The Christmas Tree Guy (21 page)

“Mom, I didn’t tell you because I knew what you were going to say. Okay, maybe I rushed things with Lexie in the past and I know I have opportunities presenting themselves. I get it. You want the best for me, but Sydnee is what’s best for me. She’s amazing.” He stood and walked over to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator. The events of his last relationship’s tragic demise flashed in his head and he gripped the bottle tighter.

“Well, what do you expect me to do?” She sighed. “Honey, you are doing well. Why would you complicate your life right now?”

“Mom, you don’t know her like I do.” He looked at Janae, hoping she could understand how he felt. “She’s different.” He didn’t know what else to do. Right now his hands were tied. The only thing he could do was call Sydnee and he was pretty sure she wasn’t going to answer the phone.

“Quinn, I just want you to be careful. Take things slowly and make a decision that’s good for your future. Honey, please. Don’t rush this.”

Hanging his head, he looked at the bottle of water in his hands. “Well, with the way things just went, I may not have a choice in the matter.”

###

“So wait a minute, his mother has a key to his condo, drops by arbitrarily and she caught your naked ass in his kitchen?” Sara laughed, sitting at Sydnee’s counter across from her. After Sydnee picked up the boys from Leanne’s she brought them home, and while they played in their playroom, she called Sara, who promptly came to the house. “What the hell?”

“Sara, it’s not funny. And I had on his t-shirt.” Sydnee had never been so mortified in her life. It was bad enough she was dating a guy eight years her junior, but to be caught half-dressed in his house by his mother was the most embarrassing thing she’d ever experienced. She felt so stupid. She had the feeling things were too perfect between them and now she had found the flaw.

“Oh, Syd, come on. It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. Sara, if I’m so special to him, why didn’t he tell his mom about me? He claims he tells her everything.” Sydnee threw the dishtowel she was using to wipe down the counter with into the sink.
How could I be so stupid?

“Okay, Syd, wait. Look, I’m sure he has a reason why he didn’t tell her. And truth be told, you haven’t quite told your mother about him. So…” Sydnee crossed her arms and her stony glare caused Sara’s smile to wilt.

“Sara, I haven’t told my mother about him for a reason.”

“And you think he didn’t have a reason not to tell his mom? C’mon, Syd. You are eight years older than him, a single mom, and black. That’s three right there,” Sara said counting the reasons on her fingers, and then sat back in the chair.

“Sara, this is getting too real. Do you know I was this close,” she said putting her thumb and forefinger only an inch apart in front of her, “to letting him meet the boys. I—I was starting to trust him.” Sydnee backed up to lean against the sink and she hung her head. Her insides twisted thinking about how she’d started to trust a man again, letting him into her semi-fragile heart, and how it didn’t take long for him to shatter it. She felt almost as horrible as she had when Matt betrayed her, and now Quinn had done the same.

“Syd, I’m so sorry. I hate that I even encouraged you go out with him. I feel kinda responsible.” Sara frowned and Sydnee shook her head.

“Sara, it’s not your fault. I should have trusted my instincts.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

Breathing deeply, Sydnee looked up to meet Sara’s comforting stare. “The only thing I can. Try and forget any of this happened and move on.” It was going to be a whole lot easier said than done. In the short amount of time they’d known one another, Quinn had taken up residence in her soul and she was not sure how to exorcise him.

“So, Aunt J caught you guys huh?” JJ laughed, lounging on Quinn’s couch and trying his best to keep his cousin from destroying his team of soldiers as they played video games.

