Chapter Fourteen
Thursday, nearly two weeks after her return to Seattle, Abby walked out of a very challenging client’s house.
The client’s husband was a well-known businessman in the city, and the woman was obviously accustomed to getting her way.
Even though the client had signed for the decluttering plan Abby had showed her weeks ago, the woman had waited until Abby was nearly finished before telling her she wanted to change everything.
Usually, Abby would smile and do what the client wanted, but today she’d realized the woman was never going to be happy. Not because it was not done properly but because nothing would make her happy.
As coolly as she could, she’d told the woman she’d return her deposit before she’d emptied all the storage boxes she’d brought with her and told her she’d send the number of another professional organizer. The client’s mouth was still gaping open as Abby had left.
The woman had a beautiful house, but that was all it would ever be—a house. The warmth and love needed to turn it into a home, would always be lacking, it wouldn’t matter who she got to declutter and organize.
Grimacing, she got into her car. She didn’t suffer fools gladly, but she usually had a tad more finesse.
Today she didn’t have any patience. It was probably because she hadn’t been eating or sleeping well over the last two weeks because she’d been feeling nauseous and strangely woozy.
The lack of sleep was probably also the reason why she was constantly so tired she could cry.
What she needed was a long bath and her bed.
Quickly she texted Sarah Lewis, who had taken her appointments while she’d been away, to expect a call from one of her clients.
As she drove away from the client’s house, her phone rang. It was June.
“June, hi! Are you in Seattle?”
“Yes, we are and I can’t wait to see you. Everyone, except Carson, is here.”
Abby’s heart fell to the ground.
“… and we’re having dinner in that place with a view over Lake Union. Seven o’clock and I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Rubbing her forehead, Abby swallowed a groan. She would love to see her friend, but it was going to be so hard to see the whole Weston clan without Carson. “It will be great to see you. I may not stay that long, but I’ll be there at seven. Are you excited about the launch?”
“I am. And nervous. What if nobody arrives tomorrow night?”
“Don’t be silly, of course there will be people. I’ll be there and you’ve brought your whole new extended family with you. What about the new publicist? Surely, she spread the news?”
“That’s another long story. Barry fired her and hired an outside event-planning business to do the launch. He only told me about it yesterday.”
“Oh, no!”
“Barry assured me everything would be fine, but I don’t even want to phone them to check.”
“Why don’t I do that and check that everything is fine?”
“Really?”
“Of course. That’s the kind of thing that makes me excited.”
“Thanks, Abs, I’ll be so grateful. If you ever get tired of decluttering other people’s messes, you should think about starting your own event-planning business. You’re the Yoda of organizing and would be so good at it. I’m sending you the number of the event-planning company.”
They spoke for another few minutes before June ended the call.
Deep in thought, Abby drove back to her apartment. She loved what she was doing but maybe she could also venture into event planning. Maybe focus on smaller events first and see whether she might like doing it full time? At least it would be something else to do besides missing Carson.
As she parked and got out of her car, the parking garage tilted for a moment.
Grabbing on to her car, she inhaled deeply a few times.
The appointments she had tomorrow only started late morning, so hopefully she could sleep a little bit later than normal.
Maybe if she tried to eat something, she’d feel better.
Taking the elevator up to her apartment, she saw her reflection in the mirror. Oh, my goodness, she seriously looked like death warmed up. She’d have to use much more makeup than usual tonight if she didn’t want to worry June.
As she opened her door, her phone pinged. June had sent the number of the event-planning company. Inside, she kicked off her shoes and quickly made a list of questions she wanted to ask about June’s launch.
When she put the phone down an hour later, she sighed in relief. She’d been sent from pillar to post before she’d found the person working with June’s launch. If it had been her company she would have someone who would be readily available to answer all questions regarding an upcoming event.
Her brain went into planning mode. She’d keep her existing clients while she slowly started with smaller functions like birthday parties. It was even something she’d be able to do from Marietta.
Jumping up, she headed to her room. She kept thinking of Marietta and the cowboy who seemed to now have a permanent place in her mind.
If she was going to be in time for June’s dinner tonight, she’d had to take a quick shower. She didn’t have time to dream.
*
Carson saw the email from the gallery owner while he was still out on his horse.
Noah was very happy with the portraits of George and also the one with Abby and George.
They were going to be included in the exhibition.
She had her back to the camera, so he technically didn’t have to ask her permission.
Pleased with himself, his first reaction was to race home and tell Abby. Sighing he rubbed his chest where a dull ache had settled over the past few days. She wasn’t there and she wasn’t coming back any time soon, remember?
Sighing, he headed home. The house was strangely empty without her even though every neat closet and cabinet constantly reminded him of her.
When he finally arrived home, he found George where the puppy had been for the past two weeks—on Abby’s pillow. Even though the sheets had been changed, her scent still lingered in the room.
Whimpering when he saw Carson, George turned on his back, waiting for cuddles.
Carson obeyed the unspoken request and sat down next to George on the bed. “You still miss her? I do, too, buddy, I do too.”
