At Your Most Beautiful, Harper Bliss [books to get back into reading .TXT] 📗

It was soothing to hear her talk to her father. Maybe he had really meant it when he’d told Quinn he wanted her to be happy, no matter who with. Because the evidence of him being a great parent was standing right in front of Maya. Quinn was remarkable in every way, although Maya did see her through rose-tinted lenses on account of her growing feelings for her. But still. Quinn was kind, considerate, wise beyond her years, talented and utterly gorgeous. She’d also managed to speak to Beth in a disarming enough way.

Quinn turned around, her phone still glued to her ear. She mouthed something that Maya couldn’t make out. She covered her phone with her other hand, and said, “Dad wants to talk to you.”

“What?” A shot of nerves exploded in Maya’s stomach. “No. I can’t talk to Bill right now.”

“He just wants to say hi. To be polite. You know what he’s like.”

“For crying out loud. How’s it going to come across if I refuse now?” Maya asked.

“Just speak to him for a minute, Maya. It’s not as big a deal as you think it is.” Quinn thrust her phone in Maya’s direction.

Heart pounding in her throat, Maya put the phone to her ear. She tried to sound upbeat. “Hi Bill. How are you?”

“God, Maya, it’s been so long. I hear New York is treating you well? How’s Tommy and his growing family?”

That was the thing about Bill. He’d always been easy to talk to. He was the king of small talk and very skilled at making you feel at ease—something Quinn must have gotten from her dad.

Maya engaged in some innocent chitchat about Tommy and Beth and how adorable Ethan was. Bill told her about his new neighbors and that he was having them over for a barbecue the coming weekend. When the natural flow of small talk dried up, he said, “Can I ask you something serious, Maya? Something concerning my daughter?”

“Of course.” Maya braced herself for what was to come.

“Quinn is very good at acting tough. She always has been. Like nothing could ever hurt her. But I know how much damage Morgan did and I don’t think Quinn can take much more. Either way, I don’t want her to get hurt like that again. So if this is just some game to you, some… way for you to discover yourself after which you will just dispose of Quinn and thank her for services rendered … If that is the case, Maya, then please walk away now before it gets too serious. I don’t want her to suffer like that again.”

Maya didn’t know what to say. Maybe Bill’s fatherly concern was a bit over-developed. Or maybe this was his way of driving them apart. “It’s not the case, Bill,” she said after she’d gotten over the initial shock of being spoken to like that. “You take care. Bye, now.”

Maya ended the call and stared at the phone in her hand.

“What did he say?” Quinn eyed her intently.

Maya wasn’t sure she should repeat Bill’s words. Quinn worshipped her dad as much as he worshipped her. But she had to be honest. She was in a relationship with Quinn, not with her family.

“I think he’s a little concerned about my intentions toward you.”

“How so?” Quinn’s eyes narrowed.

“He basically told me to end it now if I wasn’t serious about being with you.”

“Oh, fuck.” Quinn expelled a deep sigh. “That bastard.”

“Quinn, he’s still your dad.”

“That’s right. He’s my dad, not yours. He has no right to speak to you in such a condescending manner. I truly believed he just wanted to have a chat with you, to hear your voice and get a feel for things, you know? Nothing more than that.” Quinn was pacing back and forth in anger.

“Maybe he’s just genuinely worried about you. He said that Morgan hurt you much more than you let on. He doesn’t want that for you again. In a way, it’s understandable.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to go all Tony Soprano on you.” Quinn stopped her pacing. “What’s he going to do if I do get my heart broken again? Chop off your legs?”

Maya burst into laughter. “I really can’t see Bill doing that.”

Quinn gave a slow shake of the head. “I wouldn’t put it past my mom, though.”

They shared a moment of much-needed lightness, which seemed to calm Quinn down somewhat, after which Maya had to ask. “Did Morgan really hurt you that badly?”

Quinn shook her head. “Morgan’s history.” She kissed Maya’s cheek. “It’s all about you now.”

Chapter 38

Because she wanted the element of surprise on her side, Quinn had rented a car instead of taking the train. She also hoped the drive would calm her down. Since her dad had warned Maya off on Wednesday, she hadn’t taken any of his calls, which was something she only did when she was very angry him, which had only happened once or twice before in her life, way back in her teens. This time, she was more disappointed than angry.

Even though Maya had tried to hammer it home that he was only looking out for her and that she should try to see things from a parental perspective, Quinn could only see her side of things. She wasn’t a parent and she thought it was her right to only see her own view. This included her take on Maya’s fear that Tommy would find out about them. What was it with parents and their offspring? Why couldn’t they just let things go and see what happened? As if micro-managing a child ever worked better than a relaxed, hands-off approach?

Quinn was disappointed in her father because he didn’t trust her, and it was inappropriate for him to talk to Maya the way he had. The things she wanted to say to him, she didn’t want to say over the phone. That her mother would find out about her and Maya would be collateral