Page 109 of Delayed Penalty

That is true. However, I have what Hayes has paid me so far and then some in my savings account. I could pay off a decent chunk of them now, and when I get the other fifty grand, I can pay the rest.

“Yes, but?—”

“There’s always a but with you, Quinny.” Matthew scoffs, gulping down his beer.

I get it. I do. I haven’t been reliable in the past. I’ve shirked my responsibilities and have changed what I want to do so many times over. I’ve thought about this a lot more than any of them realize, though. Beingwith Flora, teaching her…it’s been the most rewarding experience of my life, and I want to help other kids too. I want to show them that someone cares about them. I want them to know they matter.

I want to tell them all of that, but I can’t seem to find the words. So I don’t. I finish my Thanksgiving dinner in silence, barely touching my favorite meal of the year. All the while, Hayes sits beside me, still not saying anything, and I know without a doubt he’s thinking what they’ve thought all along—I’m not good enough.

For them or for him.

I’m not sure which part of that hurts the most.

CHAPTER 21

HAYES

“Man, can you believe our little sister?”

Matthew, Quinn’s fuckhead older brother, takes a swill of what appears to be his sixth beer, rocking back on his plastic lawn chair as we all sit out back, dinner settling in our bellies.

Well, mine’s not settling. It’s sitting at the base of my throat, waiting for me to barf it all back up because all I did was sit there while they shit on her so I didn’t ruin Bess’s holiday meal. It took everything I had not to say something, not to reach over the table and punch that stupid fucking smirk off Matthew’s face. Hell, it’s taking everything I have now.

These people have no idea who Quinn really is. They don’t know she stays up every night to help Flora with her homework with nothing but patience and kindness, don’t know she reads to her nightly, helpingher sound out the words she doesn’t know and giving her definitions when Flora has questions. They don’t know Quinn single-handedly taught her the multiplication tablesandis learning how to cook by watching YouTube all so I can eat better during the season and Flora doesn’t have to survive off grilled cheese and pickles—though I doubt the kid would complain about it.

They don’t know shit about her, and they certainly don’t know that Quinn would make a fantastic teacher. I’d pay all the money in the world to put her through school and make it happen for her.

“She really thinks she can be a teacher, huh? She can barely take care of herself.” Her douchebag brother looks at me, rocking back in his chair again. I wish I could sweep the legs right out from under him. “Honestly, between you and me, I wouldn’t trust her around your niece. She has no sense of what’s right and wrong. She’d probably allow her to run off in a crowded mall or something. Too busy looking at more hideous earrings she can scare men away with.”

I grip the edges of my chair so hard I can feel the plastic bending beneath my fingers.

Don’t hit him. Don’t hit him. Don’t hit him.

I really, really want to hit him.

The back door swings open and out walks Quinn, Flora by her side, that damn cat in one arm and a platestacked full of desserts in the other. I relax at the sight of them, but only a little.

“Speak of the devil… What are you doing, Quinny? Practicing corrupting the youth for when you become a ‘teacher’?” He rolls his eyes. “I?—”

I rise out of my chair so fast it topples over, all eyes shooting to me. I think one of her sisters even gasps, though I couldn’t tell you which one. They’ve both had their noses turned up all night, so I can’t really tell them apart.

“Don’t,” I growl.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t. Don’t you dare say another fucking word to her.”

“I can say whatever I want about her.” Matthew rises from his chair, stumbling ever so slightly. “She’smysister. She’s just your nanny.”

The fuck she is.

I march toward him, done listening to his bullshit and definitely done worrying about screwing up Bess’s holiday. This guy needs a good ass kicking, and I just happen to be willing to deliver it.

“Hayes!”

I ignore the call.

“Hayes!”

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