From Simple Beginnings -- Part 9
Continues from here. This is a rather longer segment than usual. Consider it my apology. I probably won't be able to post another segment for a few days -- moving stress is a killer.
Nick looked around at the community he'd just pulled into. He'd never seen anything quite like it. He had parked next to Quinn in a small parking lot away set slightly away from the houses. He followed Quinn down a cobblestone sidewalk leading to a gate, which opened onto a beautiful tree studded lawn.
"What is this place?" Nick asked unable to overcome his native curiosity.
"A little slice of heaven," Quinn replied with a smile.
"I can see that. How did you find this place?"
"I'd love to take the credit, but my mother had heard about places like this, and discovered that there's one here near the college. I couldn't believe my luck that one of these was available." Quinn led Nick down the path toward his cottage. When he reached his own gate, he stopped and laid a hand atop the gate. "I need to warn you. I have a rott. She's a good dog, but she takes a bit to settle around strangers."
"Okay. She doesn't bite, thought, right?"
"Almost once, but he deserved it. Otherwise, she'll just growl a bit."
"Okay, I'm game. Can't wait to meet her."
Nick could hear the large dog throwing her body into the door as he and Quinn approached the door.
"Settle down, girl. It's just me. I've brought a friend." Quinn put his key in the lock, and then turned to Nick again. "Hold your hand down -- palm facing out so she can sniff you."
As the door opened, Jezzie shoved her large head out the crack and took a huge sniff. Quinn immediately grabbed her collar and held on. Jezzie sniffed at Nick's open palm and emitted a low, warning growl.
Quinn raised an eyebrow at the reaction, but didn't worry because Jezzie wasn't demonstrating any other signs of distress or agitation. He stroked a hand down her back, and said, "It's okay, baby. He helped me get home tonight. You'd be stuck by yourself if it weren't for him."
Nick stood quietly. He attempted to look non-threatening to the dog who was clearly both possessive and protective of her owner. "So have I passed yet?" He murmured softly.
"Give her another minute I'm sure she'll let up in a second." Quinn continued to quietly soothe his dog as he started edging them into the house.
Jezzie allowed Quinn into the house, but continued to keep a wary eye on Nick.
"Jez this is Nick. Nick, this is Jezabel," Quinn smiled.
"Hello, Jezabel. It's a pleasure to meet you." Nick's eyes glinted with humor as he completed the introduction.
Quinn headed toward the kitchen, and tossed over his shoulder, "Were you serious about coffee or can i offer you a beer instead?"
"Beer's good." Nick studied the shelves in the living room. "I loved the Scooter books when I was a kid, but I've never heard of this one." Nick tapped the spine of a book entitled Scooter's Special Friend.
Quinn didn't have to go back out to see which book Nick was talking about. "Oh, that's a special edition."
Nick couldn't keep the awe out of his voice. "Cool."
"You're welcome to read it if you want to," Quinn offered.
Nick pulled the book off of the shelf and settled into one of Quinn's overstuffed armchairs to read. He smiled appreciatively when Quinn set the beer down next to him.
"I'm going to take care of a couple of things. Let me know when you're done with the book."
Quinn went back to the kitchen to set up Jezzie's evening food. He checked his messages, and went to change his shoes so he could take Jezzie for her evening walk.
Jezzie had stayed in the living room with Nick. She laid on the floor her massive head resting on her paws as she regarded him cautiously, while he read. Nick glanced up occasionally grinning cautiously at the dog.
The story, like all the other Scooter books, focused on the Scooter the beagle. This book told the story of one of Scooter's friends realizing that he was different from all the other dogs. Instead of being interested in girl dogs like all of his friends, he was interested in cats. He was embarrassed and maybe a little ashamed.
Scooter convinced his friend that you couldn't help who you love and that the important thing was that you loved at all.
"Wow, I wonder what caused her to write this book," Nick muttered as he replaced the book on the shelf.
Quinn looked puzzled as he settled on his couch. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said."
"I was just wondering why MJ Kennedy wrote this book."
Quinn took a deep breath. "She wrote it the summer her son came out to her. Her publisher refused to distribute the book, but she had one printed in the usual manner to let her son know she was okay with what he had told her."
"Your mother is MJ Kennedy?"
"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" Quinn said, nervously.
"So I wasn't wrong about you," Nick smiled confidently as he slid onto the couch with Quinn.
"I, uh, I guess not." Quinn felt himself turning bright red.
"The blush looks good on you," Nick offered with a small chuckle as he brushed his hand against Quinn's cheek. He started to slide his had around to pull Quinn into his arms, when Quinn suddenly jerked away.
"What do you think you're doing?" Quinn was aggravated with himself as soon as the words left his mouth. He sounded like an outraged virgin. "What I mean is, you're moving too fast for me."
