Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
“ Y ou have to tell us all about your weekend away!” Emma giggled as she passed out the first round of shots. The week had dragged, but the bright spot in being back in Bell Ridge was finally catching up with Daisy, Grace, and Emma.
“What exactly are these?” Abby looked suspiciously at the pink-colored liquid in front of her.
“Sugar cookies. Hold on to your boobs, Abby. These shots aren’t for the weak!” Grace laughed, pushing her shot back to Emma.
“Wait. Why are you giving this back to me?” Emma’s face lit up.
Daisy turned to her cousin. “Oh, my god. Are you?”
Grace shook her head. “We’re in the two week wait. I don’t want to chance it. So I’m the sober friend for the night!”
“Well, good. Now we’ve got two things to toast to.” Emma cleared her throat. “To Abby and John, who had such a fabulous time at his cabin this weekend that she’s going to tell us every dirty detail about it, and to Grace, who at this very moment could be knocked up with baby number two.”
“Cheers!” Abby, Emma, and Daisy clinked their shot glasses together before slamming down the neon liquid.
“Holy hell!” Abby sputtered as the drink seared her throat. “Those are toxic.”
“Nah, babes. They’re just designed to get the party started! Let me know when you feel it kick in. I’ll make sure the bar is cleared off in case you want to dance on top of it in Grace’s place.”
Grace rolled her eyes and snorted into her water.
“I did it ONE time, Emma. Are you never going to let me hear the end of it?”
“You were trying to get topless when you climbed up there, Grace. It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. I love that side of you.”
“I’m not going to lie, Jackson really enjoyed seeing that side of me too. The things he did to me that night…” Grace blushed and sipped on her water.
“So, Abby, did you and John have a nice time away?” Daisy asked, her smile wide and mischievous.
“It was amazing.”
“I bet.” Emma smiled smugly. “And how were the activities he had planned for you there? Entertaining?”
Abby giggled, understanding completely what Emma was getting at. “Oh yes. We definitely kept ourselves entertained.”
“SPILL. NOW.”
“Well, for starters, when we got there he showed me around the cabin. It’s incredible. He kept warning me about it being rustic, but it was so charming and cozy.”
“She’s not lying. Jackson and I have been up there a few times and it really is amazing. So quiet and that tub he installed for Katy… let’s just say I’m trying to see if Jackson would be willing to pull out the tub we have at home and replace it with that one.”
“Oh, send me the link to it. I’ve been trying to convince Hank we need to remodel Sunny’s bathroom, but he thinks it’ll ruin the charm of the house. Stubborn guy wants to keep everything exactly how it was when he spent his first night there.” Daisy sighed as she smiled, looking lost in her memories.
“Yeah, I can do that.”
“I’m sorry. Are we in an episode of This Old House or are we here to get the scandalous and delectably wicked details of Abby’s sexy weekend away? You two need to stop talking about renovations, you’ve completely derailed her!” Emma scolded her friends and Abby couldn’t hold back her laugh. They might be a few years older than her, but Emma, Grace, and Daisy had wrapped their arms so tightly around her she’d had no choice but to sink right into their friendship.
“Oops, sorry!” Grace giggled.
Abby turned to her. “Is this weird for you? You’ve been a part of their family for so long. And I mean, I’m dating your brother in law. This conversation can wait until I’m at Sprinkles sometime.”
“It’s absolutely fine with me. I love that you two have each other. And we all agreed when we started doing these nights that whatever is discussed between us girls at girls’ night stays between us. I would never share something you say with anyone, including Jackson, unless you tell me it’s okay.”
Well, there it was. Abby couldn’t hold back any longer. She whipped her head to Emma and whispered, “He’s pierced.”
Grace laughed, taking a sip of her water.
“Oh my god, Grace! Did you know that?”
“I’m married to his brother. Unlike the rules of girls’ night, Jackson has a big mouth. He told me all about their bet, and what John had to do when he lost.”
“Well let me tell you, I’m one thankful woman that he lost that bet. I saw it and wanted to run, but once I had it, holy hell in a handbasket. My body was properly turned into jelly.”
“Ugh! Sebastian just had to be afraid of needles.”
“The way you two go at it, the last thing that man needs is a piercing,” Daisy said as she sipped her drink.
