Warm Nights in Magnolia Bay, Babette Jongh [book club books txt] 📗

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I’ve been talking with Reva and Mack, and together we’ve come up with a solution that we think the city council will vote yes on. I talked to the mayor this morning, but I don’t know if he’ll agree. We’ll have to make our case to the council before he’ll decide. I wish I knew something more to do, but—”

Abby leaned forward and kissed him, effectively shutting him up. “Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together.”

* * *

Quinn drove Reva’s car to pick Reva up at the airport. On the way, he told Abby about his plan to save Bayside Barn.

“Quinn,” she protested, “you can’t do that. You can’t give away all your assets. You’ll be left without any working capital to build the construction business you wanted.”

“Yeah, but I’m almost making enough to live on with the cabinetry work I’ve been doing, and I’ll be getting paid to complete the renovation for the shelter. Besides, maybe I don’t want to be a contractor anymore anyway. The only thing is…” He let his voice trail away. He didn’t know how to say that next part.

“The only thing is…?” Abby prompted.

He glanced at her, then trained his eyes on the road. “I won’t be making a lot of money. I won’t be able to offer you a big fine house or an unlimited credit card account or—”

“Whoa.” Abby turned, her back against the car window, her knees angled toward him on the seat. “Quinn, what are you talking about?”

He gripped the steering wheel as if the car was about to spin out of control. “I want us to be together.” He squeezed the steering wheel even tighter. “I want to make a life with you. I just don’t have much to offer you right now.”

Abby loosened her seat belt and scooted as close as the console would allow, then leaned her head on his shoulder, both her hands wrapped around his bicep. “I don’t care about all that. I’d like to be with you, too. It doesn’t matter to me where we live or how much we have. I can get a job, too, once Reva is back home to take care of the farm. We’ll build our future together. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. There’s only one problem I can see.”

He felt his whole body tense up. “What’s that?”

“You haven’t told me yet that you love me.”

He jerked back in surprise. “Of course I have. A few times, I’m sure.”

She shook her head. “Nope. You’ve never said it out loud. Neither have I, by the way; I didn’t want to say it first and put you in the awkward position of having to respond.”

He squeezed her clasped hands against his side. “I love you, Abby.”

She squeezed his bicep and snuggled closer. “I love you, too, Quinn.”

* * *

Reva’s suitcase weaseled behind her in a zigzagging motion. One of the wheel’s housings had cracked, so the wonky wheel whirled and spun on the polished marble floor of the airport’s baggage claim, knocking the suitcase off-kilter on an irritatingly regular basis. She felt the phone in her purse buzz with an incoming text, but ignored it until she had dragged the suitcase outside.

Standing at the curb, she read the text from Abby: We’re parked in the cell phone lot. Let us know when you’ve got your bags and we’ll get in the pickup lane.

She texted back: I’m here.

When she saw her car inching along the curb some distance away, she stepped off the curb—just barely—and waved to get Abby’s attention. A car going past blared its horn, and someone gripped Reva’s arm firmly from behind. She stepped back onto the curb and looked way up to meet the man’s gaze. “You,” she said, feeling her voice soften. It was the tall, good-looking man who had saved her from the escalator in the Miami airport. “You must be some sort of guardian angel or something.”

He grinned. “Nope. Just spend a lot of time at airports. A long-distance love affair will do that to you.”

“I remember. Your girlfriend was flying into Miami before. And now…?”

“She’s coming to New Orleans for a conference, and I took time off work to be with her. I just parked the rental car, and now I’m headed to baggage claim to meet her.”

“Young love,” Reva sighed. She remembered Grayson and her being that way, spending every available moment together. Getting out in the world always reminded her of how much she missed him. “Don’t ever take it for granted. Don’t take her for granted.”

“I won’t, believe me.” The young man winked, reminding her so much of Grayson that it took her breath. “Whenever she needs me, I’ll find a way to be there.”

Another horn honked… Abby this time—or, rather, Quinn. He was driving Reva’s car and Abby sat in the passenger seat. Quinn parked at the curb and popped the trunk. In the whirlwind way of curbside pickups, he grabbed Reva’s suitcase and put it in the car while Abby hopped out to give Reva a quick hug. Quinn slammed the trunk and came around to open the doors for her and Abby. “I feel like I know you already,” he said, taking Reva’s hand. “Abby has told me so much about you. So has Mack.”

She pulled him into a hug. “I’m so happy to meet you, Quinn. I’m looking forward to meeting your son, too. Abby has spoken fondly of you both.”

The introductions took no more than a minute, but by the time she turned around to introduce her tall, handsome friend to Abby and Quinn, he had already melted away into the crowd.

On the drive back to the farm, Reva sat in the back seat and napped. And she was glad she’d taken that opportunity to rest up, because Abby had planned a big welcome-home dinner for Reva at the farm. All the barn’s volunteers were already there