Want to play Uno?

I CHECK THE CLOCK on the wall for the hundredth time in the last five minutes. The open house started an hour ago, and I wish I could have been there to see Quinn’s reaction to the exhibit. Suzanne texted me a picture of it, and I love how everything came together. I wonder if Quinn’s parents used the tickets I sent them.

I check the time again, unable to stop myself from hoping beyond hope that Quinn will come talk to me. No time has passed. I need to find something to distract myself, except everything I own is packed in boxes. I debate going for a run to work off some of this nervous energy, but I can’t leave. What if she actually stops by and I’m gone?

Just when I’m about to go stark raving mad, I hear a knock at the door. For a second I think I made it up because I want it so bad, but then I hear it again.

Heart in my throat, I make it to the door in three long strides and throw open the door. My heart sinks when I see Max.

“Hey.”

He must notice how I deflate when I realize it’s him. “Am I catching you at a bad time?”

I sigh. “No, come on in. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. I just thought that today is the last time I can come over for no reason, so here I am.”

A small smile tugs at my lips. “Here you are.”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” He raises his eyebrows.

“You really want to know?”

He sits on my couch and kicks his legs up on the ottoman. “Tell me—unless it involves you jerking off, then I don’t want to know.”

“I was just checking the time obsessively. The open house at Art Redefined started over an hour ago.” I explain the details to Max, the pictures I took, the way Suzanne made Quinn’s art and my pictures a feature exhibit, the tickets I sent to her parents. “I wish I knew what was going on.”

“You miss her.”

I grimace. “I’m trying not to.”

“You fell hard for her, didn’t you?”

“You and Logan called it.”

“Well, she’s making a mistake, and I bet she’s going to realize it.”

“But is she going to realize it before tomorrow?”

He shrugs. “Maybe, but maybe not. All that matters is that she realizes it, don’t you think?”

“It’d be nice if she realized it soon,” I mutter.

“Want to play Uno?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Uno? Random much?”

“What? I figured everything was packed here so I brought a game.” He takes out a small box of playing cards.

“I haven’t played Uno since we were kids.”

“Me neither. I was helping my mom clean out the basement the other day and she was about to throw these away. I had to rescue them.”

We have to read the instructions on the box to refresh our memory of the rules, then Max deals and we play Uno.

Surprisingly, it helps. The time passes while we play. Since there are only two of us, the reverse and skip a turn cards don’t have as much impact as they would with more players, but we still get the thrill of making the other person pick up four cards. We’re so into the game I almost miss the knock on the door.

Then it happens again, louder, and I freeze.

Max smiles. “You going to get that?”

I try not to hope it’s Quinn. “It’s probably Logan.”

“Nah, he and Tate are at his parents’ house. I stopped there before I came here to see if he wanted to come.”

My heart beats, a wild thrashing thing bumping against my sternum. I’m not embarrassed that Max sees me practically run to the front door.

When I pull it open, I could cry with relief. Quinn stands on my front step, so beautiful it hurts to look at her. She came.

“Hi,” she says in a small voice.

“Hi.” Is it too early to grab her and kiss her? I mean, why else is she here?

“Can I come in?”

I step out of the way and open the door in invitation.

When she hears rustling sounds inside, her face floods with horror. She thinks I have someone over.

“It’s Max,” I tell her.

Relief washes over her and Max joins us by the door.

“Thank God you’re here, Quinn.”

“Um,” she hedges, not sure what to say.

“He’s been so grumpy without you. I hope you two kiss and make up. See you later!” He waves and lets himself out.

I chuckle and we stand there, facing each other awkwardly.

“Charlie, the pictures…they were amazing.”

“Did you like them?” My throat is tight, but I manage to form words.

“Yes. We sold out tonight.”

“What?”

She nods, smiling. “All my pieces and all your pictures sold. Suzanne is over the moon.”

I smile at her, proud of her success. “That’s great. Congratulations.”

“You too.”

A beat passes and I’m dying to know more. Why is she here? “You want something to drink?”

“I’d love some water.”

We move silently into my kitchen where I get two water bottles. She looks at all the boxes with wide eyes.

“Monica told me you got the position in management. I can’t believe you’re moving.”

Please beg me to stay. I’ll stay for you. “That’s the plan.”

“Well.” She squares her shoulders and takes a deep breath for fortification. “I just needed to talk to you before you leave. I have to…tell you some things.”

