Happy Endings by Chantel Rhondeau Read Free Book Online

content spending his days in the office.
    “Dad, I know you and Mom mean well, but Larissa isn’t my type.” That was only partially a lie—he liked Larissa, but it turned out she was Parker’s type. He couldn’t compete with that, and he wouldn’t take his brother’s sloppy seconds. Forget the fact that he couldn’t get her off his mind all week long. It was easy to bury himself deeper into work to forget. Even if images of her fantastic smile danced in his vision at odd times when he forgot to guard himself against them.
    Quinn shook his head. “Maybe you should get Parker over here. You should settle that kid down and find him a wife, or you’ll end up with grandchildren that don’t have the McCallister name.”
    John looked up at the ceiling, a clear indication he was losing patience. “At the rate you’re going, it might be the only way we get grandchildren.” John met his eyes again. “Your mom and I are worried about you, Quinn. This obsession you have with the business isn’t healthy. Things won’t fall apart if you take some time off and let yourself be happy.”
    “I am happy, Dad. You don’t need to worry.” Well, mostly happy. If he could stop thinking about a certain massage therapist. “You should call Larissa and cancel. Let’s have a nice dinner just the three of us, and then we can go over the expense reports. I finished them today.”
    “You finished them? So you have nothing to do tomorrow? That’s great. I happen to know Larissa only has one client in the morning, and then her day is free as well. You should ask her out.”
    It was clear John wouldn’t give up until Quinn broke down. This was how he’d been railroaded into marrying Camille. Then again, the thought of spending the day with Larissa held appeal, even if he’d never admit that to his parents.
    “Why don’t we play things by ear, Dad? If she likes Parker, she isn’t going to want to go out with me.”
    John ran a hand through his deep black hair. “You’re determined to be miserable, aren’t you? Why are you so serious all the time?”
    Because they expected him to take over the company, drilling it into him until it became his dream too. He couldn’t say that, though. It would hurt his dad’s feelings to know Quinn had become exactly what his parents pushed him into. Once upon a time, he’d loved other things, before McCallister’s Paradise became his whole life. What he really wanted to be was an artist, but that would do nothing to forward the family business, so his talent was never encouraged.
    Quinn kept his lips sealed firmly together, afraid if he tried to say anything at all, he’d blurt the truth. His dad didn’t deserve that. When it came down to it, Quinn knew he’d made the final decision to become his father’s protégé on his own. If he’d flatly refused, his parents would have figured out a different path for the company, but that might have meant turning it over to a cousin to manage or even an outsider. Quinn knew they didn’t want that. It had always been a family business, so Quinn made the decision to keep it that way at the price of giving up his own dreams.
    John seemed uncomfortable with Quinn’s continued silence and blew out a long breath. “Did Sydney tell you that Larissa came back to watch the fireworks with you? She didn’t want to be with Parker, she just wanted to dance. Larissa said you’re the one who told her to go with Parker. I think Larissa felt like you didn’t want to be there with her.”
    “She came back?” Well, shit. He’d definitely screwed up everything with her. But it sounded like John had talked to her about it. “Does she know I’m going to be here? Does she want to see me?”
    Wow... if that didn’t sound pathetically desperate. Judging by the return of John’s smile, he heard the hope in Quinn’s voice.
    “Larissa says you’re grumpy. You should do something to change that image if you like her.” John stood up and walked around the