When he remained silent, I took the lead.
“I need you to know something, Bishop.”
“What’s that, Abs?”
His nickname made my chest tighten. “I never stopped loving you, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t regret leaving.”
Bishop stared at me for a few moments before he let his gaze fall to my mouth, just for a second. Then he focused his eyes back on mine. With a swift nod, he said, “We should talk if you’re, um…going to be living here.”
I thought my heart couldn’t break any more, but his words had just proven me wrong. I nodded and whispered, “Okay.”
Bishop looked around. “This probably isn’t the place to do it.”
I looked down at my coffee, then gave him a weary smile. “No, probably not.”
Tess walked over and set my plate of food in front of me. “Yours will be done in just a couple minutes, Bishop.”
“No worries, Tess,” Bishop said as he looked down at the plate in front of me. “Two pancakes, scrambled eggs, and three pieces of bacon. Do you still dip your pancakes in syrup?”
About that time, Tess placed a bowl and the syrup in front of me, then put Bishop’s breakfast down in front of him.
I laughed. “Yes, I still do.”
He smiled, and it was the first time it touched his eyes. “I always liked that little quirk about you.”
Shrugging, I replied, “I don’t like soggy pancakes.” He shook his head, picked up the pepper, and started to shake it over his two over-easy eggs with a side of fried breakfast potatoes and bacon. The same breakfast he’d been ordering here for as long as I’d known him.
“Did you enjoy your hike with Kyle the other day?” he asked.
I paused with my fork at my mouth. “Um, yeah, it was nice to spend time with Arabella, and I think it was good for her.”
All he did was nod.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone hiking; I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it. Or how sore I’d be the next day.” I paused for a moment. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the day Kyle had shared with Bishop and Hunter. “Did Kyle, um, mention anything about it?”
Bishop raised a brow. “No. He just said you and Arabella seemed to need the hike.”
I let out a soft laugh. “Yes, we certainly did. I’ve missed the view from the top of those mountains.”
He stared at me for a beat too long, then went back to eating.
“How are things going at the farm?” I asked. “Are you ready for opening day?”
“It’s busy.”
So we were back to short, clipped answers. Forcing a smile, I replied, “I’m sure it is.”
We ate in silence, neither one of us knowing what to make of this shared breakfast. It was clear Bishop wasn’t interested in small talk, and I wondered why he’d sat down and joined me for breakfast. What would Jax think? Would she be bothered that Bishop was having breakfast with his ex-wife? I tried to push her from my mind.
Bishop finally cleared his throat. “I guess I better get going.”
I reached across the table and placed my hand on his, and he instantly froze. “Bishop, when can we talk?”
He pulled his hand back and stared at it before meeting my questioning gaze. “The only day I have free is Thanksgiving.”
I frowned. “Are you not going to your parents’?” Or spending it with Jax and her daughter?
“They’re going to New York for a few days to visit with friends and watch the parade, so it’ll be a chicken potpie for me, then, of course, the big soft opening with friends.”
I opened my mouth to invite him to our house, but then snapped it shut.
He noticed and laughed. “Don’t tell me you were about to invite me over to your folks’ place.”
I shrugged and let out a weak chuckle.
“Stop by my place on Thanksgiving—we can talk then,” he said.
He dropped some money on the table and then turned and walked away. I closed my eyes and placed my hand over my heart. I hated the way he looked at me. I hated that I was the reason
he had that look of utter defeat in his eyes.
I looked at the two twenties sitting by his plate. He’d paid for both of us and then some.
Tess walked up to the booth. “What are you doing?”
I jerked my head up. “Excuse me?”
She slowly shook her head. “Slide your bum out of that booth, Abby Boyer, and go after him.”
“I…I don’t think he wants to talk to me, Tess.”
She lifted a single brow. “That’s why he ate breakfast with you?”
I looked down at our plates before grabbing my coat and purse. I slid out of the booth and started for the door. Stopping, I turned and hugged Tess. “I’ve missed you, Tess.”
She chuckled. “I’ve missed you, too, honey. Now go.”
Rushing out of The Coffee Pot, I stopped and looked both ways while I put my coat on. Bishop had gone right and was walking down Chestnut Street. Without even thinking, I went after him.
His grandfather’s old truck was parked a block away on the corner of High Street and Chestnut. It had started snowing while we were eating breakfast, so a light layer of white covered the bare tree branches and the sidewalks and street. It literally looked like a winter wonderland.
Bishop reached his truck, and I called out his name. “Bishop!”
He had opened the truck door but stopped, turning toward me. I started to jog. Right before I got to him, I slipped, and Bishop’s arm shot out and caught me.
I felt the familiar fire the moment he held me in his arms. When our eyes met, I swore I saw it burning in his. He felt the connection as well.
He let go of me and took a step back, nearly causing me to fall again. I steadied myself and fought to keep my heart from beating right out of my chest. “I’m sorry, and it kills me that you look at me like you hate me.”
Bishop closed his eyes. “I don’t hate you, Abs.”
“Bishop. I was just…I was so lost and confused.”
“And you think I wasn’t?”
I sniffed and wiped my nose with my sleeve. “I know you were…and I’m…I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
He looked away, fighting to keep his own emotions in check. At least that was something—he wasn’t staring at me with an emotionless expression anymore.
“I know it’s too late for us, Bishop, and you’re with someone else now.”
He jerked his head back to me.
“But…but…” I stammered.
“But what, Abby? What?” he yelled.
I brought my hand up to my mouth, trying like hell not to cry. I dropped it and decided to take Aiden’s advice. “I’ve never stopped loving you, and I’ll always love you, whether you choose to forgive me or not. But I don’t want to lose you as a friend, Bishop. These last two years without you have been pure hell. I promise I’ll leave you alone…” I had to stop and take a breath between my damn sobs. “But I still want to talk, and all I can wish for at this point is that we can at least be friends.”
God, I hated how weak and pathetic I sounded.
His eyes filled with tears, and for a moment I swore he was going to close the distance between us.