Page 61 of Just Let Go

Grady stood there in silence for too many seconds, then took off his shoes and started for the door. She’d been mean, and it had been an accident, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want his help—not on the carnival and not in her shop—and one way or another, that was what she planned to tell Judge.

CHAPTER

14

WHATEVER CREATIVE EXCITEMENTQuinn had felt that morning was now long gone. The mess Grady had caused had taken her two hours to clean up, and when she called the hardware store, Bob told her that her “deliveryman” had picked up someone else’s order.

To make it worse, while she sat on the phone making arrangements to pick up her original paint order, she discovered paint splatters in the corner and along the baseboards. Had Grady ever painted anything in his life?

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!How had he ever made it to the Olympics? Was he was one of those natural talents who had everything handed to him?

Whatever the case, it was annoying, and as she unpacked the paint she was supposed to get in the first place, she ran through a mental list of all the things she was going to say to her father in an effort to get Grady on the next bus out of town.

She’d only managed to cover one wall with the creamy white when there was a knock on her door. She turned and saw Dannystanding on the sidewalk, peering in. Was it already five? She must’ve lost track of time.

She set the roller down and opened the door. “Hey, Danny.”

Danny shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at her, but said nothing.

“Come in. Is it already time for our meeting?” She’d planned to have her presentation a little more put together by the time everyone arrived. So much for that.

“I’m a few minutes early,” Danny said.

She forced a smile. This was going to be awkward.

“Quinn, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”

Not again. Her heart raced. She didn’t want to lead Danny on, but she also didn’t want to reject him and make things evenmoreawkward—if that were possible. He was a nice guy. Sweet. Maybe she should give him a chance. After all, if her heart didn’t get tangled up in the romance of a relationship, she’d be safe—protected. And wasn’t that what she really wanted?

Maybe someone like Danny would be good for her.

But before he could continue, Ashley and the others showed up at the door, followed by... Grady? What was he doing back?

They came in, Ashley laughing that loud, flirtatious laugh of hers and Grady with his sparkling eyes that seemed to say,That’s right, you can admire me.

“What are you doing here?” She didn’t mean to say it. The words just kind of came out.

Grady met her eyes and his smile faded. “Heard our team was meeting tonight. Thought I should be here.”

She leveled her gaze and lowered her voice. “Haven’t you done enough today?”

He raised one eyebrow, his tone matching hers. “Apparently not.”

She shook her head. “You really don’t have to be here, Grady. We all know you have much more important things to do.”

He shrugged. “I actually have nothing else to do. Seems to be the way things work in this town.”

“Hey now, Mr. Benson, don’t pretend this isn’t the most charming place you’ve ever been.” That was Mona Deery, who’d seemed skeptical of Grady at their last meeting but now seemed to have a twinkle in her own eye when she looked at their adopted Olympian.

“Oh, it is charming, Mona,” he said. “I’ll give you that. But there’s not a lot going on in the evenings. Not for a guy like me, anyway.”

A guy like you? Meaning—a reptile?

“I think you just haven’t found the right people to hang out with,” Ashley said. “If you’re not busy later, we could go out.”

“On a Thursday?” Quinn practically spit the words.

Grady’s lazy smile hung there, taunting her. She knew what he was thinking. That only a boring, small-town girl with no life would say something like that. He probably spent every night of the week out at bars or parties. She, on the other hand, hadn’t gone out on a weeknight since she was in college, and even then, it was rare.

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