Rubbing his face, he sighed. It had been nearly three weeks since he’d met Abby in the bar, two weeks since she’d left and he still missed her with every fiber of his being.
A month ago, he hadn’t even known there was someone in this world like her.
Someone who would somehow get him, who would be able to make him ache for her touch at the oddest hours during a day.
Maybe if he went into town, had a meal at Grey’s Saloon or a drink somewhere, he might meet another woman who made him feel like he did when he was with Abby.
As if George could read his mind, he sat up and barked.
Carson got up. “I know, but it’s not going to work. She’s in the city, I’m here. We have such different lives. I don’t even know whether she’d be happy living on a ranch.”
June’s words suddenly ran through his mind. “Ask her about her dream house.”
Taking out his phone, he texted Abby. He’d ask her about the house. Maybe she would answer and maybe they could text now and then.
“What does your dream house look like? And George says to remind you we don’t like blue hearts. Oh, and he and the other inhabitant of this house miss you.”
Staring at the small screen, he willed a text to appear, but no blue marks, indicating she’d received the message appeared. Maybe she’d moved on, maybe she was dating a city slicker already, maybe she simply didn’t have anything to say to him.
“Come on, George, let’s find something to eat. I told Isabella we’d make our own meals while the rest of the family is in Seattle.”
As he walked in the direction of the kitchen, someone knocked on his front door. George barked excitedly and charged to the door.
It was Isabella with a tray of food in her hands.
“You’ve lost weight,” she said as he took the tray from her.
Bending down, she scratched George behind the ears before she looked Carson in the eye.
“You love that girl with the braid and the wide smile, but here you are at home, feeling sorry for yourself instead of going with your family to Seattle to surprise her.”
Carson shrugged. “We’re too different, Isabella. She’s a city girl. Her life is there.”
“Nonsense. She enjoyed the ranch life. Everyone could see that. Besides, the two of you are more alike than you think. She likes to control things, that’s why she loves decluttering and finding calm in the chaos.
You like taking photographs because you control what you see, what you capture, what you want to ignore. ”
Reaching up, she touched his cheek. “Love hits you when you least expect it and”—she grinned—“it’s not something you can control. You deserve happiness, Carson, we all do. Okay, now I’m done. There’s food there for the weekend for you and George.”
With a wave she walked out to where her husband, Ricardo, was waiting for her in his truck.
As Carson waved goodbye, Isabella’s words replayed in his mind.
Isabella had to be the world’s greatest cook, but she seemed to also understand people.
She was right, though, the reason why he’d fallen in love with photography was exactly because it had been something he had control over during the times things had fallen apart at home and his mother had been in one of her moods.
And he understood where Abby’s need to tidy up and organize came from. She’d had even less control over her life as a child than he had.
Abby. Braid, big green eyes, toned body, soft curves. Closing the door behind him, he groaned. Damn it, he missed her. Taking the dishes from the tray, he peeked inside each one.
He wasn’t very hungry. Frowning, he stared at the food. He hadn’t been hungry since Abby had left. She’d left a hole, an emptiness inside of him that mere food could never fill.
What he needed was Abby. For another moment his thoughts raced chaotically until everything kind of fell into place.
Of course. He loved her. With everything inside of him. He’d fallen for her the first time their eyes had met.
Inhaling deeply, he tried to calm down. There was, however, still one huge problem.
She was in Seattle and he was here. He began pacing, his mind racing.
But maybe if he could somehow give her the home she’d been dreaming about, the one June had mentioned, she wouldn’t mind staying here for periods of time?
It wasn’t ideal, but at least they’d be together at times.
And maybe he could visit her over weekends?
Checking his phone, he sighed. She hadn’t seen the text yet.
*
Abby’s hand was on her front door when she checked her phone. She was waiting for confirmation from a client for an appointment for tomorrow. There was no confirmation text but there was one from Carson.
Struggling to breathe properly, she stared at his name. Then the strangest thing happened. Everything was so clear, so obvious. Why had it taken her so long to understand the reason why she missed him so intensely?
She loved Carson, probably had since the first time she’d locked eyes with his blue and brown one.
While she’d been hell-bent on sticking with her life plan, her heart had known all along what it had taken her all this time to figure out.
Eagerly, she opened the text and read it.
Her heart did a few somersaults. With her hand on her trembling tummy, she inhaled deeply.
What did this mean? He’d asked her about her dream house before and she hadn’t told him.
Quickly checking her watch, she turned back to get the scrapbook she’d made years ago.
Placing it on the table, she quickly took a few photos and sent them to Carson with a text.
Tell George and the other inhabitant I miss them too.
This time she added an emoji with two pink hearts. She’d searched online for the meaning of the heart emojis and this one meant love, affection, and close bonds. Of course, what she really wanted to send was a big, bold red heart but she wasn’t quite that courageous.
Maybe she shouldn’t leave the emoji but okay, here goes. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the Send button.
Her phone bleeped again. This time it wasn’t from Carson, though, it was the Uber she’d ordered. Because she was still feeling a bit wobbly, she’d rather not drive alone in the dark.