𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗋?

( 𝖺𝗅𝖾𝗑 , 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝖾 , 𝗃𝖺𝖼𝗄 , 𝗅𝗎𝗄𝖾 , 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗇 , 𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗈𝗋 )

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
where are u guys

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
?

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
consoling a sobbing june

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
huh?

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
we're rewatching love, rosie

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
hey hey you already made her
cry? i just went out for food

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
tell her i'll be there in five

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
i didn't make her cry? the film
did? it's sad? wrong people
right time? u know how she is?
why am i being blamed?

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
what's with the question marks

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
hello what is going on

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
@ trevor @ cole @ alex

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
@ jack don't accuse me for no
reason u know i've never made
her cry

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
and i have?

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
of course? she bawled for two
weeks after u went to nj

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
oh

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
but i couldn't control that

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
u two stfu right now

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
@ trevor @ cole @ alex what the
hell is going on

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
good evening

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
dude where are u all? weren't u
supposed to wait at the food court

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
at the country club, teaching
maddie to golf

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
teaching

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
interesting

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
don't text and walk, jacky
u'll hurt urself

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
weirdo

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
no what?? trevor, u were supposed
to wait for us

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
we got bored

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
sorry

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
gotta go maddie's about to hit
cole with the golf club

𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗿
u and cassie decide whatever u
wanna do, we'll be here a while!

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
TREVOR

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
@ jack still u made june cry

𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗻
luke? are u right in the head?

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
idk u tell me

𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸
should i ring the doorbell?

𝗹𝘂𝗸𝗲
nah i'll open up

" 𝕿hey ran off to the country club".

Cassie narrows her eyes at Quinn, gauging if he's being serious or not.

"Really?".

Quinn sighs.

"Yeah. Apparently, they're teaching Maddie golf. So, she went along with it too. I can't believe this".

"We were supposed to get dinner then go home and gossip!", Cassie groans, laying her chin on her palm as she hits her foot against the leg of the table and exhales irritatedly.

"What do you wanna do?".

She shrugs, "Let's eat. Go home. I don't wanna go to the country club. I've been tortured enough for a lifetime".

Quinn perks a brow, "Not my fault you refuse to learn golf".

She gives him a blank stare.

"Food, Quintin".

She hops off the chair and he follows her, falling in step with her leisurely strides over to the restaurants surrounding the seating area.

"Should we get them dinner too?".

She scoffs, "No way. They can manage on their own".

Quinn hums, his glance straying to her lazy demeanour sauntering towards the sandwich shops, hair pulled back in a ponytail with Quinn's jacket still draped over her shoulders — she got cold inside the theater and he knew she would, hence he carried a jacket in summer — her black tanktop peeking out from the partition in the jacket.

She looks so very cozy and god, he wants desperately for her to snuggle into his arm the way she did in the theater while they watched 'Oppenheimer'.

"This is nice. I like this. I've missed this. Going to the movies with you. Just roaming around, listening to you rant about everything and nothing. It's been too long".

She freezes in place and he too stops walking, turning to face her big brown eyes staring up at him wide-eyed.

Oh, no.

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I just—".

"No, you're right. I've missed this too. Missed you", she shakes her head, "I really did spend too much energy trying to rid myself of my family, didn't I?".

Quinn laughs a humorless laugh because what he wants to say is, You spent too much energy driving me away too.

But that is a topic for another day.

"Remember when you got drunk with your roommate in freshman year and called me? Asking me to pick you up?".

Her dimmed gaze brightens up at the memory, a groan escaping her lips.

"That was embarrassing".

He smiles, "It wasn't. It was cute. And funny how you forgot I couldn't pick you up".

Her smile falters, "Because you were in Michigan", she squints, "and you sent my writing partner to the bar. Whose number you magically acquired. Wonder why that never worked out".

Now, it's Quinn's turn to groan.

"She gave it to me when I came to visit. You know that".

"And you kept it".

"I couldn't not keep it. I needed to have contacts of people close to you", his voice lowers unintentionally, because I was so far away.

She waits for him to add on to his statement but he doesn't.

And I had to protect you, somehow.

He clears his throat.

"I always did help you escape whenever you did something you shouldn't have, simply out of spite".

A slow grin creeps up her face.

"At least you never had to bail me out, right?".

He levels her with a serious look, "Not funny, Cass".

She shrugs and steps past him to continue walking up to the restaurant, he hurries to keep up.

"About Vancouver", she nods at him, "I need to sort out my living arrangement. Get an apartment before the job starts. So, I was wondering. Will you be okay with helping me out? You do know the city better than me, after all".

An idea ignites in Quinn's brain and suddenly, he's feeling very, very hopeful for the future.

"You can live with me", he blurts out.

She stills as they join the cue of people waiting to give their orders.

Slowly, she turns to look at him.

"What?".

"You can live with me. I have an extra room I use as a guest bedroom sometimes. I live in a secure high-rise. Really, the security there is amazing. And", he shrugs, "I'm not messy. I can cook. We don't hate each other. It'll be fine".

She blinks wordlessly.

"We'll, uhm, we'll obviously figure out the commute if that's what you're worried about but if your office is close enough to my apartment — and I think it might be because I live close to the center of the city — then even that will be perfect. It's like the best arrangement. And you don't even need to pay me rent".

The last line seems to snap her out of her daze, "No. Absolutely not. If I live with you then I'm paying you rent. I don't care. I'm not freeloading off you".

Quinn sighs, "You can get groceries and stuff, Cassie. I don't want your money".

She glares, "I am not freeloading".

"Does this mean you're saying yes?".

"I—", she scrunches up her nose and Quinn resists the urge to reach out and kiss her cheek, "I'll think about it. You've never lived with me so you don't know how annoying I can get".

"I'm living with you right now".

"Yeah but I'm on vacation. I'm a different person when I've got work to do".

"I can handle it, I promise", he steps closer with a small smile.

Cassie laughs quietly, fingers grazing his arm.

"And I can't live there forever. Maybe in the beginning while I'm figuring things out but I will move out as soon as possible. I know you value your personal space. I don't want to intrude into your . . . . personal life".

You are my personal life, he opens his mouth to say but thinks better of it because what?

"I wouldn't offer it if it was a problem. Just think about it. And take your time. I don't have much besides hockey going on anyway. Having you there will be a blessing".

She smiles, eyes twinkling and affection pouring off her to wrap around Quinn in a tight embrace, filling him with loads and loads of serotonin by the simple look of familiarity and love in her gaze.

"You're a good man, Quinn".

"Just so you know, I'm not paying for the sandwiches".

She rolls her eyes, stepping up now that it's their turn to place their orders.

"I can be your sugar mama", she pats his shoulder and begins perusing the menu whilst he's too busy admiring her side profile.

***
🤭