“True. He definitely knows how to push all my buttons without any accoutrements.” Emma wiggled her eyebrows, and set off a round of giggles from the women.
“So, he’s pierced. And you enjoyed that. But is he generous?” Daisy raised her eyebrow.
“You mean did he lay me out in the bedroom, and the kitchen, and on the back porch, and in the shower, just to eat me like he was having his last meal? Because yes. He did. And I swear I died and went to heaven.”
“Lord have mercy.” Daisy fanned herself with her hand.
“Wait,” Abby giggled. “Can you scooch over for a second? I need to use the little girl’s room.”
“Want company?” Grace asked, picking her purse up along with Daisy and Emma’s. The other women were busy dancing next to the bar, but it was nearly time for them all to head out for the night.
“No, I’m okay. I can meet you guys outside if you want to head out.”
“Nah, I’m going to head to the bar and get those giggling girls to calm down before we head out. We’ll be okay waiting for you right here.”
Abby smiled as she walked away from the booth. Her chest was warm, whether it was from the alcohol or a great time with friends, she couldn’t really say. Although, she was leaning towards it just being the time spent with the girls.
Quickly finishing up in the stall, Abby walked to the sink. She was so excited to tell John how well the night had gone.
She grabbed a few paper towels, drying her hands as she studied her reflection in the mirror. It hit her all at once that she hadn’t even thought of her scar being visible. Not once had anyone’s eyes drifted to it, or lingered more than was comfortable. No one came up to her and asked questions about it. No one confronted her.
Flashing red lights and a blaring alarm jolted her from her thoughts. What the hell? Looking for the source, Abby quickly spotted the automatic fire alarm in the far corner of the bathroom. Shit! There must be a fire somewhere in the restaurant.
Abby turned to make her way to the exit, but stopped as the door flew open. A figure, dressed completely in black, stood in front of her. Every fiber of her being wanted to scream as the person turned and locked the door, but she couldn’t get her body to cooperate. Shit, she really needed to train some more with John because her fight or flight response was literal garbage.
“P-Please…I have to go. There’s a fire…” Abby stumbled over her words as she backed up against the wall. Whoever this person was, they weren’t going to be deterred from what they wanted to do. Silently, the person stalked towards her. Abby’s eyes darted to the toilet stalls. If she could make it inside there, she might be safe from whoever the hell this was.
Her legs were carrying her towards the middle of the room at the same time as the other person, and just as Abby’s fingers grabbed the metal frame of the stall, she felt a hand slip into her hair. Before she could fight it, her head was yanked backwards, causing her to fall to the floor. She smacked her head off the tile, darkness creeping into the edges of her vision as the sick, deep laughter of her attacker filled the space.
Abby curled in on herself as she watched the bathroom door open and shut, her attacker now freed from the room. She tried to sit up, but the throbbing in her head had her eyes flooding with tears as the room spun. Shit.
Resigned to laying on her back until she could get her equilibrium righted, Abby closed her eyes. The alarm blasted for what felt like a few more minutes, before silence filled the space. The aching in her head dulled and she forced her eyes open. She needed to make a plan to get herself out of there.
She’d have to try crawling. Before she could roll onto her stomach, she picked up the sound of yelling voices. Oh, God. Was someone actually going to find her?
“HELP!” she cried out, her voice weak from the pain coursing through her head. “HELP! I’M STUCK IN HERE!”
The door to the restroom finally flew open and her whole body filled with relief.
“Shit! Abby!” Jackson’s voice called out to her as she closed her eyes. “You’re hurt. What the hell happened?”
His hands wrapped around her arms as she tried to sit up.
“I heard the fire alarm going off and tried to leave…”
“Did you slip?”
“Something like that.”
“Okay, well, there’s an ambulance outside. Are you okay to walk or should I call for them to come in here?”
“I can walk. I think. I’m stubborn enough to try, at least.”
That got a small laugh from John’s brother as he stood, holding his hand out to her.
“How did you know I was in here?”
“The girls are all outside, freaking out. Grace nearly bowled my entire team over trying to tell me they couldn’t find you as soon as we got here.”
“She’s the best.”
“I won’t argue with you about that.”
“The fire?” Abby glanced at the door, afraid to hear that they’d need to walk through an inferno to get outside.
“False alarm. It’s a bit of a mess out there from all the patrons trying to leave quickly, so just hold onto me, okay?”