
When Quin neared his house, he hoped to
sneak in without anyone the wiser. No need to
create more gossip for Stella to live down. He
opened his rental car door and carefully placed the
box of pies on the back seat.
He climbed the steps to his house, then slid the
house key his mom had given him into the lock.
Strange, it didn't meet any resistance. Pushing the
door open, his gaze met a gaggle of gossips.
TROUBLE, every last one of 'em, were sitting
in the front room with expressions much like
Tramp's after he'd gotten into Stella's pies.
Quin gulped. So much for coming in secretly.
They had probably gathered to make an early start
for the fairgrounds. Interestingly, they were all dressed head to toe in identical black shirts and
slacks. "Good morning, ladies. Why all the black?
Are you going to a funeral?"
"We're dressed in costumes for the fair. How
are you this morning?"
"Just fine." If he didn't know them better, he'd
think they'd been out skulking around in the dark,
peeping in windows and hunting for gossip.
"Good morning, Quinlan," said his mother with
a wry smile on her face. "About time you showed
up.
"I couldn't sleep so I brought Stella's pies for
the fair." It was close enough to the truth, and
might protect her from wagging tongues.
"Where are they then?" asked Prissy.
"In my car."
"Then why are you here instead of the fairgrounds?" asked Cait calmly, making his answers
resemble Swiss cheese.
"I wanted to change clothes first?" Even as he
replied, he knew how weak an excuse it was, and
how one look at his face made clear that he hadn't
shaved since the previous day. His clothing was
the worse for wear-and water balloons-as well.
Prissy confirmed his fears by adding, in a worried tone, "I see. You didn't bother cleaning up
before visiting my daughter?"
"The scraggly look is in vogue." Not waiting to hear them argue the point, he exited the room, then
headed into the hall bath and out of earshot.
Meanwhile in the living room, Debby passed
around a dish of pastries and each woman took
one. "When Ian's mother called, I was a little surprised that Quin had offered to babysit. Water balloons. How humiliating for my son."
Janice couldn't keep from laughing. "Ian surpassed himself this time."
"I enjoyed watching Quin squirm, but I'm a little disappointed that Stella did the rescuing instead
of vice versa," replied Prissy. "Although, it's possible that if she'd been the one to watch Ian, there
might not have been a need for rescue. She's always been good with children."
"It probably doesn't matter who saved whom,"
added Debby.
Cait said, between bites, "I believe this is the
second time Stella rescued him. First the dumpster
and now the basement."
"I almost laughed out loud when Quin mentioned the scraggly look being in vogue," Janice
said.
Cait nodded. "And the expression on his face
was priceless when he first walked in and saw us
waiting for him."
"His ego was getting a little too healthy," said Janice. "A little role reversal won't do him any
harm."
They all nodded, then put their heads together
to discuss their further plans. As they concluded,
Prissy's brow was furrowed in thought. "Do you
think I could hint
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