“She didn’t catch us in the middle of anything if that’s what you’re asking.” Quinn rolled his eyes and took out another of JJ’s team members. Of course, if she had come a few minutes later than she did, his mother would have definitely caught them in a compromising position. He was so highly attracted to Sydnee and it was hard for him to keep his hands off of her. She was not only beautiful to look at, but her entire being was beautiful and he just wanted to capture as much of her as he possibly could every time he saw her. “But I definitely gotta get that key back.” Quinn hadn’t thought anything about it. His mom had had the key for a while. Over a year ago, when he fractured his ankle, she used his extra key to bring things by. He just never thought to ask for it back. Usually, she knew if he was dating someone, so she would call before coming by. Since he didn’t tell her about Sydnee, she was still under the assumption he wasn’t seeing anyone.
Epic fail again, Quinn.
Now, he knew he had to get that key. Especially if Sydnee gave him another chance. He didn’t want another episode like the one they just had.

“Oh, to be a fly on your wall!” JJ continued laughing and Quinn looked over and punched him in the arm before taking out another of his team. “Hey, okay. Quit it.” JJ shrugged him off, turning his attention back to his wilting status on the screen. “So, what’s up with the UK position?”

“Interview went fine, but I’m not really feeling it.” Quinn said, his eyes still trained on the TV. He had so many things to think about. His job as a trainer was providing him with chances to work with a variety of people. Anyone from stay-at-home moms trying to regain their figures after having babies to college athletes, and some ex-pro athletes. He was definitely results driven and word spread quickly about his abilities. He had a busy schedule and his client list was expanding, and with it, more people were reaching out to him about working for them. He’d been contacted by a few colleges and other gyms. “How did you know about UK anyway?”

“Aunt J told mom,” JJ answered, distracted by what was taking place on the screen, as Quinn shook his head. “Along with your interrupted rendezvous.” Their family was not one for keeping any kind of secrets; if one person knew something, the whole family would know soon enough. “Word travels quickly in the Masters family.”

“Don’t I know it.” He knew his family was close, and anything that ever went on with him or JJ or any of their other cousins was usually fodder for his mother and aunts and uncles.

“Are you still seeing her?”

“Right now, she won’t even talk to me.” Quinn had called Sydnee every day since his mom made her surprise visit. He knew she was upset with him. Hell, she had every reason to be. He hadn’t told his mother about her and she was nearly naked when his mom walked in on them. If he could only get her to talk to him then he could explain everything.

“Well, then I guess you have to make her.”

“And what do you suggest, Dr. Phil?” Quinn mocked JJ as they continued to play.

“Look, there are a few places you know she’s going to be. Work, home, the gym. Corner her there. She has to talk to you then.” JJ grinned as he felled one of Quinn’s soldiers.

“JJ, I can’t go to her house. That’s out of the question. She hasn’t let me officially meet her kids and I’m not about to mess that up even more. Not really a good idea to corner her at work either. Kinda stalker-ish. But you may have an idea. She and her friend, Sara, work out at the gym, so maybe I can get her to get through to Syd.” Just then Quinn took out JJ’s last soldier and he won for the fifth straight game. “Thanks, JJ. Great idea. Now, pay up.” Quinn stood, beating his chest and grinning from ear to ear.

JJ threw the controller down and swore, cutting his eyes at his cousin as he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. “Exactly why do I even keep playing you?”

“Cause you need somebody to keep you honest.”

“So, what happens if you get some awesome job offer somewhere else?” JJ asked, slapping the money into Quinn’s outstretched hand. He huffed and stood to stroll into the kitchen to pull a bottle of water from Quinn’s refrigerator before leaning on the counter. “You know, the dream job in the NBA or NFL?”

“That hasn’t happened.”

“I’m just saying. It could. You have already gotten a call from UK. What if the NFL calls and it’s an offer you can’t refuse? What would you do?” Quinn had thought about it. But, he wasn’t expecting anything like that. He had resigned himself to being content at home around his family and working at the gym. And since he was seeing Sydnee, he wasn’t thinking of anything but being with her.

“I don’t know. I like being here.”

