The Mighty Quinns: Jack

Jack nodded. “All right. I think that would be best.”

As they walked back to the parking valet, he grabbed her hand and drew it to his lips, pressing a kiss below her wrist. “I’m sorry if I caused those tears.”

“Sometimes it feels good to cry,” Mia said, drawing a ragged breath. And sometimes, it felt really good to kiss a man.

WHEN THE VALET BROUGHT the car, Mia handed Jack the keys, then crawled in the passenger side, slumping down in the seat and pulling her knees up to her chest.

“Where to?” he asked.

Mia shrugged. “I don’t care, just drive.”

Jack started the car and pulled out into the street, then wove through the village until he found the highway. The night was warm and the top was still down on the little convertible. April in Chicago could be chilly and damp. If he couldn’t enjoy kissing Mia, he’d at least enjoy the weather. He turned south, following the signs for the city.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Mia nodded. “I just get emotional at times. Whenever I really need my mother, I just feel so…lost. I should go see a shrink. I’m just not dealing with my grief very well.”

“Why? Because you miss your mom? Mia, if you want my opinion, you don’t want to lose those feelings. It’s all right to miss her. I still miss my dad. I still have imaginary conversations in my head with him. We talk about all kinds of things.”

“Really?” she said, turned toward him. “I do that, too. Lately, I’ve been trying to stop myself. I mean, I don’t actually think she’s here, but I kind of feel like she might be listening.”

“Maybe she is. I like to think the same thing about my dad.”

They drove for a long time in silence and when they reached the intersection for Highway 1, Mia pointed to the right. “Turn here.”

The highway twisted and turned, past residential areas and then leading into thick, dark forests. Jack kept his attention on the road, watching for sudden switchbacks and sharp curves. He suspected they were heading toward the coast and when he spotted signs for Muir Beach, he decided to pull off the road and into a parking lot.

He turned off the car and faced her. She seemed lost in her thoughts and he wasn’t sure whether he ought to interrupt. But then she turned to him suddenly. “What do you think of the notion of friends with benefits?”

Jack gasped softly. “Is that what you think is going on with your father and my—”

“No!” She drew a deep breath. “No. I was talking about us.” Mia frowned. “You do know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

Jack held up his hand. “Yes. I know exactly what you’re talking about.” The twist in the conversation was completely unexpected. Hell, he’d been great at handling the hairpin turns on the road, but now, he wasn’t quite sure what to say. “Are we friends?”

“More like acquaintances. But I think we could be friends, given a little more time.”

“I agree,” he said. “So, why do you think this would work?”

Mia drew a deep breath, then reached out and grabbed his hand. She placed it on her chest. “Can you feel that?”

“Your heart?”

She nodded. “Feel how fast it’s beating? I can hardly catch my breath sometimes. And my brain is all mixed up.” Mia paused. “I haven’t felt like this in three years. In fact, I really haven’t felt anything in three years. I’ve made myself numb just to avoid feeling sad. And now, for the first time in a long time, I’m not numb anymore.”

He reached out and smoothed his hand over her cheek. “That’s good.”

Mia nodded. “Yes. And you have to admit, there is an attraction. I mean, I wasn’t sure, but then you kissed me. There is an attraction, isn’t there?”

“Oh, yes,” Jack replied.

“Then we should act on it.”

“Right now?”