Page 52 of Roommate's Guide to Love

“You good if I take off?” I ask Jenny as I open the register to grab my keys.

“Yup. Get out of here,” she says. “I can handle these rowdies.”

“Hey!” Harry yells. “I take offense!”

“You should,” I joke, giving him a slap on the back. “Thanks, Jenny. I’ll come back to help you close.”

“No, you won’t,” she says. “Take the night off. Please.”

The look she gives me is one a mother would give to her child. And technically, Jenny is old enough to be my mom, though I’d never say that to her.

“Thanks,” I say, sending her a wink. “Call me if you need anything.”

I say goodbye to a few guys playing pool as I slip down the hallway and past my office. Except as soon as I take a step past it, I realize that it’s cracked open, which is not right. I distinctly remember closing it when Wes and I stepped out.

“Hello?” I ask, wondering if one of the cooks came in to grab something. But I don’t hear anything as I push the door open and flip the light on.

But as soon as I do, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I just left this room not even ten minutes ago.

And now, sitting on top of my desk, is an infant carrier.

And looking at me, with the brightest green eyes I’ve ever seen, is a baby.

guide to love rule #69

Stay up to date on current lingo and slang. It’ll help in many aspects of life, including, but not limited to, deciphering booty calls.

15

quinn

“How isit that I’ve been back in town for two whole weeks and this is the first time we’re getting together for dinner?”

The question is floated in generality to my sisters as I sit down in a booth at Mona’s Diner, but Maeve is the first to answer.

“I’d also like to know how we’re having dinner at the establishment you live above and somehow you’re the last one to show up.”

I wave off my sister as I settle into my seat. “I just wanted to make a grand entrance.”

“Well, we were tired of waiting for the fanfare,” Stella says. “We ordered cheese fries.”

“No complaints here,” I say as I grab one and my own side of ranch. Because ranch as a condiment is elite, and I’ll be taking no arguments on that fact. “I do appreciate you already having my drink ready for me.”

Ainsley shakes her head at me as I take a big sip of my fountain Coke. Because that’s the only acceptable Coke. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’ve already drank three iced coffees today.”

I hold up two fingers. “Only two, thank you very much.”

“Still, you had two iced coffees, and now you’re drinking a Coke. You’re going to be up all night.”

After the text exchange with Porter this afternoon I can only hope.

“I appreciate your concern, Ainsley. Helps having a nurse in the family.”

“I’m a labor and delivery nurse. I care for babies and mamas. And this isn’t nurse care, this is general worry about your state of dehydration, which has to be off the charts.”

“I’m fine,” I wave off. “I think the real concern is how you work multiple overnight shifts, and ones that go for ten to twelve hours, and youdon’tdrink coffee. Or any kind of caffeine. That’s really what’s concerning.”

Ainsley shrugs as she takes a sip of her water. “Just that good. You could learn a thing or two.”

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