Chapter 3
Three
A fter a week of work that had her immediately taking a nap as soon as she walked back into the house, it only took Abby two hours to pack up her room that morning. Then just ten minutes to haul everything down into Sam’s truck. Her mother had even insisted on going into town with them to help Abby settle in. So there they were, parking Sam’s truck behind her car at Sprinkles.
“Hey, dove. Can you wait a second?”
“Sam.” She loved her brother, but would unleash the biggest rage-filled scream if he started lecturing her on leaving again. The last thing she wanted to do was have some big heart to heart.
“Look, I know you think you’re ready to leave and be here by yourself in town, but I want you to know that you can always come back out to the ranch. Whenever. If this doesn’t work out. If you get lonely…”
“Or scared.” Her mother pulled her into a hug.
“Or scared. You always have a place out there with us.”
“I’m going to be fine.” She stepped out of her mother’s hug. “I lived on my own in college. I’m just used to that now, you guys. It’s for the best. But I appreciate it.”
“I know you’re not a little kid anymore, sweetie, and the last six months have probably been hard on you, having to come back home after having your independence, but you never need to ask. The door is always open, little dove.”
“I know, Mom.”
“I expect you to call me if you need help.” Sam lowered the tailgate on his truck and hopped up, pushing her boxes towards the edge.
“What am I going to need help with? Emma told me they have a property manager. Anything that goes wrong here will be handled by them.”
Sam pulled a canister out of his pocket and handed it to her.
“What the hell is this for?”
“I’m the man of this family now, and as such, your safety falls to me.”
“Do you know how old you just sounded? Do you need me to fetch your walker? Maybe get you a cup of coffee to dip some cookies into so they don’t break your teeth.”
“Abby…”
“Sam, knock it off. I mean, I’ll take the pepper spray for when I run, but you really need to chill.”
“We almost lost you.”
“You’re being dramatic. I was fine. I am fine.”
“But you’re still healing. It hasn’t been that long since the attack, and how am I supposed to protect you if I’m all the way out at the ranch and you’re all the way here in town?”
“I’m ready. And you don’t have to protect me. Besides, when you help me carry all my stuff into the apartment, you’ll see all the security that’s in place. Seb and Emma had a system put in when she was going through everything, but even since agreeing to rent to me, they’ve put in more. There’s not a safer, or more secure, place for me to live. I promise. Now, grab that box and help me start hauling things upstairs.”
Two trips up and down the stairs was all it took for her things to find their way into her apartment. Her apartment. God, that felt amazing. She finally had her own space, where she could be a couch potato all day without having her mother hover and worry. Where she could go running and not have her brother try to have a heart to heart with her when she came back.
“Do you want help unpacking, honey?”
Abby shook her head. “I’m good. I need to do some cleaning and pop over to the grocery store to get a few things. You guys should head back to the ranch.”
“I’m so proud of you, Abby.” Her mom pulled her into another embrace, this time pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Here. I want you to have this. Sleep with it under your pillow and wear it in your bra when you go out.”
“Mom…”
“It’s rose quartz. This will help you heal, honey, especially the emotional side of things. It might also help attract a certain special someone into your life.”
Abby laughed. “Well, how can I say no to that? Thanks, Mom.”
“I’ll go through my stash at home and see what else I can bring over here. I wanted to see the space first. But I think with a few plants in that front window, a nice carnelian flame or a clear quartz pillar would really help anchor the energy of the space.”
Abby looked at Sam, whose eyes were as wide as his smile while he shook his head. Their mother was eccentric, no doubt about that. And while Sam had the tolerance of a saint when it came to dealing with her quirky personality, Abby did not. Just another reason why she was so desperate to get back on her own two feet.
“Deputy Boone, how lovely to see you this morning.” Emma’s shit-eating grin was directed right at Abby. Jesus, her friend really was a piece of work. She’d been hiding away nearly all weekend getting her apartment set up, but Monday morning meant heading back to work. At least living above the bakery meant she didn’t have to make her own coffee or breakfast anymore. And she loved that, except for the very obvious way Emma was trying to embarrass her.
“Deputy? What the hell is with the formality, Emma?” he asked.
“It’s just a sexy title. Why wouldn’t you want it advertised everywhere that you dress in a uniform for work and take down bad guys every day. You’re single, I’m sure the lovely single ladies around here wouldn’t mind that reminder.”
John’s laugh filled the bakery, and Abby couldn’t help but look up at him. Yup. Those same damn butterflies were fluttering around her stomach, just like they did every time she was near him.
“Can’t argue there, I guess.”
“So, handsome, what can I get for you?”
“You think your fiance would be okay with hearing you call me handsome?”
“He knows I only have eyes for him. He’s very, very secure in our relationship. We actually just tried this new thing where I’m the Dom and…”
Abby snorted and choked on her coffee. Emma was almost too willing to talk about her relationship with Sebastian, and anyone with eyes could see the chemistry between the two of them was volcanically hot.
