Page 78 of Playboy For Hire

“Never should have let him leave home,” my dad said for the second time that night. “Lost all his manners up there in the city.”

“He used to be the sweetest boy,” my mom confided to Quinn. “All yes sir and no ma’am. He’d come with me to go grocery shopping. He’d even help me pick out my church clothes on Sundays. Just the most respectful little kid. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“Lost all his sense, too, once he left his family.” My dad glared at me. “Forgot how to respect his elders.”

“It’s hard,” my mom continued. “Being separated from your family. But it really does seem like he’s determined to be cruel sometimes. I know kids want to spread their wings, but he doesn’t understand that he’s our only child. His job is to be at home, helping us. I always thought he’d grow up into the perfect son, but instead we got…this.”

She held her hands out helplessly and nodded at me, as if to say, ‘Can you even imagine our hardship, having this ingrate for a son?’

“Never had any work ethic,” my dad said. “If he’s determined to waste his life, let him.”

My mouth worked silently. I wanted to object, wanted to defend myself. But my throat was so dry, I couldn’t make a sound.

“It would be one thing if he left school with a job lined up,” my mom said. “But what does he have to show for himself? Nothing. But is he embarrassed by that? Not a bit.” She sighed. “I know you shouldn’t pin all your hopes on your children, but I never thought I’d be this disappointed.”

“That’s a shame, Mrs. Olson,” Quinn said.

I looked at Quinn with a sick feeling in my stomach. I knew he didn’t like conflict, but that didn’t mean he had to agree with what my mom was saying. But then he squeezedmyknee under the table and continued.

“I wish you could see the Ryder I know, because your son is amazing. He’s one of the hardest-working people I know, even in the face of adversity. He thinks deeply about even seemingly simple subjects, and he doesn’t give up just because things get hard. He’s kind, generous, and forgiving. If I were his parents, I’d be proud to have raised a son like that. I know I’m proud to call him my friend.”

I stared at him, speechless. I wished I were half the person Quinn had made me out to be. No one had ever stuck up for me to my parents before.

God, I love you.

The thoughts popped into my head when Quinn turned to smile at me. I blinked, my stomach turning a somersault. I didn’t mean that, did I? I’d only known Quinn for a couple of months. We weren’t even together.

But seeing him here, polite but defiant, refusing to back down under my dad’s glare or my mom’s disbelief, I realized any chance I had of not developing feelings for Quinn was gone. I might not be in love with him, but I was damn close.

And suddenly, I couldn’t take another minute of dinner. No more strained conversation, no more awkward moments, no more insults disguised as observations. I was done with all of this.

What I wanted was to be alone with Quinn. To show him how grateful I was.

I stood up. “Sorry to be a disappointment as always, but we’re done for the night. Or at least, I am.” I caught Quinn’s eye, then nodded at the door. “I think we should go.”

Quinn frowned up at me. “Are you sure? We still have—”

“I’m sure.” I held his eyes, willing him to read my thoughts, to understand all the things I couldn’t say out loud.

I like you. I want you. And I need to be naked with you, right now.

“Ryder? What on earth—you can’t just leave in the middle of dinner,” my mother said, her hand clenched around her cloth napkin.

“I can,” I said. “And I think it’s better for all of us if I do.”

“This is yourfather’s award dinner,” she hissed, looking around the room. No one at any of the tables close to us was paying attention. “I won’t let you leave.”

“I don’t think you can stop me,” I said, keeping my voice even.

“Can’t stop you, can I? Just think about that for a moment. If you leave now—”

“Oh, let him go, Alice,” my dad grumbled. “It’ll save us the trip of having to come back for his graduation.”

My mom fixed me with a glare. “Ryder, if you leave now, I don’t know when your father will be willing to speak with you again.”

I looked between the two of them and realized I didn’t care. The only person who’d ever been kind to me was Quinn. And he was the only person at this table who I cared about making happy.

I looked down at him. “I’m ready if you are.”

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