End Game Quotes

“Me: I told you, I’ll get fired if I dothat.

Logan: Come on, sis. Live a little.

Weston: As an officer of the law I must remind you…it’s only illegal if you get caught.

Me: Guys, I don’t know…I really like myjob.

Owen: You’d be the coolest sister ever if you didthis.

Me: I’m already the coolest sister.

Logan: Dean’s only getting marriedonce.

Owen: That’s debatable. I still don’t see how Kara puts up with his ass. Think of it this way, Q: it’s the only bachelor party we’re throwing forhim.

Me: Maybe…it’s risky. We’re still working bugs out of the prototype. I wouldn’t want you guys to gethurt.

Dean: You guys are assholes. Mom told me the Batmobile isn’t real and all that footage isfake.

I crack up,reading Dean’s text twice. We’ve been going at this all day, with my other brothers trying to convince me to let them take the Batmobile out for the bachelor party.

Weston: It took MOM telling you it’s not real for you to get it? Jackson never once bought intoit.

Owen: And he’s fucking THREE YEARSOLD

Logan: hahaha you’re never living this down, bro

I send a carefully doctoredphoto of me sitting behind the wheel of the Batmobile to the group text, still laughing as I imagine Dean’s pouting face rightnow.

Me: I guess it’ll just be me in this bad boy then. So long, suckers!

Logan: He’s believed this for FOUR FUCKING MONTHS, guys

Owen: I didn’t think we could keep it going for thatlong.

Weston: Q and I get all the credit.

Dean: Again. Assholes.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“I’m going to have to talk to HR sooner rather than later about arranging for my maternity leave anyway. And people are going to find out in time. I unlock my phone and open Instagram. I have an oddly high number of followers thanks to an article Forbes did on me right after I sold the app to Apple. I’m not that interesting of a person, but I do find the best funny memes to share.

I upload my favorite picture of Archer and me from this weekend, heart fluttering when I look at it. We’re standing by the pink balloons, and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes. My hair is tucked awkwardly behind my ear, but we both look so happy.

So inlove.

Archer’s hand is on my stomach, and his smile is genuine. Man, I miss him. Tomorrow is too far away. Long distance sucks.

“We cannot wait for spring. Hashtag thirteen weeks. Hashtag baby girl,” I say out loud as Itype.

“Don’t forget hashtag blessed.”

“And grateful. Please. I might be basic, but I know enough not to flaunt it around on social media,” I laugh and post the photo. But I really do feel those things.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“I lean backin my chair, wiping tears from my eyes. A logical part of my brain tells me I need to stop. But for some reason, I lack all self-control and don’t click away. Someone knocks on my office door, and I look up, prepared to hide behind my monitor if needbe.

But it’s just Marissa, and I wave herin.

“Oh my God,” she says and comes around to my desk. “Stop watching those clips of dogs greeting their owners after they come home from the military.”

“But it’s so sweet!”

“You have mascara dripping down yourface.”

“I didn’t wear any today.”

She hikes an eyebrow. “Then it’s yesterday’s leftover mascara.”

I grab a tissue from my desk drawer. “That’s likely.” I wipe my eyes and close the viral video. “Did you come in here just to yell atme?”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“Hey, buddy,” she says and sits him on her lap. He leans over, gently poking Quinn’s belly. Then he looks at me and Quinn’s belly again.

“Is that what Uncle Dean is mad?” heasks.

“What do you mean?” Quinn turns her head down to look athim.

“I heard Uncle Dean say Uncle Archer put a baby inside you. But how? Did it hurt? Did you swallow it like a watermelon seed and now it’s going to grow big and big and bigger?”

Quinn’s mouth falls open and she looks at me for help. I have no idea what to say either, and I’m becoming more and more aware of everyone else staring atus.

“If she swallowed it,” Owen starts, “then there wouldn’t—” 

He cuts off when Logan kicks him hard under the table.

Quinn’s cheeks are turning red, and everyone from her grandma to my dad are staring at her. Weston twists in his chair, glaring at his younger brother. “Why don’t we let Uncle Dean explain this one since he’s going around talking aboutit.”

“Okay,” Jackson says with a smile and looks at Dean. “Where did Uncle Archer get the baby? Why is it in Winnie’s belly? Why didn’t he just give it to her?” His brows furrow together and then he looks horrified. “How does it comeout?”