A warm hand landed on her arm as she continued to cough.
“You okay, Abby?”
“Yeah, yep,” she wheezed.
“I just redid my first aid and CPR certification, so I could jump in to help if you needed it.” His smile lit up his entire face, but she could see the worry in the way his eyes slightly crinkled.
“All good,” she promised. “I’m not sure why, but Emma is always taking me by surprise with the wild things she says.”
Emma laughed as she pushed John’s cup of coffee across the counter.
“Sorry, babe. I do love that I can still shock you after we’ve been friends for so long.”
Abby wasn’t sure that she’d categorize less than a year as being so long, but there was a comfort in knowing that Emma considered her a close friend. Especially after everything that happened.
“You sure you’re okay?” John asked, his hand still on her arm.
She didn’t speak. Instead, she just nodded up and down like an idiot.
“Yeah, Abby. Are you sure? John seems to really want to practice his mouth to mouth skills with you,” Emma teased.
Abby knew her mouth was hanging open. But she didn’t care. Emma’s absolute lack of a filter was about to make her run back up to her apartment and never come out into the world again.
“Jesus, Em. What has gotten into you this morning?” John rubbed his hand down his beard, and Abby could just make out the fresh pink color painting his cheeks.
“Don’t say Seb,” Abby blurted out.
“You know I don’t like to lie.”
“Well, this certainly has been the most entertaining part of my night shift, but I probably should take my coffee and head out. I need to swing by my parents’ house to get Katy,” John turned back towards her. “But I’ll see you at school for drop off, right?”
“I’ll be there. Oh! Don’t forget, she needs an extra change of clothes today because we’re doing bubble experiments. The kids tend to get a little messy.”
“I saw your note last week and remembered to pack her an extra outfit in her backpack last night. But thanks for the reminder.”
“Anytime.”
“Thanks for the coffee, Em.”
“No problem, John. See you later.”
Abby watched as John walked out of the bakery. Emma wasn’t wrong. He was insanely handsome. Seeing him in his uniform should bring back a flood of memories from the night she was attacked, but it never did. All the times he dropped his daughter off at school, or picked her up in his uniform, all the times Abby ran into him around town, it never made her panic. He always made her feel safe. Always.
“Alright, admit it.” Emma glared at Abby as she pushed her drink across the counter.
“Admit what?”
“Don’t you play dumb with me, Abigail Cooper. You nearly just swooned when John touched your arm.”
“You couldn’t have made it any more obvious what you were trying to do. John wasn’t flirting with me. He was just trying to make sure I was okay.”
“With the way his eyes lit up the minute they landed on you, girl, he wasn’t just thinking about that.”
“Oh hell,” she groaned.
“So, you do like him.”
She nodded, feeling heat rush to her face.
“Why does that embarrass you?”
“A man like John Boone is never going to be interested in me. He’s so handsome, and warm. And he’s such a great dad. I keep telling myself to get over it. I just have a misplaced crush that’s not going to go anywhere. It’s mortifying.”
“You’ve got to be kidding right now.” Emma stared at her.
“No. I’m not.”
“Abby. Girlfriend. Come on. He’s interested!”
“No, he’s concerned. He’s always making sure I’m okay. All he sees when he looks at me is that damn scar on my neck.”
“How can he see it if you never wear anything that shows it?”
Abby ripped into the muffin sitting in front of her.
“You can’t tell me you always felt fine having your scars uncovered.”
Emma held out her arms. A hundred different lines covered her skin, all bold reminders of the torture she’d survived at the hands of a madman.
“No. That’s true. I hated them. But Seb worships every inch of me, including my scars. He helped me see that they are a sign of strength, not weakness. Marco took nothing from me. I will not give him that power. You shouldn’t either.”
“Sounds like I just need to get a man who’ll worship me from head to toe.”
“Bingo. And speaking of John…”
Abby groaned. “Emma, you’re seeing something that’s just not there.”
“Come here.” Emma grabbed her hand and pulled her behind the counter. “Mel, I’ll be in the office if you need anything.”
Forcing her through the office door, Emma plopped down on the couch and squeezed the hand she was still holding.
“Listen here. John Boone would be fucking lucky to get a woman like you. He is an amazing father, and a kind man, but you are incredible in your own ways. So don’t you dare shrink yourself because some voice in your head is saying you aren’t enough. Jesus. I’m surprised Sam hasn't had to beat away all the eligible men in Clarence County since you came home.”
“There are no eligible men trying to date me. Aside from the one guy I’ve been talking to on that app, it’s dry as the desert out in my dating world. I think my only option at this point is to marry a lamp post and honeymoon on the street. I’ll dye my hair neon green to really stand out under the light of my new husband.”
Emma laughed and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Please don’t marry a lamp post.”
“So I should dye my hair green?”
“Purple and pink. It would look so beautiful in your brown hair.”
“Hmm. Maybe I will.”
“So, forget John Boone for now. Tell me more about this dating app guy…”