He was so glad his family seemed eager to embrace Shelley being a part of both his life and theirs.
“Are you excited about moving into the cottage tomorrow?”
She’d been looking out at the water with her chin resting on her palm and a thoughtful look in her eyes. “Super excited.”
She reached for his hand just as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He knew it had to be Rich but debated letting his partner’s call go to voicemail.
“It’s okay, Quinn. Take it.”
She must have seen the struggle on his face. “Are you sure?” The phone vibrated again.
“It’s fine. We both have to live our lives, and you’ll be going back soon, so I need to get used to it. We both do.”
He hated having her get used to anything other than waking up in his arms, but she was right. “I’ll make it quick.” He answered the call on his way across the terrace.
“Quinn,” Rich said in a harried voice, “things are getting out of hand. I’ve met everything they’re offering Joseph, but he hasn’t accepted yet. He wants more responsibility, a higher position. Short of giving him one of our jobs, we’re stuck.”
“Isn’t there anything else we can offer him? He’s been with us since the inception of the business. He’s the best at what he does. He deserves more. What are they offering him that’s more than what we are?”
While Rich explained what Joseph was being offered, Quinn walked back to Shelley and settled a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. He wanted her to know he hadn’t forgotten about her.
It’s okay, she mouthed.
He blew her a kiss, then walked a few feet away to finish his call.
“I’ve got this covered for now,” Rich said, “but your presence is key here. Joseph trusts you more than he trusts anyone else.”
“Do what you can there and I’ll try to get things wrapped up here. And let me know if it looks like the lid is going to blow with either Joseph or the merger.”
By the time Quinn hung up, his mind was going a hundred miles an hour. He had faith in Rich’s ability to handle whatever came up with the business, but Rich was right when he said that Joseph’s trust and respect for Quinn was greater than his trust in anyone else. He rubbed the knot that was quickly forming in the back of his neck.
Shelley walked toward him and wrapped her arms around him. “Everything okay?”
“Some parts yes, some parts no.” But he didn’t like grumbling to her, especially when their time together was counting down way too fast. “Tell me something, Shell. When you’re away from work and you let yourself relax, if you’re not being productive, what are you doing? Do you ever feel like you’re just wasting time when you could be making more, doing more, working toward a bigger goal?”
She gave him a look so full of understanding that it made his heart turn over in his chest.
“No,” she said softly, “I don’t feel like that. But that’s because when I’m not working, when I’m not being productive or working toward a goal, I’m living. Enjoying. Exploring. Laughing. Hopefully I can do all of that when I’m working, too, but it’s so nice just to let go sometimes and be totally free to take in the joy and the beauty that’s all around us.”
He pulled her even closer, wondering how she made things seem so reasonable and easy when something as simple as taking in joy and beauty seemed easy to him only when he was with her.
“I wish I could harness your spirit and carry it with me all the time.”
She rested her head on his shoulder as they made their way down to the beach. “That’ll be hard to do from Annapolis.”
Therein lay the problem.
“Once I’m gone,” he said in a raw voice, “you might decide there are better, easier fish in the sea.”
“Yeah, you know me. Always looking for easy. Oh, and dumb, too, because a man who thinks for himself is such a bore. And…” She flashed a playful grin. “While we’re at it, how about a guy who doesn’t get me. That would make me feel right at home.”
Quinn was amazed at how she was always able to get him to laugh. “You have no idea what you’re getting into with me. I’m moody.”
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “I know that already.”
“I’m intense.”
Her eyes darkened with desire. “And I love it.”
He had to kiss her deep and long before saying, “I’ve also developed a really bad habit over the years of being married to my work. But I’m working on that.”
“What successful person isn’t married to their work to some degree? Especially if they love what they do. It seems to me that you’ve been able to fit in work and time for us over this past week. Or does that not count?”