Page 64 of Love Marks
She opens her mouth and I already know it’s to insist that she can’t, so I keep going.
“I’m sure Ben would appreciate it.” I pause. “And so would I.” Pause again. “But I understand if you can’t. Or if you want to go home—”
Quinn cuts me off, mercifully. “I can stay. Let me just call my mom and let her know. Can you watch this for a sec?” She points to one of the pots and slips into the hallway with her phone in hand. I glance over at the stovetop, hiding my smile.
“You weren’t kidding. You’ve really got it bad.” Ben comes up behind me and hands me a beer. “I haven’t seen you so flustered since you asked out Carrie Lincoln in the eighth grade.”
“That was a big moment for me.”
Ben chuckles. “Is she leaving?”
I take a long swig of my beer. “No, I convinced her to join us for dinner.”
Ben grins and settles into the head of the table with his feet propped up. He sets his beer down and rubs his hands together.
“Let the games begin.”
* * *
It turns out Ben was speaking literally. As soon as we finish dinner, he somehow convinces both me and Quinn to take tequila shots. Quinn insisted that we do them properly, fishing out some limes from the pantry and grabbing the salt. Three shots later, Ben starts playing music and then has the marvelous idea of playing Charades.
Which is how I’m standing in front of Ben and Quinn trying to pantomime The Matrix and failing miserably. Quinn has given up and is simply laughing at my pathetic efforts. Finally, she stops laughing and her eyes light up as she shouts out the answer.
“Wow. Wes, you are truly bad at this.” Ben shakes his head and falls onto the couch next to Quinn.
“Hey, she got it eventually.” I settle in between them.
“What are we thinking next? Truth or dare?” Ben wiggles his eyebrows at me.
Quinn sits up. “Time for me to go home. The trains are going to be a nightmare.” I look over at the clock. It’s past midnight. I hadn’t realized how much time had passed once we started drinking.
“You’re not taking the train. I’m calling you a car.”
“Excuse me?” Quinn snaps her head towards me. “I take the train all the time and it’s fine.”
“I’m sure it is. And I’ll be calling you a car.”
She scoffs. “You are so…” She throws her hands up like she’s frustrated “…bossy!”
Without thinking, I lean towards her. “I’ll show you how bossy I can be.” My hand wraps around her wrist and her jaw drops.
“Okay, that’s my cue.” Ben stands suddenly, stumbling a little. “Want to call me one, too?”
Ten minutes later, the three of us stand on the curb outside the hotel as Ben’s cab pulls up. He hugs both me and Quinn.
“Absolutely amazing to meet you, Quinn. I see many more tequila shots in our future.”
His car pulls away and it’s just the two of us. A heaviness settles in my stomach as I study her.
“Thanks for calling me a cab.”
“Oh, now you’re thanking me? Hmm.” The corner of my mouth quirks up. “Just ten minutes ago you were angry.”
“That’s not me angry, Wesley.”
My name sounds special coming from her lips. It wraps around me and lodges itself in my chest. It must be the tequila clouding my judgement because my hand reaches up and touches the bottom of her hair, pulling at a few strands. She turns at the slight tug and my hand falls quickly at my side.
Her taxi pulls up and she smiles up at me, warm and hazy.