Everyone sits in stunned silence for a good thirty seconds.

“Excellent questions,” Mrs. Dawson says, getting up. She goes around the table and takes Jackson from Quinn and goes into the kitchen, saying something about chocolate.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“Anyway, the head of that team is taking me out to dinner tomorrow and wants to introduce me to a professor friend. I kind of feel like Harry Potter going to a Slug Club dinner party, but I’m also at prime laziness right now and am already dreading being out past my bedtime.”

I didn’t think it was possible to be any more attracted to Quinn than I already am, but she wins me over more and more every time we talk. “If you’re trying to get a memory from this guy so you can defeat a dark wizard, don’t be so obvious.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“Mom sends me another text with pictures of cakes she found on Pinterest for a gender reveal party.

“How do you feel about having a gender reveal party?” Iask.

“What is that?” Archer gets up to make a pot of coffee.

“Basically a party announcing if the baby is a boy or girl. You don’t tell anyone until the end, and you pop a balloon with pink or blue confetti in it or something.”

“And it’s a thing people donow?”

“Yeah. If you have a halfway decent Instagram following and you don’t do one, people will wonder what’s wrong withyou.”

Archer chuckles. “I don’t really care either way. Any excuse to have a party is good in my book. Do you want to haveone?”

“I know they’re a little lame, but yeah.” I bite my lip, looking at the photos my mom sent. I haven’t told anyone besides my family and Marissa about the baby. I’m a modern woman with a successful job, and shouldn’t worry about people judging me over having a baby when I’m not married. But I do, just abit.

“Then let’s doit.”

Archer’s words make me smile. “My mom is going to go crazy over this. She wants to know where to have the party?”

It’s a simple question, but I know it raises the same concerns to Archer too. He turns on the coffee maker and comes back to the table. “If you’re going to take impressive Instagram pictures, your parents’ farm has the perfect setting.”

“I’m glad you have your priorities in check.”

He nods. “I gotcha, babe. We’ll make sure to have everything posed perfectly. I’ll even take pictures of all my food before I eat it. Actually, we could invest in some of that realistic-looking fake food. I hear it photographs better.”

I look at Archer, a big smile on my face. He makes it so easy tofall.

“Good idea. Anything for the likes.”

“Exactly. The number of likes is a direct correlation to how loved this baby is. We really have to step itup.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“You were supposed to leave tonight,” I remind her when we get through the door. Sam’s already here, and I lock the deadbolt behindus.

“I’ll stay tonight,” she mumbles, eyelids heavy.

“Do you need to call about your flight?”

“No. I never scheduled a return flight. I was going to today. The driver…no, the flyer…the…the…”

“Pilot.”

“Yeah. That guy. He was going to pick me up whenever I was ready.” She scrunches up her nose. “I sound like a rich asshole, don’tI?”

“You’re basically Bruce Wayne when he’s trying to convince the world he’s still a billionaire playboy and not a superhero.”

“Damn,” she says, not missing a beat. “Hopefully I’m giving more of a Christian Bale performance over Ben Affleck.”

“It’s Oscar-worthy.”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game

“Quinn looksat the ultrasound pictures, eyes glossing over. We’re headed home, and I steal a glance away from the road to see her beautiful face. Her eyes are brimming with tears.

“What’s wrong, babe?” I put my hand on her thigh.

“Nothing.” Tears roll down her cheeks.

“Why are you crying?”

“I was thinking about bald eagles.”

“Bald eagles?” I raise an eyebrow. “Bald eagles make youcry?”

“They used to be endangered. But they’re not anymore. They’re so majestic and beautiful and I’m just so happy they’re not endangered anymore.”

I don’t mean to laugh, but dammit, she’s so fucking adorable. “Remember how you said it wasn’t fair that I didn’t get to experience drunk-Quinn?”

“Yeah.”

“I am now.” I wink and squeeze her thigh.

She sniffles and laughs, wiping her eyes. “Yeah. I guess so.” Her eyes squeeze shut, and more tears streamout.

“Stop thinking about eagles, babe,” I try to say seriously but end up laughing. Quinn laughs too, shaking her head. ”
― Emily Goodwin, End Game