Christ, she was killing me. She was so genuine about her grief that some protective instinct reared up from deep within me, having been buried in darkness since I lost Addy. It was right then that I wanted nothing more than to give her what she needed. And what she needed most was a friend. In the back of my mind I questioned why she didn't go to Eliza with everything that was hurting her, but the knowledge that I was the only one she felt comfortable turning to felt way too fucking good. I could push my own insecurities, my own demons, back in order to provide her with that.
"Lilly," I cut in, stopping her mid-rant, "I'd love to be your friend."
Her eyes went wide with shock. "Wait. What?"
I grinned down at her because she was too fucking cute. "I said I want to be your friend."
She bit into that plump bottom lip of hers and my blood started to roar. "Really?"
Friends, friends, friends, I chanted to myself. She needs a friend, asshole, and you need to get your goddamned head straight. I took a step closer, lowering my voice so the sincerity of my words would shine through. "Really."
I barely had a chance to get the word out before she launched herself at me and squeezed my neck tighter than I thought someone her size was capable of. "Thank you."
Those two heartfelt, whispered words made my stomach clench at the same time feeling her pressed against me made my skin tingle. Slowly, cautiously, I put my arms around her and returned the hug as she continued to whisper.
"I know I probably seem crazy right now, but that means a lot, Quinn. I really need a friend right now."
My arms clenched at that declaration. "You need me, I'm here. Any time."
Lilly sniffled and pulled away, rubbing the back of her hand across her cheek and alerting me to the relieved tears she'd just shed. "I should go," she said, only this time there was no awkwardness, no uncertainty. She was leaving with a smile on her face. A smile that I managed to somehow put there. That knowledge made me feel unbelievably fucking fantastic. "I'll see you at Sophia's next class."
"See you then." I lifted my hand and waved as she climbed in the car, started it up, and backed out of the space.
Friends. I could do that.
Or at least I hoped like hell that I could.
Lilly
I WAS STANDING in the café downstairs, having just ordered my first coffee of the morning, when I heard the terrifying sound.
"Ms. Lilly! Ms. Lilly! Ms. Lilly!"
I spun around from the counter at Sinful Sweets with my heart in my throat at the sound of Sophia's screams. The first thought that popped into my head was that she was hurt, the second one was that she was dying. There was no reason for a child to scream like that unless it was a life-or-death situation.
That was, until I heard Quinn's deep, familiar voice following right after. "Jesus Christ, Sophia. What have I told you about screaming like that?"
"Sorry. I got excited."
My wide-eyed gaze finally landed on the two of them, just coming through the door to the café. Sophia looked chastised, but not hurt, thank God, but that didn't mean she hadn't just taken years off my life.
"Good Lord," I breathed, putting my hand to my chest to prevent my heart from bursting through. "I thought she was really hurt. I almost had a heart attack."
Quinn rubbed a hand over his face, and my eyes instantly focused in on the sexy blond stubble that covered his square jaw. "I'm really sorry about that," he said, looking around the café in embarrassment. He put his hand on Sophia's head and ruffled her hair. "We're working on our inside voice … but it's slow going. Believe me, she's taken years off my life with that scream of hers."
I giggled as I looked down at an unapologetic Sophia. "I bet."
"Sorry for scarin' you, Ms. Lilly," she stated, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. "But I saw you through the window and wanted to invite you to my birthday party!"
I turned my smile on Quinn. It had been two weeks since we agreed to be friends, and in that time, things had been great. It really was nice to have someone around to help take my mind off things. With our work schedules we didn't see each other regularly, but we did text. And on the days he dropped off and picked up Sophia for dance class, he always hung around to chat for a while. It was nice. That connection I felt was still there, just as strong as before, but I had a friend in Quinn so I wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize that. We were slowly getting to know each other. He was giving me exactly what I needed during a difficult time in my life, and I was eternally grateful for that.