Page 61 of Home Coming

Xander’s extreme confidence and workaholic nature tended to spill over into what he demanded of the clients he worked with.

But since Quinn was out—somewhere, he hadn’t said where, doing something, he hadn’t said what—she’d been so out of sorts she’d decided to try to write.

What was with all the mystery from Quinn lately anyway?

In the city he’d disappeared supposedly tocheck security. And now he was pulling a disappearing act here too.

Was he dating someone? Maybe she lived in California. They could be talking on the phone. Or video chatting. Or having phone sex…

She felt sick to her stomach at that thought.

Although maybe his having a girlfriend in his life might make his absolute rejection of her a bit easier to swallow. It hadn’t worked that way when he’d started dating Cassie though—

Her eyes flew wide as a new thought hit her. What if it was Cassie? She’d been at the reunion. They could have reignited their relationship.

More lyrics flew into her head as her feelings about Quinn and whoever he was seeing had her emotions roiling. As they spilled out, she jotted them down.

This was definitely not a love song like Josie had suggested. If anything it was more of an anti-love song.

So be it. It would pair nicely with the song about Axel’s betrayal. She probably could populate a whole album with just love sick songs. Or sick of love songs.

Tapping the eraser end of the pencil on her notebook she considered possible titles for an album of songs about one-sided love. Heartbreak. Love not returned. Then it hit her.

Unrequited.

That was the perfect name for an album by a woman who was always there but never seen. A wallflower.

Wallflower.

That would be the perfect title for a track. She’d have to google to make sure it wasn’t already taken. She was certain she wasn’t the only girl to fall for a guy who barely knew she existed. Then, once he did, put her firmly in the friend zone.

She was still writing faster than her hand could keep up, her penmanship so horrendous she could only hope she’d be able to read it later, when the front door opened.

Glancing up she realized not only was Quinn home, but it was now dark outside. Bleary eyed from staring at the page for so long, she asked, “What time is it?”

“Dinner time. I brought home wings, fries and fried pickles from the Muddy River Inn. Where’s Josie?” Quinn asked, looking around.

“She had some work to do in her room.”

“Work?” Quinn’s frown added to his look of bafflement.

“Yup.”

Meanwhile the aroma from the bag he carried was enough to have her mouth watering and tonight she wasn’t going to pretend she wasn’t hungry and really wanted a salad.

Tonight she was going to eat like she wanted to.

Quinn didn’t want her in that way. She might as well fill the hole in her love life with food. It had worked well for her before.

Getting up from the sofa, she moved toward Quinn and took the bag. “I’ll get plates and napkins.”

He followed her into the kitchen with a laugh. “You know better where stuff is than I do.”

“I make it my business to know my way around. You don’t get curves like this by being a slacker in the kitchen.” She smiled at her own self deprecating joke.

Meanwhile she didn’t miss how Quinn’s gaze had dropped down her curves and come back up.

He was probably thinking how she should be jogging with him every morning. SEALs were all about fitness and perfect bodies. His girlfriend was probably a triathlete. They probably worked out together back in California.

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