Page 55 of Love Marks
We stop at the bottom and Wesley lifts Luna to climb out. My face feels warm despite the cool air. I go to climb out after them and Wesley holds his hand out for me to hold on to. Reluctantly, I grab his hand and clammer down the stairs in the least graceful manner possible. Wesley at least doesn’t seem to notice — he’s busy holding Luna back with his other hand.
I lose my footing on the last step and stumble forward, almost bumping directly into him.
“Sorry.” I push myself backwards.
“Are you okay?” He braces his hands on either side of me. More heat rises to my face. “You look flushed,” he observes.
Thanks, Captain Obvious! What’s next, I have blue eyes?
“I’m fine.” I tangle myself away from him and skip towards Luna.
“What do you think? Cotton candy time?” I smile down at her, avoiding Wesley’s gaze for fear it will turn me into jelly again.
“Luna, did you know that Quinn is a chef? She could probably make you whatever you wanted,” Wesley says, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not a chef.”
“Can you make chicken nuggets?” Luna peers up at me.
I chuckle. “Yes, I can make chicken nuggets.”
“See.” Wesley nudges me. “Chef.”
I nudge him back. “I seem to remember a certain someone telling me my cooking was fine.”
Wesley gasps in mock horror. “Who would say such a thing?”
“Just this jerk I know.”
Wesley barks out a laugh and I try to stamp out the pleased expression on my face at having made him laugh.
“You’re right. I was being a jerk.” He shrugs. “And I lied. Your cooking is much better than fine, but I think you know that. At least I hope you do.”
His earnestness catches me off guard, but before I have a chance to respond, he’s bringing Luna over to the cotton-candy stand and buying her a pink cone. I grab a spot at a nearby table and check my phone. My stomach drops. A missed call from Pierre.
To be fair, Wesley did say that he would call me. Is he going to offer me my old job back? Do I even want that job?
It’s not like I’m thriving in my current role. I would at least be closer to the restaurant environment. But still…it doesn’t feel right. Sure, I’d love to see Manny again, but after how quickly they threw me out last time, I don’t really want anything to do with Pierre or that place.
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted some, so, here you go.” Wesley stands in front of me holding a blue cotton candy. He raises his eyebrows. “I hope you like pure sugar.”
“What’s not to like?”
He sits down next to me, placing Luna between us this time.
“What’s next?” I ask.
“I want a big teddy bear. You have to win me the big one, Uncle Wes,” Luna says, pointing to a shooting game with large stuffed animals hanging all around it.
“Yes, we can get the big bear,” Wes agrees and rips off a piece of my cotton candy.
“You’re awfully confident in your ability to get the big bear, Wesley.”
He stands and pops the cotton candy into his mouth. “What can I say?” He shrugs. “I know how to shoot.”
I stand up, raising my chin. “Let’s see it then, Eastwood.”
“Big bear! Big bear!” Luna chants.