"I thought you were interested." Nick stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to go."
"No, wait. Look --" Quinn stood too. "I need to walk Jezzie, why don't you come with us. We'll talk, okay?"
Nick looked at Quinn and then at Jezzie who was up with an eager look on her face. "Are you walking her or does she walk you?"
"Well, it'll even the odds if you're holding the leash," Quinn smiled appreciatively.
Nick nodded abruptly. He waited for Quinn to attach a lead to Jezzie's collar and then he took hold. The dog was quite powerful, but she was no match for Nick's conditioning.
They started walking around the common area with the dog. Quinn seemed content to keep his thoughts to himself, but Nick was having none of it. "You said we were going to talk."
"Like I said, you were moving too fast for me. I don't do one night stands," Quinn stated baldly.
Nick continued to walk and simply didn't say anything.
"I mean, you don't even know my last name. Don't you want to know something -- anything -- about me?"
"Kennedy."
"Huh?"
"Your last name. It's Kennedy." Nick's voice was flat -- completely without inflection. Quinn simply couldn't get a read off of him.
"Uh, no, actually, it's not."
"But you said that MJ Kennedy is your mother."
"She is, but Kennedy is her family name, not her married name." Quinn thought for a minute and then offered, "Jordan."
"Huh?"
"My last name."
"Oh, okay." Nick was already working on how to extricate himself from this situation. He'd badly misread the signals, and he just wanted to get away before he embarrassed himself further.
"Jezzie, sit. Good girl. Now stay," Quinn commanded his dog, and then grabbed Nick's hand to draw him into a small stand of trees -- away from the possibly prying eyes of his neighbors.
Nick released the leash, and watched in amazement as the dog simply held her ground. "What are you doing?"
"I wanted your attention -- your undivided attention." Quinn shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "I'm not saying that I wouldn't be interested. I just -- I don't --"
"I don't do relationships," Nick said flatly.
"Oh." Quinn swallowed hard. "Oh. I see."
"It's not you. Really. I just don't like to get involved." Nick felt himself flushing with embarrassment. He'd never met someone outside of his family who could make him feel ashamed, but Quinn was accomplishing it.
"O -- Okay." Quinn was surprised by how disappointed he felt. He walked out from the trees and bent to pick up Jezzie's leash. "It was nice meeting you, Nick. I think you can find your way out from here."
As Quinn walked away, Nick didn't feel relieved like he thought he would. He walked out to his Explorer and climbed in wondering if maybe he had made a mistake.
TBC
Nick looked around at the community he'd just pulled into. He'd never seen anything quite like it. He had parked next to Quinn in a small parking lot away set slightly away from the houses. He followed Quinn down a cobblestone sidewalk leading to a gate, which opened onto a beautiful tree studded lawn.
"What is this place?" Nick asked unable to overcome his native curiosity.
"A little slice of heaven," Quinn replied with a smile.
"I can see that. How did you find this place?"
"I'd love to take the credit, but my mother had heard about places like this, and discovered that there's one here near the college. I couldn't believe my luck that one of these was available." Quinn led Nick down the path toward his cottage. When he reached his own gate, he stopped and laid a hand atop the gate. "I need to warn you. I have a rott. She's a good dog, but she takes a bit to settle around strangers."
"Okay. She doesn't bite, thought, right?"
"Almost once, but he deserved it. Otherwise, she'll just growl a bit."
"Okay, I'm game. Can't wait to meet her."
Nick could hear the large dog throwing her body into the door as he and Quinn approached the door.
"Settle down, girl. It's just me. I've brought a friend." Quinn put his key in the lock, and then turned to Nick again. "Hold your hand down -- palm facing out so she can sniff you."
As the door opened, Jezzie shoved her large head out the crack and took a huge sniff. Quinn immediately grabbed her collar and held on. Jezzie sniffed at Nick's open palm and emitted a low, warning growl.
Quinn raised an eyebrow at the reaction, but didn't worry because Jezzie wasn't demonstrating any other signs of distress or agitation. He stroked a hand down her back, and said, "It's okay, baby. He helped me get home tonight. You'd be stuck by yourself if it weren't for him."
Nick stood quietly. He attempted to look non-threatening to the dog who was clearly both possessive and protective of her owner. "So have I passed yet?" He murmured softly.
"Give her another minute I'm sure she'll let up in a second." Quinn continued to quietly soothe his dog as he started edging them into the house.
Jezzie allowed Quinn into the house, but continued to keep a wary eye on Nick.
"Jez this is Nick. Nick, this is Jezabel," Quinn smiled.
"Hello, Jezabel. It's a pleasure to meet you." Nick's eyes glinted with humor as he completed the introduction.
Quinn headed toward the kitchen, and tossed over his shoulder, "Were you serious about coffee or can i offer you a beer instead?"
