All It Takes (Romancing Manhattan 2)
“Skydiving?” Louise asks.
“I hope not. I might have to veto that one. It’s too dangerous.”
“Do you have vetoing power?” Mom asks.
“Well, we’ve dropped the love word a few times, so I think that gives me vetoing power.”
“What?” Louise screeches and pulls me in for a hug. “You didn’t tell me!”
“Well, we’ve been busy, and what am I supposed to do? Put you two on speakerphone and say hey, just wanted to let you know that Quinn and I are throwing the love word around?”
“Yes,” they say in unison, making me giggle.
“Well, it’s no surprise to me,” Lou says as she returns to the potatoes. “He called me last week and asked me for help with designing a studio for you in his condo.”
“I’ve clearly been out of the loop,” Mom complains, and I quickly fill her in on staying with Quinn, and the new studio. “Oh, I like him a lot.”
“It was very sweet. And Lou must have been the reason he bought all the expensive supplies.”
“What? You should have those things. Your work is amazing, and it can only be better with the good stuff.”
“I do fine with what I’ve been using,” I remind her, but then decide not to argue because the more expensive paints are better.
“Well, I’m happy for you,” Mom says as she slips the veggies in the oven, along with the pork loin that went in a few hours ago. “I think it’s just fantastic that you’re working together to get the case resolved, and that you’ve fallen in love at the same time. It’s something out of a movie.”
“A really sexy movie,” Louise agrees, and we all dissolve into laughter as the guys come in from the garage.
“I’m telling you, Louis,” Uncle Patrick says, “that Corvette will never run.”
“You say that about every car I buy, and I always get it running,” Dad reminds him. Quinn is smiling as he comes into the kitchen and leans in to kiss my cheek.
“I like your dad,” he whispers, and I immediately feel more at ease. That means that Dad and Uncle Patrick were welcoming and kind. Not that I thought they’d challenge Quinn to a duel or anything, but I was expecting some kind of lecture because they love me.
I’m glad it’s going well.
“Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes,” Mom announces. “And I haven’t had a chance to chat with Quinn. Would you like to join me out in the garden?”
“I’d be delighted,” Quinn says, winks at me, and then follows my mom outside.
“He’s charming everyone,” Lou says once they’re gone and Dad and Patrick are in the living room.
“He’s a charming guy.”
“And he’s nice.”
“Yeah.”
“And hot.”
“Duh.”
“You gonna marry him?”
“He hasn’t asked me.” I turn to her now and frown. “Just because I’m having a romance doesn’t mean we’re going to get married next week.”
“You could,” she says. “I’m not saying you have to, but I’d keep this one.”
“Did you hear from London about her engagement party?”
Louise grins and pulls us each a bottle of water out of the fridge. “Changing the subject. Okay, I’ll allow it. Yes, we’ve spoken several times, and we already have a game plan in action. Thanks for the contact, by the way. This is a big one.”
“I know.” I smile smugly and take a sip of my water. “I’ve been telling you for a long time that you should be an event planner.”
“Yeah, but starting a business isn’t cheap.”
“You just inherited a whole bunch of money,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “That might be something good to invest in. Yourself.”
She bites her lip, thinking about it. “And if I fail, I lose it all.”
“If you walk into it thinking that you’re going to fail, you already have.” I link my arm through hers. “You’re talented, good with people, and you’re definitely the kind of woman who would rather work for herself than for anyone else.”
“Got me there.”
“Do it. I’ll help. I can draw up contracts for clients, and I can help with a lot of things.”
“You’d do that?”
“Of course.”
She grins, then shimmies in a circle. “Oh my God, I think I’m going to do it!”
“Do what?” Mom asks as she and Quinn walk through the back door. Quinn is smiling, but in a different way from when he came in with my dad.
He looks . . . calmer.
“Open an event planning business,” Louise says. “I’m ready to do it, and Sienna just talked me into it.”
“Well, that’s fantastic,” Mom replies. “Congratulations, darling. Now, let’s get dinner on the table.”
“That was delicious,” Quinn says when we’re all sitting on the patio together for dessert. “Now I know where Sienna gets her amazing cooking skills.”
“I liked to cook with Mom when I was a kid,” I agree with a nod and take another bite of my strawberry cake.
“Thank you, Quinn,” Mom says with a wink. It’s beautiful outside, not too hot the way it has been the past few days, so we’re taking advantage of the comfortable early evening.