“Yeah, but man, if you got some great offer, you’d have to go. I know Texas wasn’t the best situation for you, but I can’t see you turning down something like that.” Quinn knew JJ was referring to the job he had before. He had taken a position in Texas right after he completed his masters. It was with a semi-pro football team and he and his girlfriend, Lexie, decided to move in together. His parents thought he was moving too fast, but he was so enamored with her, he had proposed. Things had gone terribly wrong between the two from there, and he ended up moving home and taking the job at Fahrenheit.

“JJ, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now, I just want to focus on getting Sydnee back if I can.” He walked over and took a seat in one of the barstools, thinking about her and wondering if JJ’s suggestion would actually work for him.

“Let me ask you something.” JJ paused, looking at Quinn cautiously. “Are you turning down these offers because of her?”

“What?”

“You heard me. You’ve had some great interviews and a few awesome offers, yet, you haven’t taken any of them. They either aren’t what you thought they would be, or as you say, ‘you aren’t feeling them.’ What’s really going on, Q?”

Quinn looked at his cousin. He wanted to tell JJ he didn’t know what he was talking about, but unfortunately he couldn’t, because he was right. Yes, there were a few opportunities he’d passed up just because he wasn’t interested, and there were a few he considered, but didn’t take because he wasn’t sure what it would do to him and Sydnee. His last opportunity in Texas had been the downfall of his last relationship and he was sure he did not want to go through that again. “Nothing’s going on, JJ. I’m just trying to make sure I make the right decision. In the meantime, I have to get Sydnee to talk to me.”

“Yeah, okay. Well, if she means that much to you, then my friend, you’ll just have to take my advice and stalk her like I said.”

“JJ, sometimes you have an uncanny ability to present yourself as almost normal.” Quinn said, putting his forefinger and thumb about an inch apart as he laughed. “Again, missed it by that much.”

###

“Quinn, I’d really like to help you, but Syd is my girl. If she doesn’t want to talk to you, she doesn’t want to talk to you,” Sara said, heading for the locker room to change clothes.

“Look, I get it, all right. I messed up. But, she means a lot to me and I just want the chance to explain what happened. Please, I really need your help.” Quinn decided he had to take a chance and take JJ’s advice.
God help him
. JJ wasn’t the best to listen to for advice, especially concerning relationships, but at this point, he didn’t have much more to lose. He felt pretty stalker-ish waiting in the lobby for Sara to arrive, but he had no choice. If he could get her on his side, then he possibly had a chance of getting close to Sydnee. It had to work. It was his last and only hope.

“If she truly meant something to you, you would have told your mom about her.”

“You think I haven’t already beaten myself up about this? I have. Please. Just this one favor and I will never ask for anything else.” He looked at her with the most helpless eyes he could muster.

Sara stopped and sighed. She crossed her arms and stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before she spoke up. “You are going to get me in so much trouble with her.” Quinn’s lips curved upward knowing he was wearing Sara down as she held up her slender finger. “You better be glad you’re cute. And stop grinning at me. Syd told me about that dangerous dimple of yours.”

“You’ll help me?”

“Look, I’m not promising anything and I am
definitely
not about to mess up my vibe going into my workout. So I’ll stall her in the parking lot, but you are on your own after that.”

“Thanks Sara. I owe you big.” Quinn offered, knowing he only had a sliver of time to get Sydnee to listen to him. He just needed a few minutes. At least, he hoped that was all he needed. He also knew he had to be totally honest with her, which could make their situation worse, but he had to do something. It was tearing his heart apart not talking to Sydnee or hearing her voice on a daily basis. It was like his whole world had tilted and was spinning in the opposite direction of normality. He couldn’t concentrate. He could only think of her and didn’t want to imagine his life without her in it.

“You better believe you do.” She called out as he backed away from the locker room doors and let her get ready for her workout.

###

“I’ll see you later,” Sydnee called out to Sara as she turned to open her car door. Before she could get it open she heard a deep familiar voice behind her.

“Hi.” Turning, she looked up to see Quinn. “Before you go, wait, please. Just hear me out.” Quinn pleaded when Sydnee moved to ignore him and put her bag in the car.