Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley Page B

been a fantastic singer, Lauren’s confidence made up for it. Quinn watched her as if studying a wild animal in its natural habitat. With each line, Lauren got into the song a bit more. And when Quinn thought about the lyrics, it became clear that the song held a greater meaning for Lauren than just the nostalgia it held for Quinn. The song was about making mistakes in life but still finding time to enjoy it.
    As Lauren strutted across the stage, spinning and whipping her brown shoulder-length hair around just as their original dance routine required them to, she sang about the pressures that parents put on their children—about how sometimes we just need to do what
feels
right even if it isn’t right at the time. After all, her mom was a nurse in Scott’s practice, and he didn’t exactly have a reputation that made him a parent’s first choice for their daughter. But ultimately they loved each other. Scott was a good guy. His past was his past, and he’d been willing to change his mentality for a future with Lauren. Lauren continued her seductive routine, running her hands up and down her body and grabbing the mic from its stand. When she got to the line about her father asking what she was going to do with her life, Lauren captured Scott’s attention completely as she slid down and back up an old wooden pillar on the side of the stage and sang, “Oh, Dr. Scott, you’ll always be number one.”
    Quinn laughed at Lauren’s ad-lib as her eyes bounced back and forth between Lauren and Scott. He fixed his emerald stare on her, his posture relaxed and a hint of desire in his eyes that he didn’t seem to be making any effort to disguise. Quinn marveled at how he appreciated Lauren. And not just physically. Around Scott, Lauren was free to be whoever she actually
was
.
    As the song ended, Lauren thanked the crowd and made her way back to the table, slipping in between the other customers’ chairs with ease. Scott gave her a kiss on the cheek and slid his arm around her again. “You’re certifiable, you know that?” he said with a smile.
    â€œOf course I know that. I’m the one with the master’s in psychology, so I believe I’m more qualified than you to make that diagnosis. Maybe I went a little overboard when I decided to lie on the piano, but in my defense, we choreographed that dance when we were in middle school. That part was where I rolled across a picnic table.” She shrugged. “I had to improvise. Plus, I was trying to prove a point to Quinn.”
    Quinn shook her head in laughter. “What point is that exactly? That we probably looked like prepubescent strippers in front of your entire family?”
    â€œDo I even want to know what this conversation is about?”
    Quinn looked up to see Tim standing above her wearing a worn gray T-shirt. He’d probably come straight from work, not even stopping to change. “You just missed quite a performance by the one and only Lauren Hastings.”
    Lauren took a long sip of her drink, clearly parched from her recent exertion. “I was
trying
,” she said, dragging out the word for emphasis, “to show Quinn how easy it is to get up there. Have a seat. You’re just in time for her debut.”
    Tim took a seat next to Quinn, looking momentarily confused by Lauren and Scott’s presence. But he didn’t bring it up. “Perfect.”
    Quinn hesitated, feeling shy. It was one thing to
watch
someone else get up and act like a fool in front of an audience. But it was another thing entirely to
be
that fool. “Give me a minute. I don’t even know what song to pick.” It was just an excuse to procrastinate, and Quinn was okay with that.
    â€œThen I’ll pick one for you,” Lauren said.
    â€œNot a chance. You’ll probably pick something super embarrassing. This’ll already be hard enough. I wouldn’t even trust you to pick out my