Beautiful Things Never Last (12 page)

 
 
 
 
“That’s fine. But you should know when ordering,
that
I’m a strict vegetarian.”

 
 
 
 
Quinn’s smile transform
ed
into tightly pursed lips and her brow furrow
ed
. “Wait, seriously?”

 
 
 
 
“No way, are you kidding? Bacon and I have a
very
deep
love affair going.”

 
 
 
 
“Oh thank god. That right there would’ve been a deal breaker for sure,” she sa
id
with a laugh. “Wait, I mean, not like
 
this
 
is anything…”

 
 
 
 
I
nodded.
“Right.”

 
 
 
 
Quinn picked
up one of the menus again and star
ed
down at it.

“At least not yet. I give it a week,” I
said.

 
 
 
 
“A week before what?” she ask
ed.

 
 
 
 
“A week before you’re begging me to go out with you,” I sa
id
. I link
ed
my fingers behind my head and lean
ed
back in my chair
. I was hoping that
the arrogant smirk on my face
would camouflage
my nervousness.

 
 
 
 
“Is that right?” She raised one eyebrow and grinned.

 
 
 
 
“I’m counting on it.”

 
 
 
 
“You’ve got your work cut out for you then, I’m sort of an emotional cripple,” she sa
id. Hurt flashed
across her eyes,
before the forced smile masked it.
And I knew in that second that I wanted to know her more. I wanted to know where that flash of pain came from, and how to take it away. I wanted to make it better. In that brief moment of vulnerability, I knew she was a girl I could love. That I wanted to love, and I held my breath waiting to see what she’d say next, because I wasn’t sure I had words.

 
 
 
 
The waiter, M-A-Double-X, according to his nametag, ha
d
perfect timing, and I motion
ed
for Quinn to go ahead with her order.

 
 
 
 
“Okay, I’m gonna have
the Spanish Fly Burger,” she said.
I raise
d a curious
eyebrow at the name. What the hell ha
d
I gotten myself into?

 
 
 
 
“What can I get you?” Maxx asked me, but his eyes were
still locked on Quinn’s.

 
 
 
 
“He’ll have the Double Bypass Burger,” Quinn interject
ed
.

 
 
 
 
Maxx m
ade
a mental note of it, smile
d
at Quinn once more
,
and walk
ed
away.

 
 
 
 
“Double Bypass? Seriously?”

 
 
 
 
Quinn nod
ded
with a wicked grin.
 
“Seriously.”

 
 
 
 
“My great-aunt just di
ed during heart surgery,” I said.

 
 
 
 
Quinn eyes grew wide and she chomped
down o
n her straws. Two of them
. “
Crap—
”

 
 
 
 
“I’m ki
dding. Lighten up, woman,” I said
as I
crack
ed
a smile.

 
 
 
 
Quinn reached across the table and swatted
at my arm. “You’re an ass!”

 
 
 
 
“I’ve been called worse once or twice.”

 
 
 
 
The Double Bypass Burger, it turn
ed out, was
loaded with more cheese, fried eggs and baco
n than a breakfast buffet, and was
served between two grilled cheese sandwic
hes in place of hamburger buns, and
I ate until I wasn’t sure how I was going to dislodge myself from the tiny metal chair and cram myself back into Quinn’s tiny car.

 
 
 
 
“So, thank you for lunch,” she sa
id
. She pull
ed
her car into the space next to mine back in the school parking lot.

 
 
 
 
“Absolutely. Hey, if you don’t have pla
ns tomorrow, we can do it again—
”

 
 
 
 
She check
ed her watch and cut
me off. “Crap! Carter! I’m sorry, I completely forgot, I’ve got to go!”

 
 
 
 
I reached
for the door handle, suddenly unable to remove myself from her car fast enough. “Oh, okay.”

 
 
 
 
Carter? I should’ve known we were in the friend zone, but for some reason, I failed to pick up on that vibe back at the restaurant.

 
 
 
 
“My brother, Carter, I’m supposed to meet him at the airport. He’s in from Stanford.”

 
 
 
 
“Gotcha,” I sa
id, and m
y relief
was
palpable.

 
 
 
 
“But really, I’d like to hang out again, I had a great time.”

 
 
 
 
“Even for an emotional cripple?”

 
 
 
 
She smirk
ed
shyly, and I s
aw
a whole different side of her in that single expression.
I
changed
my mind from back at the restaurant—this was t
he
face
I would have done anything to get to know more of.