Chapter 28

Quinn's office is quiet as he scans through the latest briefings from Tel Aviv. His secretary's knock interrupts his thoughts.

"Mr. Quinn, Lily's here. She's waiting for you in the lobby. She says to remind you you're meeting with the realtor in 30 minutes and you can't be late. You've already canceled twice."

Quinn laughs and shakes his head. "Did she tell you to remind me of that? Figures... Thanks, Natalie," he gets up from his desk, and starts gathering his things. "Tell her I'll be there in five."

He's barely made it into the hallway when he runs into Dar, who seems to be waiting for him. Quinn can tell right away that Dar's got something on his mind.

"You're in a hurry," Dar comments, as he falls into step with Quinn. "Where are you headed?"

"A house showing in Great Falls. Apparently I've already canceled twice," he smirks.

Dar gives him a look. "Next you'll tell me you're adopting a dog. We both know you don't have time for this 'settling down' nonsense."

Quinn shoots him a wry grin. "We'll see about that. What's up?"

Dar doesn't waste time. He cuts right to the point. "I'm hearing things about Lebanon. A pager attack. Is that Mossad, or did we provide any of the intel... or supplies... for this one?"

Quinn raises an eyebrow, his expression deadpan. "Obviously we did, Dar." He speaks with a flat matter-of-factness that tells Dar everything he needs to know.

"It's a dangerous game," Dar says softly, eyes narrowing. "But I've got to say—it was genius. If it works."

"It's working," Quinn says shortly, his expression serious now as the elevator doors open. Dar steps inside with him, as Quinn hits the button for the ground floor and waits as the doors slide shut.

Dar nods, processing Quinn's response. "Still, if we're getting pulled into things like this—highly public things—we need to be careful. This could blow up in our faces, especially if the Saudis get antsy."

The elevator doors open, and they step into the lobby. Quinn looks at him, a knowing glint in his eye. "Don't worry, Dar. I'm handling it. But right now, I've got a realtor to meet, and I can't be late."

He immediately spies Lily sitting in the lobby, in the middle of a text—probably to him, asking where he is and reminding him that he's already canceled this showing twice. When she sees Quinn, her face lights up with a smile.

"Hey," she says, standing up and approaching. "I was worried something came up."

Quinn smiles, his gaze softening when he sees her. "Sorry. I'm here. Dar, this is Lily." He gestures to her, his voice matter-of-fact. "Lily, this is Dar. My boss."

Dar's eyes flicker over Lily, and then back to Quinn. He takes her hand in a firm handshake, but the way his gaze lingers on Quinn tells a different story—he's observing this moment carefully. He's processing the significance.

"Pleasure," Dar says smoothly, his tone neutral but respectful. "Nice to meet you, Lily."

Lily smiles, offering her hand. "Nice to meet you, too. I've heard a lot about you."

They exchange pleasantries, but there's a subtle weight to the conversation. Lily's not just anyone—Dar knows that, and Quinn knows Dar knows it.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Dar asks, glancing between the two of them. "House-hunting?"

Lily chuckles lightly. "Yes, actually. For him," she gestures toward Quinn, her tone playful but pointed. "Long overdue, considering how often he's been out of town."

Quinn just raises an eyebrow. "That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"Not really," Lily teases, her smile widening. "But anyway, we're heading to Great Falls. There's a house there that's perfect, if I can actually get him there."

"Great Falls?" Dar raises an eyebrow. "Beautiful area. You'll love it. Great schools. Plenty of space."

Lily nods, but then her tone shifts slightly, a glint of humor in her eyes. "It's for him, not me. I don't need all that space," she laughs.

Dar glances at Quinn, curiosity in his eyes.

Quinn shakes his head and grins. "Yeah, we'll see. Gotta go. Bye, Dar."

"Good luck with the house-hunting," Dar calls over his shoulder as Quinn and Lily head out the door. He watches them leave with a thoughtful expression.

The house in Great Falls is everything Lily had hoped for. From the sprawling front yard to the lush trees that provide a nearly impenetrable wall of privacy in the back, it feels like the living embodiment of serenity now. Quinn stands beside her, hands in his pockets, absorbing the peace around them. It's a far cry from the dingy apartment in Alexandria where he used to spend his nights.

"It's beautiful," Lily says softly, gazing out at the expansive yard. She gestures to the stone-lined pool, nestled into the patio. "Do you swim?"

Quinn snorts. "Not for pleasure."

Lily pokes him playfully, but her gaze drifts back to the yard. "I can picture you here," she murmurs, her voice almost wistful.

Quinn turns to her, his eyes a little softer than usual. "I can picture us here," he says, the words coming out with surprising ease.

Lily stops walking and looks at him, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs, his tone matter-of-fact. "I mean, we've been living together for a while now. Doesn't exactly feel temporary."

Her brow furrows as she processes this, the hint of something unspoken hanging in the air. "But that was the plan. It was supposed to be... just..." Her voice trails off, uncertain.

He catches her eye, his gaze steady. "Move in with me," he says simply.

Lily blinks, taken aback by how those words sound coming from him. "That's... kind of sudden."

"Really?" He raises an eyebrow. "Sudden?"

"Maybe not sudden, but... fast. Like, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

He meets her gaze, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "You said the same thing in Berlin."

"And I meant it."

"But here we are."

She smiles, a small, rueful thing, and shakes her head. "I don't know, Quinn. This feels... big."

He steps closer, his voice turning teasing but affectionate. "You don't like living with me?"

Her laugh comes out light, breaking the tension. "I love living with you."

"Then it should be an easy decision," he says with a grin.

Lily takes a moment, considering the weight of the conversation, before responding. "Well, if I'm going to move in... we need to revisit the kitchen."

Quinn laughs, relieved by the humor. "Oh, so that's the dealbreaker?"

She crosses her arms and gives him a serious look. "You have no idea. I have very high standards."

"I'll make it work," he promises, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "The kitchen, the bathroom, the entire house... we'll get it right. Deal?"

"Deal," she agrees, her lips curving into a smile.

They stand there for a moment longer, the decision hanging in the air but feeling right, like an unspoken certainty.

"Alright," Lily says, taking a deep breath and turning toward the house. "Let's go inside."

Quinn nods, a hand on the small of her back as they walk toward the door. Together, they step into their future.