Page 85 of No Turning Back
She purses her lips, cocking her hip like a pro. “I’m too cute to have chores.”
I round the corner, scoop her up, and throw her over my shoulder like a sack of flour. “Your cute butt is gonna help me mend the fence.”
She kicks and screams “Nooooo!” the whole way out the door while I laugh like a maniac.
Of course, there’s no fence that needs mending. Aaron, Alex, and Jackson are tossing a ball in the yard near the back steps with Blue dancing between them, chasing whoever has the ball. Quinn and Kate lounge under umbrellas, sipping wine like supervisors on break.
Kate’s husband, Aiden, couldn’t make it and I’ll admit, I’m glad. With Mike visiting Chicago, the two of us would’ve just sat in silence, and I’ll never admit that to Quinn.
I wonder if this is what Quinn imagined when she said she wanted a big family because standing here now, it’s pretty damn great. Kids running wild in the yard, Quinn laughing under the umbrella, Blue yapping with happiness… it feels full in a way I didn’t think I’d ever have again.
When Kate offers to take the kids overnight, that’s when my plan begins. I owe her big for that one.
After they leave, I’m gonna take Quinn on a walk. Nothing fancy, nothing staged. Just us. And then, right against the backdrop of sunset, I’m gonna drop to one knee.
Quinn hates public, elaborate proposals spotlights, speeches, all that showy stuff. She deserves something quiet, something honest. Just me and her, the way we’ve built this thing between us.
The afternoon rolls into evening, laughter and noise filling every corner of the place. The kids burn themselves out with games, Fleur finally collapsing in a heap beside Aaron while Alex and Jackson argue good-naturedly over who actually caught the last throw. Kate is in her element, sipping wine and keeping a hawk’s eye on all of them, and I can’t help thinking again how damn lucky we are to have her here.
When she gathers her things and ushers the kids along, Fleur groans but doesn’t fight it, too worn out to make a scene. Aaron mutters something about being too old for sleepovers but even he looks secretly pleased to tag along. Kate winks at me as she rounds up the kids, and the dog, a quiet reminder of the favour she’s doing. I give her a nod that meansI owe you.
The yard quiets fast once they’re gone. The house feels bigger, emptier, and it’s just Quinn and me under the soft stretch of the evening light.
I step over, brushing my hand against hers. “Come on. Let’s take a walk.”
She leans back in her chair, sighing. “I’m too tired, Sam.”
I squeeze her hand gently, not letting go. “Just for a few minutes.”
Her eyes narrow, reading me like she always does. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I say, but it comes out too quick. I tug her hand, coaxing her up. “C’mon, let’s head to bed.”
We head inside. Quinn goes upstairs while I lock up, the house settling into that quiet creak it only gets at night. My hand finds the box in my pocket, thumb brushing over the velvet. I could propose in bed, that’d be fine. I’ll just get her naked, then drop to a knee. Yeah. And if she says no… I’ll distract her.
She won’t say no. God, it never even occurred to me that she might. I mean, she already been married once, sure, and we’ve talked about marriage.
But, what if it’s too soon?
“Sam?” Her voice drifts down the stairs.
“Yeah?” I call back, flicking off the kitchen light.
She rounds the corner, damp skin glowing, drowning in one of my shirts. My brain stalls.
“What’s taking so long?” she asks.
“Oh, uh… just got lost in thought.” I start to move past her, but she steps right into my way.
Her eyes narrow, sharp and knowing. “Okay. What’s going on? You’ve been acting weird.”
Her eyes search mine, steady and unblinking. “Is it about money? Because I told you, I can set up a fund for the ranch expenses. You don’t have to carry all that weight alone.”
“What? No… no, it’s not that,” I say too fast, shaking my head.
She folds her arms, tilting her head like she’s diagnosing me. “Then what is it? You’ve been twitchy all day. You keep zoning out. Sam, talk to me.”
My fingers twitch against the box in my pocket, and for a second, I swear she can hear the pounding of my heart. I force a grin, weak and crooked. “I’m fine. Just… a lot on my mind.”
