That Nina and Marty trusted her with their children was the ultimate compliment. It meant she really was a part of this crazy family, pieced together by accident.
Ingrid, dressed in leather, her eyes rimmed in charcoal, did a little dance. She clenched her hands together at her chest and swooned comically “Look at me, gettin’ my Greece on. Now give me your hand, Quinn Morris. We’re going to have one of those moments you’ve dreamt about since I’ve known you. The one you planned on so long ago, but instead got some big ol’ boobies and a new job. Right here in the middle of the Parthenon.”
Quinn’s laughter echoed in the open space as she remembered all the dreams of her trip to Greece she’d shared with Ingrid before her breakup with Igor, giving her hand to her friend and squeezing it.
Rocking back and forth, Ingrid let out a dreamy sigh as she perused the shimmering white landscape, bumping shoulders with Quinn. “Isn’t it romantic here in the Parthenon now that you’re in love and happy, Quinn? Isn’t it just like you’ve always dreamed? A perfect day for a pro—”
“Batch of Arch’s chicken wings and artichoke dip,” Khristos said from behind her, gripping Quinn’s shoulders.
Ingrid’s eyes flashed something odd at Khristos before they went warm. She lunged for him, giving him a hard hug. “You bet! It’s the best day ever for some chicken wings and artichoke dip. In fact, I think I’m going to go stuff my face with some right now and see if I can find some hot god’s abs to play like an xylophone.” She blew them a kiss and ran off into the bright sun to join the others invited to this impromptu party Khristos had cooked up.
Marty, Nina, and Wanda followed suit, throwing themselves into their various roles of the day, and Quinn sighed, feeling content—included.
She turned to Khristos, slipping her arms up under his and letting her head rest on his chest, her favorite place in the world these days. “I wish my mother could have been here. Though it would really take some explaining, huh?”
His laughter rumbled against her ear, making her shiver with pleasure. “I gave Zeus strict orders there’d be no cows for him today.”
Quinn grinned. Maude had surprised her mother with a trip to a bird sanctuary in Africa for their three-month anniversary and they’d waved the newly minted couple off just two days ago.
She and her mother talked often now. No less than twice a week, and they made a point of seeing each other, with Maude and Khristos included, at least once a month for family dinner night.
They’d been working hard to mend old wounds, talking things out and laughing more than Quinn could ever remember them doing her entire life.
Helen and Maude had moved in together, and Maude’s influence on her mother, her calming, gentle effect, had done wonders for Helen’s relationship with Quinn.
Plus, Maude made the most amazing sugar cookies this side of the universe. Most importantly, her mother was happy—blissfully so, and she was working toward accepting herself and letting go of all the anger she’d allowed to fester for so many years.
And it was a beautiful thing to watch her mother’s relationship grow, flourish.
It was also pretty awesome to watch her romance with Khristos deepen.
Khristos had wooed Quinn, dated her one day at a time, showed her what falling in love with the right man was like, one who was true to himself, one who wouldn’t let her turn him into something he was never going to pretend to be.
He sat with her while she read her beloved copy of Keats and he read posts on Facebook. She sat with him while he played video games and she planned the garden of English tea roses she hoped to one day grow.
He rolled his eyes while she shopped for more decorative pillows he saw as pointless if you couldn’t lay on them, and she rolled her eyes back when he suggested they eat dinner on the bed.
He refused to eat frilly girl food like brie cheese on wafer-thin crackers, so she’d made him a cracker-and-cheese sandwich on a hoagie roll.
And they laughed—often—loudly—softly—together.
They talked. They were silent. They learned. They loved.
Khristos pointed to the space on the blanket he’d spread out. “Come sit with me, Quinn Morris, aka Aphrodite.”
Quinn dropped down next to him and snuggled up against his chest, pulling her knees to her chin. “This is some game they have going on. Vampires are a cutthroat bunch, huh?”
He barked a laugh. “You have no idea. But it’s damn good to see everyone together. So I’m okay with the virtual annihilation of my people.”
She giggled, taking a bite of the strawberries he’d brought along for the Vampires vs. Gods Picnic—Round Two. “Nina’s killin’ ’em out there. I think she made Zeus cry for his mother.”
“Nina is a warrior.”
“A very pale one,” she said on a chuckle. A pale one she’d come to care a great deal for. “You know, I’ve been wondering about something…”
“And that is?”