Fortune and Fortitude – part 3 by Lerena
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Chapter 3
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE-
Jared groaned. When did he set an alarm? He was usually pretty good at getting up in time for school. Maybe he had a late night…?
He rolled over to feel for his phone when he brushed against something warm and soft. Confused, he opened his eyes to see Quinn, his best friend and longtime crush, naked in his bed.
He shot up in alarm as the memories of their morning came together. He gingerly reached over her sleeping form to grab her phone, which hadn’t ceased from its clarion call.
“Fairway.” The alarm was set for 4:30 PM.
Right. This wasn’t exactly a love marriage. Jared nudged Quinn with his elbow. “Quinn. Quinn, it’s time to go.” He turned off the alarm.
She turned her head, her messy hair wrapping her face. “Hm?”
Jared smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “We have to go to Fairway, now. Remember?”
She yawned and stretched her arms, offering a delicious view of her breasts. “Oh, yeah.” She blinked slowly, trying to clear the drowsiness from her eyes.
Jared scrounged around for their clothes as she continued to wake up. After getting dressed, he offered her clothing to her.
“What time is it?” She asked, shaking herself awake.
“About 4:45.”
Her eyes widened and she snatched the clothes from his hand. “Shoot.” She pulled her shirt on, followed immediately by her pants.
“Uh, Quinn? Aren’t you forgetting something?” He gestured to her bra laying on the bed.”
She dismissed it. “It’s fine. We need to get moving.”
She gasped as she tried to stand up. Jared had to move to catch her from falling back. “You okay?”
She winced and straightened. “Just a bit sore. Help me get to the medicine cabinet.”
With one arm under her shoulder, Jared helped her limp over to where his mom had kept all of the medicine. After sorting through them quickly, she found a painkiller and swallowed the tablets whole. “Okay, let’s go.”
Jared didn’t hesitate to pick her up. She didn’t protest, merely wrapping her arms around his neck as he carried her to the passenger seat.
After getting her settled in, Jared started up the car before cursing under his breath. “I’m not sure we’ve got enough gas to get there.”
Quinn sighed. “There’s not a lot we can do about that. We’ll have to stop for gas.” She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to work down the tangles. “Need me to navigate?”
“No, I think I’m good. Maverik, right? Down 3rd south?”
She nodded.
They fell silent as he drove. He wanted to ask about what happened earlier, but he didn’t really know how. Still, one question gnawed at him.
“So… Did you find out the answer?”
She stiffened. “To what?”
“Whether or not you can love me?”
She whipped her hair around her shoulder and started braiding it. “I don’t know.” Upon seeing his face fall, she hastened to add, “It’s really confusing. I- I care for you, I know that. You are…” She took a deep breath. “You are probably the most important thing in the world to me right now. Is that love?”
He frowned. “You’d know better than me. I guess that sounds good.”
She shook her head. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.” She bit her lip. “I really want round 2.”
He glanced over to her. “Seriously? Aren’t you in a lot of pain?”
“Not now, obviously. Just… soon. When I get better.”
Jared sighed and Quinn pursed her lips. “You know, a lot of guys would think having a horny wife is an advantage.”
“Most of those guys are either pigs or have a loving wife. No offense, Quinn, but I’m not sure I can do that again knowing you don’t love me.”
“I never said I didn’t love you, I just said I don’t KNOW if I love you. There’s a big difference.” She paused. “Can love and lust mix?”
“I don’t think so.”
She sighed. “No, probably not. I don’t know what I feel.” She reached over to take his hand. “But I can genuinely promise that I will try. Is that enough?”
He winced. “I’m not sure forcing yourself to try to love someone really counts.” He gripped the steering wheel. “But I guess it’s good enough for now.”
Quinn looked like she wanted to say more, but she just turned to look out the window.
He pulled into the gas station, grateful that the tank had made it this far. Quinn winced as she hopped out, muttering something about the bathroom.
He had just refilled when she came back bearing a load of snack: bags of chips, pretzels, Gatorade. Like they were getting ready for a huge road trip.
“Feeling hungry?” Jared asked with a smirk.
“Not really, but I thought you might be.”
Unsurprisingly, she was right. He was starving.
They hopped back in the car and drove off as Quinn opened a few bags. “What do you want?”
“I’m kinda feeling pretzels right now, honestly.”
She passed him a handful to pop into his mouth while she cracked open a Gatorade to sip at.
A few minutes later, she spoke up again. “Do you think we can stop the apocalypse? If Annika insists that you’re so powerful, couldn’t it be possible?”
Jared tilted his head. “I hope so.” He grinned. “You know, I think it’ll helpful for you to meet Miss Senguine. I don’t even know the right questions to ask.”
Quinn nodded. “More pretzels?”
“Sure.”
He held out his hand, but to his surprise, she lifted one to his lips. He glanced over to see her smile. She seemed… flirtatious? He accepted the pretzel.
“I never took you for the flirting type.”
Quinn snorted. “Are you kidding? You never would have been my friend if I was. Now that we’re married, I’m thinking I don’t have to hold back so much.”
Jared chuckled. “It’s like I hardly know you.”
She pouted. “Don’t say that. You know me better than anyone.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Even Nasha?”
Nasha was her other friend that she hung out with. They were in the foster care system together when they were kids, and they hit it off right away. They had split somewhat at high school, due to differing interests. Quinn was more of an academic, while Nasha pursued dreams of athleticism.
Quinn hesitated. “Maybe. Definitely different parts of me, but it’s hard to say who knew more.”
“Knew?”
She smiled sweetly. “You are now privy to my entire sex life, Mr. Bertreck. Consider yourself my official best friend.” She trailed off, her smile fading. “Do you think Nasha will be okay?”
Jared focused back on the road. From what Miss Senguine said about the demonic appetites, he doubted it. “I hope so.”
Within a few minutes, they pulled up to Fairway. The sky was turning dark, only amplified by the gray clouds hanging over. Thunder sounded in the distance.
Jared finished off the pretzels as they hopped out of the car. “So this is the famous Fairway…” Quinn placed her hands on her hips, surveying the estate. “You didn’t mention it was so beautiful.”
“Must’ve slipped my mind. Come on.” Jared took her hand and led her through the gate. Not for the first time, Jared noted the absence of any servants of any kind. It made him wonder how the gardens and such were upkept so well. Probably magic.
They passed by where Jared had worked last night. Kiara was still hard at work clearing the patch of ground of rocks. He leaned down to whisper her name in Quinn’s ear.