“Okay.” I wait patiently.

“I miss you,” she starts.

Thank fuck. I force myself to remain seated where I am. I need more.

“I miss you too, Red.”

“But I need to tell you a story and I need you to let me get it out.”

I nod slowly, curiosity running wild with what she might need to tell me. “Go on.”

CHARLIE LOOKS AT ME with his gorgeous blue eyes and waits for me to continue. I don’t know where to start, but I know I need to just get on with it. Heart hammering in my chest, I start at the beginning.

“When Reid and I were married, we wanted to have a family.”

He looks surprised, but keeps quiet as promised.

“I got pregnant.”

His eyes widen in shock. “You were pregnant?”

I nod, trying not to cry. “I had a complication that required surgery. My son, Noah, lived for eight hours.” This time, I’m not surprised when hot tears fall down my cheeks.

He gapes at me. “I’m so sorry, Quinn. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“When they operated on me, they couldn’t stop the bleeding in my uterus. They had to do a hysterectomy.”

He stares at me, not quite getting it.

“They had to remove my uterus, Charlie. I can’t ever have kids again.” My heart breaks all over again and I clasp my hands together to stop them from shaking.

His face is full of regret, but behind that, tenderness shines in the way he looks at me, and I try to squash the seed of hope that expression puts in my heart.

I stutter through the rest of it. Burying Noah. My subsequent depression. How I lost my art for a while. Reid’s affair and then our divorce.

When I finish, silence stretches between us, ringing in my ears, and I’m desperate for his reaction, but I give him a minute to absorb everything.

“I’m so damn sorry for what you went through, Quinn, but why are you telling me this now? Why didn’t you tell me this when I told you what happened with Anna?”

I shrug. “That was such an emotional night, I wanted to comfort you, not dump my sob story on you. That wasn’t the right time.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me some other time?”

I shrug, not having a good answer. “I was waiting for the right time to tell you, but there’s never a good time to tell that story, you know?”

“Why did you break up with me, Quinn?” His eyes are searching and I want to know so badly what he’s thinking right now.

“I never knew you wanted kids, Charlie. If I had known, I wouldn’t have let it get so far. When you hinted at wanting to have a second chance at becoming a dad, I knew I had to give you a chance to find someone else, someone you can have a family with.”

“So let me get this straight: you broke up with me, not because you don’t love me, but because you can’t have kids?”

I shrug. “You said you want to have a family. I want you to be happy.”

“And you thought I’d be better off without you? You thought you would decide what I want instead of being truthful and letting me decide?” His voice has an edge of steel and my stomach sinks with dread. I knew it. He thinks I’m no better than Anna.

“I can’t give you a family, Charlie.”

“And you think I want a family so bad I’d leave you because you can’t have kids?”

I nod, miserable.

“I’m glad you had so much faith in me.” The tenderness is gone, replaced with anger, and the small flicker of hope I had dies out.

“It wasn’t about that—”

His eyes harden. “You knew how much I hated the fact that Anna took my choice away, and yet you did the same exact thing.”

“I’m so sorry. I realize I didn’t go about this the right way, but I needed you to know the truth. I love you, Charlie.” I don’t even try to wipe the tears as they fall.

“You promised me you wouldn’t lie to me. You knew it was my deal breaker, just like cheating is yours.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You told me you didn’t love me, and you withheld some pretty big facts about yourself. How am I supposed to trust you?”

The lump in my throat is about to choke me. I knew he wouldn’t forgive me.

“I’m sorry. I promise to be truthful with you forever if you give me another chance.”

“Give you another chance to lie to me? To decide what’s best for me?” He laughs and it’s an ugly sound. I know his answer before he says it out loud. “Tempting, but I’ll pass.” He stands up and walks toward the door, his long strides taking him away from me.

Tears blur my vision as I make my way to the door, and I’m pissed because I want to look at him one last time. Blinking rapidly, I try to clear them and stand in front of him.

His face is taut with anger, nostrils flaring with each breath. Despite his anger, he’s still beautiful. My fingers itch to touch him, but I know it wouldn’t be welcome. “I love you, Charlie. I hope you find someone who can make you happy, someone better than me.” I turn to walk out of Charlie’s life forever.

Monica thought I’d be surprised at his choice, but I knew all along that he wouldn’t choose me.