"Beer's good." Nick studied the shelves in the living room. "I loved the Scooter books when I was a kid, but I've never heard of this one." Nick tapped the spine of a book entitled Scooter's Special Friend.
Quinn didn't have to go back out to see which book Nick was talking about. "Oh, that's a special edition."
Nick couldn't keep the awe out of his voice. "Cool."
"You're welcome to read it if you want to," Quinn offered.
Nick pulled the book off of the shelf and settled into one of Quinn's overstuffed armchairs to read. He smiled appreciatively when Quinn set the beer down next to him.
"I'm going to take care of a couple of things. Let me know when you're done with the book."
Quinn went back to the kitchen to set up Jezzie's evening food. He checked his messages, and went to change his shoes so he could take Jezzie for her evening walk.
Jezzie had stayed in the living room with Nick. She laid on the floor her massive head resting on her paws as she regarded him cautiously, while he read. Nick glanced up occasionally grinning cautiously at the dog.
The story, like all the other Scooter books, focused on the Scooter the beagle. This book told the story of one of Scooter's friends realizing that he was different from all the other dogs. Instead of being interested in girl dogs like all of his friends, he was interested in cats. He was embarrassed and maybe a little ashamed.
Scooter convinced his friend that you couldn't help who you love and that the important thing was that you loved at all.
"Wow, I wonder what caused her to write this book," Nick muttered as he replaced the book on the shelf.
Quinn looked puzzled as he settled on his couch. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said."
"I was just wondering why MJ Kennedy wrote this book."
Quinn took a deep breath. "She wrote it the summer her son came out to her. Her publisher refused to distribute the book, but she had one printed in the usual manner to let her son know she was okay with what he had told her."
"Your mother is MJ Kennedy?"
"It would appear that way, wouldn't it?" Quinn said, nervously.
"So I wasn't wrong about you," Nick smiled confidently as he slid onto the couch with Quinn.
"I, uh, I guess not." Quinn felt himself turning bright red.
"The blush looks good on you," Nick offered with a small chuckle as he brushed his hand against Quinn's cheek. He started to slide his had around to pull Quinn into his arms, when Quinn suddenly jerked away.
"What do you think you're doing?" Quinn was aggravated with himself as soon as the words left his mouth. He sounded like an outraged virgin. "What I mean is, you're moving too fast for me."
"I thought you were interested." Nick stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm going to go."
"No, wait. Look --" Quinn stood too. "I need to walk Jezzie, why don't you come with us. We'll talk, okay?"
Nick looked at Quinn and then at Jezzie who was up with an eager look on her face. "Are you walking her or does she walk you?"
"Well, it'll even the odds if you're holding the leash," Quinn smiled appreciatively.
Nick nodded abruptly. He waited for Quinn to attach a lead to Jezzie's collar and then he took hold. The dog was quite powerful, but she was no match for Nick's conditioning.
They started walking around the common area with the dog. Quinn seemed content to keep his thoughts to himself, but Nick was having none of it. "You said we were going to talk."
"Like I said, you were moving too fast for me. I don't do one night stands," Quinn stated baldly.
Nick continued to walk and simply didn't say anything.
"I mean, you don't even know my last name. Don't you want to know something -- anything -- about me?"
"Kennedy."
"Huh?"
"Your last name. It's Kennedy." Nick's voice was flat -- completely without inflection. Quinn simply couldn't get a read off of him.
"Uh, no, actually, it's not."
"But you said that MJ Kennedy is your mother."
"She is, but Kennedy is her family name, not her married name." Quinn thought for a minute and then offered, "Jordan."
"Huh?"
"My last name."
"Oh, okay." Nick was already working on how to extricate himself from this situation. He'd badly misread the signals, and he just wanted to get away before he embarrassed himself further.
"Jezzie, sit. Good girl. Now stay," Quinn commanded his dog, and then grabbed Nick's hand to draw him into a small stand of trees -- away from the possibly prying eyes of his neighbors.
Nick released the leash, and watched in amazement as the dog simply held her ground. "What are you doing?"
"I wanted your attention -- your undivided attention." Quinn shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "I'm not saying that I wouldn't be interested. I just -- I don't --"
"I don't do relationships," Nick said flatly.
"Oh." Quinn swallowed hard. "Oh. I see."
"It's not you. Really. I just don't like to get involved." Nick felt himself flushing with embarrassment. He'd never met someone outside of his family who could make him feel ashamed, but Quinn was accomplishing it.
"O -- Okay." Quinn was surprised by how disappointed he felt. He walked out from the trees and bent to pick up Jezzie's leash. "It was nice meeting you, Nick. I think you can find your way out from here."
As Quinn walked away, Nick didn't feel relieved like he thought he would. He walked out to his Explorer and climbed in wondering if maybe he had made a mistake.
TBC