Quinn settled herself on a white leather sofa outside Rhys’s office and declined an offer of coffee from his assistant, who informed her that Mr. Morgan was in a meeting and would see her as soon as he was available. The rain outside the plate-glass window still came down in sheets, and it was gloomy, even in the brightly lit office. The PA ignored Quinn while she tapped away at her keyboard and periodically answered the telephone, but Quinn didn’t mind. She was in no mood to make small talk. She reached for a well-thumbed magazine, and immediately returned it to the rack, realizing that she had no desire to read. Instead, she looked out the window, barely noticing the hazy skyline of the city as her mind returned to the encounter at the coffeehouse.
Meeting Logan had been a surprise, but it wasn’t nearly as awkward as it might have been. Logan didn’t miss a beat as he added sugar to his coffee, spread strawberry jam on his scone, and prattled on about the awful weather for a few moments, giving his boyfriend and newly-discovered sister a moment to compose themselves. Despite his fierce tattoos and spiky hair, he was easy-going and entertaining, a man who was clearly comfortable in his own skin and expected everyone to respond to his charm, which was considerable.
“I just got a new tat last night,” he shared as he took a bite of his scone. “And you will be the first to see it, after my honey, of course.”
Logan set down his coffee cup, leaned toward Quinn and pulled up the sleeve of his shirt. The skin around the tattoo was reddened and a bit swollen, but the image of a little bear cub was perfectly executed and fit neatly between the older tattoos. Colin blushed furiously and looked into his cup. Logan smiled at his partner and covered his hand with his own larger one.
“It’s a tribute to Colin,” he explained. “Colin comes from the Gaelic name Cailean, which means little cub. Isn’t it sweet?” he joked as he cut his eyes at Colin.
“It is, rather,” Quinn agreed. She suddenly wondered how Gabe would react if she got a tattoo of the archangel Gabriel to honor him. He’d probably be shocked, but secretly pleased, depending on where she got it, of course. “Do you have any tattoos, Colin?” Quinn asked.
“No, but I do find them sexy on others,” he replied. “Especially on Logan.” Quinn smiled at the two of them. They were clearly in love and very comfortable with each other, which was heartwarming to see in an age when many people broke up as soon as they hit a bump in the road.
“How long have you two been together?” Quinn asked, wondering if this was a new relationship or an established one.
“Oh, going on three years now,” Logan replied. “You know what they say about doctors and nurses,” he said, grinning wickedly. “Shagging in broom cupboards at the hospital, and all that. Actually, Colin and I are moving in together,” Logan informed her.
“Just as soon as you tell your mother,” Colin cut in.
“Doesn’t Sylvia know about you two?” Quinn asked. Sylvia had mentioned that Logan was gay, but perhaps she wasn’t as accepting of it as she’d made it sound. It wasn’t easy to adjust your expectations of your children and accept their dreams for the future, even when they were already adults.
“She does,” Logan said and leaned back in his chair, having finished his breakfast. “I went through a ‘girl phase’ in my late teens. I thought I’d try on being bisexual. You know, have the best of both worlds, but it just didn’t feel right. Mum’s still hoping that I might rediscover my love of women. Not that she doesn’t love Colin, but she’s getting to that age where she’s starting to long for grandchildren, and I can’t imagine that Jude will oblige any time soon.”
“Is he still on tour?” Quinn asked, curious what the other brother was like.
“He’ll be back soon. Mum can’t wait. He’s still her baby boy. Of course, now there are new possibilities for satisfying her granny lust.” Logan smiled seductively at Quinn, his gaze skimming over her engagement ring and making Quinn blush.
“I’m just joking, love. Mum is real excited though. You’re all she talks about. I never realized what a gaping hole you left in her life. Shame you didn’t find each other sooner.”
“We’re just getting to know each other,” Quinn replied, a little unsettled by the intensity of Logan’s gaze.
“Give her a chance,” Logan said as he began to gather his things. “She doesn’t want to put pressure on you, but she really does long to be a part of your life. Well, gotta dash. Work is calling,” he added, the smile back in place. “See you later, little cub… and big sis,” he added with an impish grin. He gave Colin a lingering kiss and took off, leaving them to finish their breakfast.
“Logan told me all about his long-lost sister, but I honestly never made the connection,” Colin said. “He never mentioned your name, or I would have known immediately. How many Quinns could there be in London?”
“Not many, I should think. What an extraordinary coincidence that Logan and I met like this.”
Colin suddenly laughed, rolling his eyes as if he’d finally understood the punch line of a joke. “This wasn’t a coincidence at all. That wily rascal,” he said, shaking his head. “I told him last night that I had a meeting with Dr. Quinn Allenby. He knew it was you all along.”
Quinn smiled. She wasn’t sure if Colin was annoyed with his boyfriend for crashing their meeting, but she was glad he had. Meeting Logan had been an unexpected gift, and she suddenly felt more hopeful about her relationship with Sylvia. Perhaps, in time, they could become family after all.
“Dr. Allenby, Mr. Morgan will see you now,” Rhys’s PA cut across Quinn’s thoughts as several exec-types walked out of Rhys’s office.