Page 24 of For Your Consideration

Quinn pulled back with a big smile on her face, her eyes slightly teary. “Thanks, Ash.” She placed a gentle kiss on my cheek before moving on to Noah, who picked her up and spun her around while she laughed and Knight grunted out a warning.

“Glad you could keep her.” I slapped Knight’s back.

“I’m damn lucky,” Knight muttered, watching her with a small smile as she and Jaxson chatted.

“Hey.” Greg walked up to our group. “Ready to do a walk-through?”

The space was framed out, and I honestly knew that whatever Noah had planned would look good. I didn’t care about the pipes and where all the lights would be or how many power outlets were in each room. But the place was exactly what we were looking for. Even without the walls up you could tell that it was shaping up just the way we wanted.

After the full tour, we ended up back in the lobby, Noah getting an agreement from all of us before we signed off and started toward the front.

“Ash,” Quinn called, coming up beside me as we stepped out of the building, the rocky mountains a beautiful background to the stunning, pine-tree-covered grounds. Noah and Knight were ahead of us, talking to Greg. I looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. “I have a favor to ask of you.” She stepped in front of me, pulling us both to a stop. The rest of the guys continued on around us.

“It’s yours,” I said, agreeing instantly. She knew that I would do anything she asked of me. I’d never had a little sister to protect, but now I did.

“The event for the foundation this weekend—you’re going, right?”

I nodded. Could I have gotten out of it? No. We all showed up to support the foundation that Knight started for his mum. Did I want to get out of it? Also no. They did good work and I liked supporting them, even if I hated all the small talk.

“Would you be able to pick up Sutton?”

“Is something wrong with her car?” I asked with a frown.

It looked like the thing was barely hanging on when I saw it the other day, and it had made some fucked-up sounds as she drove away, so I wouldn’t be surprised. She let me get away with getting baby stuff for the office but would she notice if I had the car fixed? I could do it while she was at the office; she might not know if I changed the engine and nothing else.

That might help me. Maybe if I fixed something for her, I would be able to leave her alone.

I pulled myself out of my planning and focused back on Quinn, who was standing there, smiling at me. That look made me nervous.

“No, not that I know of. But she brought a bunch of boxes home from the office to organize the guest packages, and it seems like too much to manage with Sophie coming to the event.”

“Did she agree to this?”

As much as I wanted to pick her up, I also didn’t want to do something that was going to piss her off. Well, I think I pissed her off with the baby stuff but that was necessary. Doing any more wouldn’t work in my favor.

What did I need her favor for? I hadn’t figured that out yet.

I ran through other options that would be less invasive, including sending a car to pick her up. But then who would help her carry her shit downstairs? I could pay someone for that too but was that better or worse?

“I told her I would get someone to help her get there. She said it was unnecessary, but I disagreed and I’m her boss so what I say goes since it’s a work event. I just don’t think she knows how to ask for help.” The smile that broke out on Quinn’s face was mischievous. She knew she had me.

Honestly, any excuse I had to see Sutton was thrilling to me these days. Still a bit of a fucking mystery as to why.

“I’ll get her.”

“You did not have to do this,” Sutton insisted as soon as she pulled the door open.

I grunted in response because I didn’t know what to actually say to her. I wanted to do this. Seeing her wasn’t a chore—getting to lift some of that weight off her shoulders was what I wanted. Especially because it included actual weight.

She turned back into the apartment but she didn’t invite me in so I leaned in the doorway and watched as she gathered her things off the counter.

“I could have delivered this stuff to the venue beforehand. Quinn thought I couldn’t handle getting these boxes in the car with Sophie on my own.” I watched as she rolled her eyes, like it was ridiculous.

“I’ve seen your car, it’s old as shit,” I muttered as I looked around the space. The apartment was small, toys lingering all around, but it was clean, put together. Pops of color were in the blankets and pillows and really screamed Sutton.

Bright, sweet, and a little chaotic.

She whipped her head back to me and glared before she pointed to the stack of boxes on the floor. I had to hold back a smile because I liked seeing her fire.