After I was done, an older couple were waiting to talk to me. The officers introduced them as the driver's parents.
"He was coming to pick us up so we did not have to walk in the heat," his mother said. There was a heavy catch in her voice. "He could have been killed."
"Your son is a smart man, he was wearing his seatbelt," I said.
"Even so, he got hurt," she said. "Thank God you kept such a clear head. Everyone said you jumped in right away. We wanted to say thank you."
They insisted that I come with them to the ambulance where their son was waiting to go to the hospital and have his broken arm set. He smiled when he saw me.
"You were right, my mother did not care that you used her scarf," he said.
"Oh, Evan, don't be silly," the older woman said. She swatted his foot as he sat on the gurney in the ambulance.
"Thank you," Evan said. "You saved me."
"That's a bit dramatic," I told him.
He laughed, "Well, you at least stopped me from wandering off and hurting my arm more. You should hear the horror stories the EMTs are telling about what people accidentally do when they are in shock."
Evan's father cleared his throat. "Before you go, isn't there something else you wanted to say?"
Evan rolled his eyes. "I'm thirty, but they still treat me like I'm a kid. I wanted to thank you properly and invite you to have dinner with us tomorrow night."
I shook my head. "That is not necessary. Thank you, but no."
"Please, we insist," Evan's mother said. "We have reservations at the new Bellagio restaurant. Five stars, or so we heard. You have to join us."
I blinked. It was too much like a fairytale. It only took a second glance to realize the wealth of the couple and their adult son. She wore diamond stud earrings that flashed brighter than supernovas, her husband had the most expensive watch I had ever seen, and the totaled car was a brand new top-of-the-line Mercedes. And people paid thousands of dollars just for a reservation at the restaurant she had casually mentioned.
"No, really," I said, "I'm just glad I could help."
"At least tell me your name," Evan said. The EMTs helped his parents into the ambulance and then climbed into the rig and got ready to shut the doors.
"Quinn Thomas," I said. "I live nearby."
Evan waved through the doors of the ambulance as they pulled away. I wondered why I had included the information about where I was from, but then again it was not every day that I saved a handsome rich man.
"Quinn? Are you alright? What the hell happened out here?" Owen grabbed my arm from out of nowhere.
"Oh, I was just walking along when Evan swerved to avoid hitting another car. He totaled his Mercedes and broke his arm. I put it in a sling and helped stopped the bleeding on his head before the EMTs got here." I stopped, realizing that I was rambling.
"Who the hell is Evan?" Owen asked.
His jealousy hit me off guard and I did not know whether to laugh or scream.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Owen
My heart was hammering. I had watched Quinn leave the Luxor ballroom. She had marched out without looking at anything. That was when I had realized her father had not talked to her. She had no idea why I suddenly was giving her space. In her mind, I had slept with her, then publicly turned away from her again and again.
I had pushed my way through group after group of Dark Flag fans. By the time I had reached the front doors of the Luxor, I could hear the ambulance sirens. My heart had dropped onto the pavement as I ran down the sidewalk to find Quinn.
Half a block away, I had overheard two women talking about a heroic bystander. She had jumped forward to help when everyone else was still standing back in shock and fear. I had prayed it was Quinn; it had sounded exactly what she would have done. Then, when I saw it really was her, the relief left me unfiltered.
She glowed, and it never even occurred to me it was the adrenaline. The way she smiled at the handsome injured man in the ambulance pushed my blood pressure to the clouds. His name on her lips was too much.
"Who the hell is Evan?" I asked.
Quinn's eyebrows crashed together in a frown. "The driver. The man that just went off to the hospital with a broken arm."
"And let me guess, he was just dying to find a way to thank you," I said.
She pushed past me and stormed down the sidewalk. I caught up to her in two steps and grabbed her elbow. I wanted to tell her how afraid I was when I heard the sirens, but the words would not form.
"His parents wanted to take me to dinner as a thank you. What is wrong with that? It’s not like I have plans with anyone," Quinn said.
"Then let's make plans," I said. I wrapped her arm in mine and pulled her back towards the Luxor. "I don't care if it’s pizza in your parents' basement, but whatever you are doing tomorrow night it’s with me."
I did not have time to decipher the narrow flash of her eyes. As soon as we walked into the Luxor lobby, I caught sight of Anya. Despite the small knot of fawning young men, she pursed her lips and gave Quinn a hard stare. She then stepped over to the judge that happened to be standing nearby and whispered something in his ear.
"What is up with her?" Quinn asked. She had noticed Anya's barbed looks.
"Whatever it is, it looks like we have to address it right now," I said.
Anya marched the judge over to meet us. "I've heard from quite a few other players that Quinn's performance was remarkable. Too remarkable. I'm sorry, Owen, but it seems like maybe you coached her."
"And what's wrong with giving pointers to newbies?" I asked.
"It’s against the rules for sponsored players," the judge said.
Quinn yanked her arm out of mine. She grabbed the judge's phone from his hands and gave him her login and password. "There. Now you can check my play from last night. Owen's alibi happens to be standing right here." Quinn gave Anya a sharp look.
The judge scrolled through the play log and found the moment she detected the Shattering Mirror Charm. "Yes, it’s right here. And I'm to understand that you were with Mr. Redd last night at 11 p.m.?"
Anya crossed her hands over her chest. "Yes, that's right."
"Then, it is clear that Ms. Thomas discovered the move on her own and there was no direct coaching involved. Now, if you'll excuse me." The judge disappeared back into the ballroom with Anya on his heels.
"That was awful," I said. I reached for Quinn, but she stepped back.
"Kind of like this whole morning. I can't even enjoy my one success."
"You're right. It was a huge success. You should be proud."
"Really? Where was all of that an hour ago? You know, when you ignored me in the ballroom. I know I'm just a newbie, but I thought maybe we were closer than that," Quinn said.
"I know, I acted stupidly. I thought you wanted your space. I mean, with your father watching and everything that happened yesterday."
"Yesterday is exactly why I thought I could expect a little more from you," she said.
Her eyes flashed over me and I remembered them turning to dark brown chocolate as she had melted underneath me. The memory was enough to make me feel hot again.