“I can ask my mom to bring Ashley back to Boston for a few days. We could hang out at my rental and—” she ran her finger over my chest, then looked up at me—“get to…know each other better.”
Something inside of me felt like it was ripping in half. The part of me that knew I had to let Abby go begged me to bend Jax over the pool table and fuck her. The other side, the side that I feared would never stop loving Abby, told me to take Jax home.
I ended up listening to the Team Abby side.
“Let’s skip the movie for tonight, go get some ice cream, and I’ll bring you back home.”
The disappointment on her face made me feel like an asshole, but then she smiled. “I’ll never say no to ice cream.”
Abby
I had been back in Boggy Creek for over twenty-four hours and neither my father nor my mother had even mentioned Bishop. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
I’d slipped a note under Arabella’s door earlier this morning, asking her to meet up at Turning Pages, Greer’s bookstore on Main Street, at nine this morning. I felt bad that I had made it seem like the note was from Greer and not me. The last thing I wanted, though, was for someone to slip up and tell Bishop I was in town. I needed to talk to Greer and Arabella first. Apologize for leaving town and not staying in touch.
Plus, I needed to find out if Bishop was seeing anyone. For all I knew, he might have remarried. The thought made me feel sick, so I pushed it away.
I sat in my car and watched Arabella walk past the bookstore and head to the private entrance to Greer’s apartment. My mother had told me that Greer had met someone, a writer by the name of Hudson who lived in New York City and had come to Boggy Creek to finish a book. He and Greer had ended up falling in love. She was moving out of her place above the bookstore and moving in with him soon.
Arabella walked through the door. Once it clicked shut, I glanced around. When I got out of my car, I pulled my hat down a bit more and ran across the street. A light dusting of snow was on the ground, and I was surprised there wasn’t more, with it being early November.
I pulled out my keys and stared down at the two extra ones on my key chain. I’d never taken them off. One was to Greer’s apartment, the other was to the little cabin Arabella lived in behind her folks’ house.
Unlocking the door, I headed up the steps. My heart pounded in my ears and I fought to keep my breathing controlled.
Stopping outside the door to Greer’s place, I closed my eyes. I could hear Greer and Arabella’s muffled voices. They were most likely trying to figure out who had written the note asking Arabella to come to the bookstore.
With a deep breath, I lifted my hand and knocked.
Silence. Then whispered voices.
I smiled and called out, “Greer? Bella?”
I thought I heard my name, followed by rushed footsteps. The door flew open, and Arabella and Greer stood there with identical shocked expressions on their faces.
God, I had missed these two.
Greer grabbed me, pulled me into her arms and hugged me as tightly as she could.
“Abby!” Arabella shouted as she wrapped us both in her arms. We stood there for a few moments, just hugging one another, before Greer stepped away and released me.
“Oh my God, you’re here! Wait, when did you get into town?”
I let out a strangled laugh. “I got in yesterday. I was the one who sent you the note, Arabella. Sorry, I didn’t really want anyone to know I was back in town, not yet…” My voice trailed off and I looked at Greer. “I’m sorry, I thought you’d be down in the bookstore, but I saw Arabella coming up through the private entrance, so I just followed her up. I still have a key, so I let myself in.”
It was then I noticed someone else sitting behind Greer and Arabella. I froze for a moment and then said, “Oh, I didn’t know you had company.”
Greer reached for the woman’s hand. “Abby, let me introduce you to Candace Reynolds. Candace, this is Abby Harr—um…Boyer.”
I gave Candace a warm smile. She was stunningly beautiful. Golden-brown skin and warm chocolate eyes that held so much kindness, I instantly wanted to get to know her. Her black curly hair was pulled up, and she returned my smile with one of her own as she replied, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Abby.”
“Greer told me a lot about you,” I said. “I mean, when I was still living here. I’ve been gone for a couple of years. I think you had just moved to Boggy Creek when I, um…left.”
Suddenly, Candace’s eyes went wide. Her mouth dropped open and she looked at Greer, then back at me. “Wait. Abby Boyer? As in Bishop’s ex-wife, Abby?”
With a tight grin, I replied, “That would be me.”
Arabella reached for my hands and squeezed them. “Are you here to visit your folks?”
I chewed nervously on my lip as I watched Greer and Candace exchange a worried look, then I focused on Arabella. “No, I’ve, um, well…I’ve moved back to Boggy Creek. For good.”
Greer and Arabella gasped, and Candace let out a whistle. Then she chuckled. “Bishop is going to shit…his…pants.”
I couldn’t help it—I laughed. Hard. The fact that Candace was so on the mark was ridiculously funny. “I would have to agree with you.”
“Grab coats or jackets, Arabella and Candace. We’re all going to need a drink.” Greer took my hand and pulled me farther into the apartment, then up the staircase that led to her rooftop area. Memories of nights I’d spent up there suddenly all came rushing back.
“The bar is still up here, I see.” I giggled as I walked across the rooftop and over to the edge. From where I was standing, I had a clear shot of the other buildings in town and across the river. And in the distance, I could see the faint outline of Wonderland. If you didn’t know it was there, you’d have no idea it was a tree farm.
Turning, I started to say something—and stopped short when I found the three of them standing there, staring at me.
“You’re back for good?” Arabella asked. “That is so…amazing and wonderful and…”
“I think the words you’re looking for is ‘shocking as fuck,’” Candace said as Greer handed me a glass of whiskey.
Arabella took her drink. “Those weren’t the words, but they’ll work.”
“Why? I mean, why now?” Greer asked.
I frowned, but then figured that was a fair enough question. “I was hoping I could speak to you and Arabella before I went and saw Bishop.”
“Bishop?” the three of them said at the same time.
“Yes. I mean, he’s the main reason I came back.”
Candace’s eyes went wide again. “This town is like a damn soap opera.”
Before I could even ask Candace what she meant, Greer walked closer to me. “Abby, what are you saying? Are you here to…to…get back with Bishop?”
“I’m not really sure what I hope to do, but I do need to talk to him. To apologize, as well as to apologize to you guys. For leaving like I did. For making the biggest mistake of my life.”
Candace took a step closer and raised a single brow. “Which was?”
I swallowed hard and blinked rapidly, trying not to bawl like a damn baby. “Leaving the only man I’ve ever loved.”