Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to run with it like she'd hoped he would. He dreaded calling her to tell her the trip was destined for failure, especially after he'd mentioned Josh earlier.
Chapter 8
----
The next morning, Quinn went out of his way to avoid everyone. He dawdled over showering and dressing in his swim trunks and a T-shirt. Then he skipped breakfast and boarded the shuttle at the last possible moment. He considered hiding out at the hotel rather than suffering through a day at the water park, but the thought of Stephanie's disappointment in him spurred him into going.
Without even attempting to spot Josh, Quinn sat in the front seat of the bus. Lyle, who sat next to Ray in the seat behind Quinn, leaned forward. "Josh was looking for you yesterday."
"He was?" Quinn frowned, surprised and a little confused. He'd figured the man would barely notice he'd left.
Ray nodded, his expression disapproving. "He looked for you for quite a while. I think he was pretty upset that you left without telling him."
Lyle chimed in. "Yeah, and he went back to the hotel to find you. I guess he never did."
"No. He never did."
Quinn thought of the sound he'd heard last night. He'd thought it was a knock. It might have been Josh, looking for him. The hope he'd been so determined to crush rose again, greater than before. Josh had looked for him, and been upset he'd left. If he hadn't ruined everything by running away, he might have a chance after all. He decided to risk letting Lyle and Ray in on part of his dilemma.
"I guess I shouldn't have left yesterday, at least not without telling him. Damien showed up and started talking to him, and then Clay showed up, and I kind of felt like I shouldn't be there."
"Damien is a jerk. Josh isn't looking for a guy like that." Ray scowled. His bald head, tattoos, and fierce frown would have made him look pretty intimidating if Quinn hadn't been bigger than him, and hadn't known what a nice guy he really was.
Lyle smiled and put a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "I know it's hard, being shy. I've dealt with the same problem all my life. You've got to put yourself out there, though, no matter how hard it is. You know that saying about regretting the things you don't do more than the things you do."
Lyle was right. Quinn had to start taking chances if he ever wanted to be happy. He'd spent a great deal of his life regretting things he hadn't done or said. Sure, he'd sometimes regretted things he had done or said, but not nearly as often. If he let Josh slip away because he hadn't tried, he would feel terrible about it. He shouldn't listen to what Damien had to say. The man liked to put others down, like Quinn's father and some other people he'd met over the years. He'd spent far too long letting people like that control his behavior. Besides, Ray and Lyle both seemed confident that Josh had some interest in him.
He smiled at both men. "You guys are right. I messed up yesterday, but I'm not going to let Damien chase me off today."
Ray clapped him on the back. "Good for you, man."
He faced the front again, unable to stop smiling. Now that he'd decided to stand his ground and take a risk or two, he felt better about the day. The only thing he needed was a plan.
* * * *
The short ride to the water park gave Quinn plenty of time to decide what to do. He sneaked a few glances toward the back of the bus and spotted Josh sitting in the farthest row again, between Art and Damien. Unlike yesterday, he wasn't smiling. His mouth had a distinct downward cast to it, and his eyes were distant. When Damien spoke to him and leaned into his side, he leaned away.
Quinn quickly turned his gaze to the front again, not wanting to be caught staring. What he'd seen added more credibility to what Ray and Lyle had told him. It looked like Josh might find Damien as annoying as he did.
His best bet would be to talk to Josh right away. If Damien insisted on tagging along, he would do his best to ignore the man
Chapter 8
----
The next morning, Quinn went out of his way to avoid everyone. He dawdled over showering and dressing in his swim trunks and a T-shirt. Then he skipped breakfast and boarded the shuttle at the last possible moment. He considered hiding out at the hotel rather than suffering through a day at the water park, but the thought of Stephanie's disappointment in him spurred him into going.
Without even attempting to spot Josh, Quinn sat in the front seat of the bus. Lyle, who sat next to Ray in the seat behind Quinn, leaned forward. "Josh was looking for you yesterday."
"He was?" Quinn frowned, surprised and a little confused. He'd figured the man would barely notice he'd left.
Ray nodded, his expression disapproving. "He looked for you for quite a while. I think he was pretty upset that you left without telling him."
Lyle chimed in. "Yeah, and he went back to the hotel to find you. I guess he never did."
"No. He never did."
Quinn thought of the sound he'd heard last night. He'd thought it was a knock. It might have been Josh, looking for him. The hope he'd been so determined to crush rose again, greater than before. Josh had looked for him, and been upset he'd left. If he hadn't ruined everything by running away, he might have a chance after all. He decided to risk letting Lyle and Ray in on part of his dilemma.
"I guess I shouldn't have left yesterday, at least not without telling him. Damien showed up and started talking to him, and then Clay showed up, and I kind of felt like I shouldn't be there."
"Damien is a jerk. Josh isn't looking for a guy like that." Ray scowled. His bald head, tattoos, and fierce frown would have made him look pretty intimidating if Quinn hadn't been bigger than him, and hadn't known what a nice guy he really was.
Lyle smiled and put a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "I know it's hard, being shy. I've dealt with the same problem all my life. You've got to put yourself out there, though, no matter how hard it is. You know that saying about regretting the things you don't do more than the things you do."
Lyle was right. Quinn had to start taking chances if he ever wanted to be happy. He'd spent a great deal of his life regretting things he hadn't done or said. Sure, he'd sometimes regretted things he had done or said, but not nearly as often. If he let Josh slip away because he hadn't tried, he would feel terrible about it. He shouldn't listen to what Damien had to say. The man liked to put others down, like Quinn's father and some other people he'd met over the years. He'd spent far too long letting people like that control his behavior. Besides, Ray and Lyle both seemed confident that Josh had some interest in him.
He smiled at both men. "You guys are right. I messed up yesterday, but I'm not going to let Damien chase me off today."
Ray clapped him on the back. "Good for you, man."
He faced the front again, unable to stop smiling. Now that he'd decided to stand his ground and take a risk or two, he felt better about the day. The only thing he needed was a plan.
* * * *
The short ride to the water park gave Quinn plenty of time to decide what to do. He sneaked a few glances toward the back of the bus and spotted Josh sitting in the farthest row again, between Art and Damien. Unlike yesterday, he wasn't smiling. His mouth had a distinct downward cast to it, and his eyes were distant. When Damien spoke to him and leaned into his side, he leaned away.
Quinn quickly turned his gaze to the front again, not wanting to be caught staring. What he'd seen added more credibility to what Ray and Lyle had told him. It looked like Josh might find Damien as annoying as he did.
His best bet would be to talk to Josh right away. If Damien insisted on tagging along, he would do his best to ignore the man
Similar Books
