Chapter Seventeen

They pulled in front of a popular diner. Phoenix and Jabari rode with them. The others went in Slade’s truck.

“You all have trucks?”

He was helping her out of his.

“Real men drive trucks.” He winked at her, and she lost it. They all turned to listen to her laughter.

“I like your laughter,” Thrice told her. “It gives me peace for a minute.”

“I hope when you find the right woman for you her laughter will give you complete peace.”

His eyes shuttered, and he turned away her smile dropped for a moment. Why were they so hurt?

“Quinn?”

She pasted her smile back on her face. “Let’s go eat I’m hungry.”

When had they gone from being clients to people she cared about? Granted, she knew when she had made that switch with Mekhi, but she hadn’t realized how she felt about his brothers until now. She cared about each of them.

They walked in, and the waitress smiled at them. “Are you all together?”

“We are,” Slade told her.

“Give me a minute to get a table together.” She walked off.

“I’m going to the restroom. If you’re already seated, I’ll find you when I get out.” She went to her tiptoes, and he kissed her. It wasn’t the polite peck on her lips. It was a kiss that made her toes curl.

One brother cleared his throat. She took a step back to find them all grinning at her.

“I’ll be back.” Her cheeks were flushed before she turned away.

“Holy hell that was hot. Tell me they are not all taken.”

“As far as I know the others are single. Was there one that did it for you?”

“They all do it, but yeah you could say that.”

"I can introduce you."

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Guys like that go for the skinny classic beauties like you. They have a hard time seeing the beauty in someone like me.”

“I think you’re selling yourself short.”

“Never, I’ve lived in a man’s world long enough to know.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“I’m also curvy with brains. I’m Brandi.”

“Hi Brandi, I’m Quinn nice meeting you.”

“You too maybe we’ll see each other around.”

“One question. I love your outfit. Where did you find it?”

“I made it. That’s what I do for a living.” She turned to leave. “I could make you an outfit.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because you remind me of myself.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“I do, let me get measurements. Quinn with the hottest guys in town, I think we will be friends.” They walked into the bathroom laughing.

When they walked back out front, the guys weren’t there, so she knew they were seated. She waved goodbye to Brandi and went to find Mekhi.

“Quinn.” She turned to see Matthew sitting at a table with a blonde who tossed her long hair. She tilted her face to give Quinn a fake smile.

Too much makeup, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

“I’m surprised to see you here.”

That caught her off guard it wasn’t like she was going to the dirty movies.

“Why? It’s a restaurant.”

“Usually, lonely single women stay at home to hide their shame. No one wants to be seen eating alone.”

His statement hit her in the gut. There was a time she felt like that. How many dinners had she stared at her stove when all she wanted to do was go to a restaurant? Live and learn she no longer felt that way.

“Since you feel that way you should offer to take those women out.”

How had she ever dated a jerk like him? He had told her it was true love. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her head shook of its own accord getting the sour taste of his words out of her mouth. All he had been interested in was the plans she was drawing for a high rise.

She turned to walk away. Her past was just that, and she didn’t need to revisit it. He caught her arm and pulled her to a stop.

“You don’t get to walk away from me,” he hissed. “You almost ruined my career.”

“If construction in this town weren't run by a good ol boy mentality, you wouldn’t have a job. You stole my plans and tried to claim them as yours.”

“Move the hand or lose it.” Mekhi’s voice was calm. Behind it was red hot anger.

“What are you going to do? I can touch her any way I want to. This bitch is going to…”

The blonde scream as Matthew hit the floor. Mekhi went to his knees and grabbed the front of Matthew's shirt lifting him up. He whispered in his ear and then dropped him. His head made a sickening thud against the carpet.

“What’s happening here?” The manager was standing there with a security guard.

“He accosted my female. I gave him a lesson in manners.”

“Arrest him,” the blonde yelled.

Other patrons were agreeing with Mekhi. He took Quinn’s hand and walked her to the table while the manager, and the security guard were still looking at the scene in shock.

“I didn’t mean to bring embarrassment on you.” She told Mekhi and his brothers.

“You didn’t.” Jabari stood up.

“Sit,” Slade snarled.

“He touched our sister.”

“We’ll see him again.”

Jabari gave a sharp nod of his head before sitting. Each brother stared at Matthew as they escorted him out.

“Who is he?”

One side of her mouth tilted up before she shrugged. “I used to date him. It was a match made in heaven, or so I thought. I wish I could say I was young, but honestly, I wanted someone to love me. He stole the plans I drew up for a skyscraper downtown. I proved they were mine. Neither of us got the job. They loved the plans but weren’t sure about a woman doing a job of that magnitude.”

She slumped in her seat, and her shoulders hit the back of the chair reminding her why she didn’t trust the opposite sex. If her only bad decision had been Matthew, then she would be all right. There were several of them. Not a string, but enough to feel that way.

“Quinn there is something you should know about me.” His voice struck her in the gut.

Her shoulders stiffened while her nails bit into her hands. Had she made another bad choice in males? The brothers looked at him their eyes narrowed.

“I’ll just say it. I have no desire to build anything on this planet, but if I did.” There was a long pause. “I’d work for Quinn’s Construction to get it done.”

She stared at him blinking. It was like he parted the red sea when she understood what he was saying.

Her stomach went from fluttering with dread and anger to rejoicing as the butterflies screamed I told you he was the one. She reached out and pushed at his chest.

“You scared me.” The smile in her voice said she was over it.

“Sorry tiny warrior.” He pulled her chair closer and wrapped his arms around her. “All I want is you and Tee, we can’t leave her out.”

“I am grateful to every Scientist who ever lived because you are here.”

“Hi, how are you guys doing today?” The waitress had a smile on her face. “Are you ready to order?”

“I want your breakfast special,” Quinn told her.

The others ordered two meals.

“Is that all you want? It’s not a lot of food.” Mekhi told her.

“It’s enough.”

“How do you maintain your weight?”

She looked at him open-mouthed. The waitress caught her eyes and mouthed he’s a keeper.

He was. She ordered a little more and sat with a smile on her face. What could go wrong?