I needed to get used to seeing Bishop with her, but it still hurt like a bitch.
Now I picked up my phone and stared at it. Thanksgiving was a little over a week away, and I knew how busy he was. I was starting to think that maybe things would never be okay between us. That was a sobering thought.
Pulling my gaze from my phone, I glanced around the restaurant. I saw a lot of familiar faces and a few that weren’t. Most likely tourists. The light dusting of snow from a few days ago had long since melted, but it was still cold outside.
My phone went off and I grabbed up. When I saw who the message was from, my heart sank a bit. But then it brightened when I read her text.
Greer: I’m planning a little welcome home dinner and slumber party for you tonight, so bring your PJs!
Laughing, I typed out my reply.
Me: Aren’t we a little old for slumber parties, Greer????
Her response was instant.
Greer: No. We are not. Bring your favorite bottle of wine. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Willa and Brighton.
Me: I don’t mind at all. Who all will be there besides them?
Of course, I knew Willa Turner and Brighton Rogers from when I used to live in Boggy Creek. They were younger than us and we hadn’t hung out all that much, but I knew that Willa and Arabella had become closer friends after I left. She’d told me that her, Greer, Willa, and Candace met often for lunch. Brighton still lived in Boston, but she joined them whenever she was home.
I also knew Arabella’s feelings toward Brighton had changed since I’d last left. Brighton and Hunter’s little fling obviously bothered her, even if she’d tried to hide the fact when I’d asked her about it on our hike. But she’d finally admitted that she’d been insanely jealous of Brighton, and might still resent her a little for sleeping with Hunter.
Greer: Besides you, me, Willa, and Brighton, Arabella and Candace will be there.
That made me raise my brows. I hit Greer’s number.
“Hey! What are you up to?” she asked.
“I’m at The Coffee Pot.”
“Oh, wish I’d known, I would have joined you. What’s up?”
“Um, so…Arabella and Brighton.”
Greer remained silent for a moment. “Ahh, so you heard about Brighton and Hunter.”
“Oh yes, from Arabella herself. I think there might be a bit of jealousy on Bella’s part. Will she come if she knows Brighton will be there?”
“I think so,” Greer said. “But I’ll be sure she knows Bree is coming. Willa and I have finally started to get Arabella out more, and I’d hate for her not to come. I know Brighton, and if she gets even a hint that Arabella would be uncomfortable, she won’t go. When she hooked up with Hunter, she didn’t really know the whole story about how they broke up. She had a crush on Hunter in high school, and I think she was just scratching an itch.”
“Okay, well, Willa will know for sure. I have to ask…when did Arabella start speaking her mind?”
“What do you mean?”
Glancing around the restaurant, I lowered my voice. “The other day, when Hunter tried to tell her he didn’t think it was such a good idea to go hiking, she pretty much told him to stick it. He called her ‘sweetheart’, and I swore something in her snapped right before my eyes.”
“What happened?” Greer whispered back.
I lowered my voice more. “She said, and I quote, ‘I’m not your sweetheart. You must have confused me with Brighton there for a moment.’”
Greer gasped. “Arabella said that?”
“Yep.”
“Our Arabella said that?”
I nodded and repeated myself, this time popping my p. “Yep. That’s why I’m not so sure about her and Brighton being in the same room together.”
“Wow.”
“Right? Hunter jerked his head back like she’d slapped the living shit out of him. I asked her about Brighton on our hike, and she told me they’d had a little fling. That’s what she called it.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it really amounted to much. It was a fling for sure. And, like I said, I think Bree just wanted to get it out of her system.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me.
“Anyway, it’ll probably be good for them to be together so they can talk,” Greer said.
Chewing on my lip, I replied, “Hopefully. I just don’t want to see Arabella hurting.”
“I’ll call Willa right after I get off with you and get her thoughts. So, are you in for a welcome home slumber party?”
I had to admit, it sounded awfully nice to relax with my friends. “Yes! Count me in.”
Greer let out a whoop of happiness. “Great! I’ll send out a group text and let everyone know what time to be there. And inform Hudson he needs to leave tonight.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting him, Greer. I can tell how happy you are.”
She sighed. “I am happy. Happier than I’ve ever been, Abby. I love him.”
Smiling, I replied, “Love does that to you.”
Greer was silent for a beat before she said, “Why don’t you come a few minutes early, so I can introduce you to Hudson?”
“Yes, I’d love to meet him.”
“Great, see you later then.”
“Sounds good, see you later,” I replied and hit End.
“Date?”
I jumped and nearly let out a scream at the sound of Bishop’s voice.
Looking up, I was momentarily silenced by his ice-blue gaze staring down at me. He wore a dark brown hat that made his eyes pop even more, leaving me breathless. I cleared my throat and smiled.
“No, Greer invited me to hang out with her and some friends tonight. She asked me to come early to meet Hudson.”
He lifted a brow. “Friends?”
“Willa, Brighton, Candace, and Arabella.”
With a slight nod, he said, “Girls’ night, sounds like.”
Before I could say anything, he slipped into the booth. Tess showed up like magic. Bishop turned the coffee cup over and looked up at her and winked. “Thanks, Tess.”
“Sure thing, sweetie,” she said, pouring him a cup of coffee. “Usual?”
Bishop replied, “That would be great.” He looked at me and motioned around the booth. “Do you mind if I join you for breakfast?”
My stomach dipped, and I barely managed a reply. “Of course not.” After Tess walked away, I started to ask how things were at the farm, but Bishop spoke first.
“I wanted to apologize.”
I felt my eyes go wide. “For what?”
He cupped his coffee cup with both hands as he turned it slowly in the saucer and stared down at the black liquid. “For treating you how I did when you came to the house.” His eyes swung up and met mine. “I’m still so angry with you, Abby.”
I nodded quickly. “I know you are, and you have every right to be.”
He exhaled and looked around the restaurant. I followed his gaze. No one was paying any attention to us. When Bishop looked back at me, I held my breath.
I loved him more than anyone else. How I could have ever let him go was beyond me. But with him sitting in the booth, talking to me without yelling, I felt a sliver of hope that we might at least be able to be friends again.