trying to avoid the scene she suddenly felt rushing her way. “Of course I am. I had no idea the two of you broke up. When did that happen?” she asked, trying to show her concern.
“Oh, let’s see,” Tabitha said with a frown. “About a week after Jake announced you two were getting married.”
Her tone was accusatory and Quinn had no idea why. She looked at her, completely bewildered. She couldn’t imagine how her relationship with Jake would have any impact on Luke’s relationship with Tabitha…
Unless …Her mind started spinning, trying to weave a reasonable excuse out of nothing. Maybe Tabitha started pressuring Luke? Maybe she thought marriage should be in their future too and he didn’t agree? She found herself wondering it but there was no way she would ever ask. Not about something that personal when she really didn’t know Tabitha that well.
Instead, an uncomfortable silence spread between them . Quinn desperately found herself wishing that she’d never left her seat.
“You really don’t know, do you?” Tabitha demanded with a rude scoff. Her eyes narrowed and an unpleasant smile spread across her cheeks. She was studying Quinn intently.
“No, ” Quinn said calmly. “I don’t think I do. You seem like you’re really upset with me and I have no idea why.”
“ You don’t know that Luke has been so completely in love with…” She shook her head and pursed her lips for a moment before continuing. “Never mind. Let’s just say that no other girl has ever had a chance. I didn’t have a chance when we dated in high school. And even though you’re getting married to his brother …I still don’t stand a chance now. Let’s just say that after Jake’s big announcement Luke was beyond unbearable. When he’s miserable, it makes me miserable. I mean…yeah, he tried to hide it…But I’m not blind or stupid. I’m not going to be anyone’s second choice. Not back in high school and certainly not now.”
“ Are you implying that Luke…?” Quinn trailed off. There was no way that Tabitha meant that the way it came out. Or if she did mean it, she was very much mistaken. “Because if that’s what you think…you’re wrong. Luke and I are friends. We’ve always only ever been friends. In fact, lately, he won’t even talk to me. I don’t even remember the last time I talked to him,” Quinn admitted, hoping it would help.
“That’s because it just about kills him every time he has to hear about how happy you are with his brother, Quinn. You would’ve probably caused him less pain if you’d cut his heart out with a butter knife.” Tabitha said this as if it should be obvious. She shifted uncomfortably as she tried to cross her arms. The brown paper bag she was holding got in the way and she had to drop them again. “Dating his brother when he’s been in love with you for years? And now getting knocked up and marrying him? It was bad enough when they shared an apartment and you two would come back there together at night. Their rooms were side by side,” she said pointedly. Quinn felt her cheeks burn. “That was just cruel. Didn’t you ever wonder why he moved away? Believe me; it wasn’t because he wanted to follow me. I wish it was. But…I’m not that lucky. I’m certainly not that important to him.”
Quinn shook her head subtly, trying to form an argument. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She felt the stinging prickle of tears behind her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could blame the latest on hormones. It was nothing short of Tabitha’s accusations, cutting her deep and burning her to her core with her hatred.
Tabitha narrowed her eyes at her again. “I can’t believe you really didn’t know,” she said, almost more to herself than to Quinn. “All this time, I always thought you were stringing him along. I even told him so,” she said unapologetically. “I thought you were keeping him close but keeping your distance, too. Then toying with his
“Oh, let’s see,” Tabitha said with a frown. “About a week after Jake announced you two were getting married.”
Her tone was accusatory and Quinn had no idea why. She looked at her, completely bewildered. She couldn’t imagine how her relationship with Jake would have any impact on Luke’s relationship with Tabitha…
Unless …Her mind started spinning, trying to weave a reasonable excuse out of nothing. Maybe Tabitha started pressuring Luke? Maybe she thought marriage should be in their future too and he didn’t agree? She found herself wondering it but there was no way she would ever ask. Not about something that personal when she really didn’t know Tabitha that well.
Instead, an uncomfortable silence spread between them . Quinn desperately found herself wishing that she’d never left her seat.
“You really don’t know, do you?” Tabitha demanded with a rude scoff. Her eyes narrowed and an unpleasant smile spread across her cheeks. She was studying Quinn intently.
“No, ” Quinn said calmly. “I don’t think I do. You seem like you’re really upset with me and I have no idea why.”
“ You don’t know that Luke has been so completely in love with…” She shook her head and pursed her lips for a moment before continuing. “Never mind. Let’s just say that no other girl has ever had a chance. I didn’t have a chance when we dated in high school. And even though you’re getting married to his brother …I still don’t stand a chance now. Let’s just say that after Jake’s big announcement Luke was beyond unbearable. When he’s miserable, it makes me miserable. I mean…yeah, he tried to hide it…But I’m not blind or stupid. I’m not going to be anyone’s second choice. Not back in high school and certainly not now.”
“ Are you implying that Luke…?” Quinn trailed off. There was no way that Tabitha meant that the way it came out. Or if she did mean it, she was very much mistaken. “Because if that’s what you think…you’re wrong. Luke and I are friends. We’ve always only ever been friends. In fact, lately, he won’t even talk to me. I don’t even remember the last time I talked to him,” Quinn admitted, hoping it would help.
“That’s because it just about kills him every time he has to hear about how happy you are with his brother, Quinn. You would’ve probably caused him less pain if you’d cut his heart out with a butter knife.” Tabitha said this as if it should be obvious. She shifted uncomfortably as she tried to cross her arms. The brown paper bag she was holding got in the way and she had to drop them again. “Dating his brother when he’s been in love with you for years? And now getting knocked up and marrying him? It was bad enough when they shared an apartment and you two would come back there together at night. Their rooms were side by side,” she said pointedly. Quinn felt her cheeks burn. “That was just cruel. Didn’t you ever wonder why he moved away? Believe me; it wasn’t because he wanted to follow me. I wish it was. But…I’m not that lucky. I’m certainly not that important to him.”
Quinn shook her head subtly, trying to form an argument. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She felt the stinging prickle of tears behind her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could blame the latest on hormones. It was nothing short of Tabitha’s accusations, cutting her deep and burning her to her core with her hatred.
Tabitha narrowed her eyes at her again. “I can’t believe you really didn’t know,” she said, almost more to herself than to Quinn. “All this time, I always thought you were stringing him along. I even told him so,” she said unapologetically. “I thought you were keeping him close but keeping your distance, too. Then toying with his
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