Staying on Course (Finding our Way 2)

She rolls her eyes at me sarcastically. “Read between the lines, Devon.”

Her lip quivers as fresh tears stream down her cheeks. I hug her close and fight back my own emotions. This girl has been strong for me so many times. Memories of the first few weeks in Virginia flood my mind. She held me more times than I can count when I cried over Bryce. My heart was shattered, but she tried every day to put it back together.

As her tears soak my shirt, my blood starts to boil. How dare he?

Her sobs slow. She sniffs a few times and backs away. Her pink, splotchy cheeks hurt my heart. She finally catches her breath and rolls off the bed, going to the bathroom. I watch her splash water on her face and imagine what it would feel like to slap the shit out of Dean Todd.

Quinn turns back to me, and her once pink cheeks are now bright red. There’s fire in her eyes, sadness replaced with anger.

“You know what? Fuck him! Who does he think he is?”

Her change of attitude shocks me, so I nod to agree.

“There are two people in this relationship, and I’m not going to let him push me around.” Her voice grows louder. “You don’t treat someone you love like that. It’s bullshit. I apologized, told him the real story, and he wants a ‘break’? That asshole made me cry. I’m not a crier! You’re the crier. I’m the badass best friend!”

I nod again, afraid to say anything to disrupt her tirade.

“He’s not getting off this easy. Get ready for a road trip.” Her hands wave through the air, distracting me.

“Wait? What?” I realize what she said.

“We’re going to Atlanta. He can tell me to my face. Then I can give him a piece of my mind. He told me he loved me, and I believed it. Now, I’m going to see for myself.”

“Umm, Quinn, that doesn’t seem like a good idea. Why not give him a day or so to calm down. I’m sure he’ll realize his mistake and beg for forgiveness.”

“Nope, we’re going.” She starts to pack her computer bag. “I’ll be back to pick you up at ten am.”

“Sweetie, this could turn out really bad. This could even be a bit stalker-ish.”

Her shoulders slump, and she takes a deep breath. “I know, but I have to see him. The video is hardly a reason for us to break up. So if he’s serious, he can tell me to my face, not over the phone.”

“What happens if—?”

“If he breaks my heart, more than it is now, I’ll suck it up. I’ll walk away gracefully. Then I’ll curl into your arms and cry until there are no tears left.”

She doesn’t say anything else before leaving. I fall back onto my bed and pray this is not a mistake.

*****

Dread washes through me when we drive up to Dean’s townhouse. For the hundredth time since we left Nashville, I wish Quinn would call him instead of showing up unannounced. His garage is down, so there’s no way to tell if he’s even home. Originally, he took half a day off to spend with Quinn, but who knows if he decided to work. She practiced her speech the whole four-hour drive.

My phone dings with an incoming text, and I smile.

Bryce: For the record, I think chasing after your man is hot!

Me: I’m still hoping someone can bail us out if we get arrested for stalking.

Bryce: I had money ready, but it won’t be necessary.

Me: Why?

Bryce: Call me when you get to the hotel.

“You coming or what?” Quinn asks, opening my door.

“No, I’m the getaway driver.”

She looks at Dean’s front door then back to me, her eyes full of fear. Without words, I know what she’s saying.