Chapter 19
ABBY
“Have you lost your mind?” Nadia Chopra hissed. Her dark eyes narrowed, following Piper as she dusted the fireplace mantel on the other side of the sitting room. Thanks to her earbuds, Piper appeared oblivious to their conversation. “First, you let her stay in your inn, free of charge. Then, you hire her. Do I need to organize some kind of intervention?”
“It’s not like I offered her a full-time position. It’s only for a few days. And you know why I had to do it.” She’d explained the situation when Nadia arrived to help assemble the welcome baskets for Sadie and Lucy, who were expected in two days.
“Well, had to might be a stretch. But yes, it’s a sad situation. I’m not unsympathetic. But there are a million ways this scenario could end badly. If you need help, I have time.”
“No, you don’t. You’re busy building your empire. And I couldn’t be prouder.”
In a few short months, her brilliant friend had turned her boyfriend’s rash balm into a rapidly growing business. By marketing Epic Inc. as an active and adventurous lifestyle brand, she’d already made endorsement deals with several social media influencers. Not only for Evan’s rash balm, but also his latest product—a sensational new body scrub that Nadia generously agreed to include in Abby’s welcome baskets, even before its official debut.
“I always have time for you,” Nadia assured her. “Especially if it keeps you from hiring Piper. I don’t trust a woman who doesn’t wear mascara.”
Abby smiled at her effortlessly stylish friend. “Nadia, I’m not wearing mascara.”
“You’re not?” Nadia swept a strand of silky black hair away from her eyes and peered closer. “Wow. You have fabulous lashes. Okay, I retract my former statement. But makeup aside, I don’t trust her.”
“I don’t, either. But it’s not like I gave her the password to my bank account. She’s dusting . What’s the worst that could happen?” Abby tried to sound self-assured despite her own misgivings.
A shadow crossed Nadia’s features, and her gaze fell to the gift baskets. Although, she didn’t seem to register the scented soaps, body scrubs, and gourmet sweets nestled inside.
Abby’s pulse quickened during the agonizingly long pause. What was her friend struggling to say? Nadia never had trouble speaking her mind.
Finally, Nadia lifted her gaze. “Abs,” she said softly, her expression pained. “Is there any chance Piper is telling the truth?”
The weighted question swung through the air like a wrecking ball, both necessary yet gut-wrenching.
Abby winced. Not that she blamed Nadia for asking. Nadia’s ex, Brian, had been Donnie’s best friend—both test pilots at Edwards Air Force Base with a shared passion for speed and adrenaline. And, Abby once thought, for duty and honor.
Last New Year’s Eve, Nadia uncovered Brian’s affair the same night he proposed. She’d gone from being engaged to publicly devastated before the ball had fully dropped in Times Square.
Of course Nadia had reason to suspect Donnie of cheating. She’d learned firsthand that sometimes it’s the people you least suspect who can hurt you the most.
But Donnie wasn’t like Brian. Brian may have won Nadia over, but she’d never trusted him. He was too slick, like a shiny, slippery surface primed for a fall. Whereas she’d entrusted her very life to Donnie without hesitation. And that had included her heart.
“No. It’s not possible.” The slight waver in her voice betrayed her tiny sliver of doubt. She focused on fluffing the turquoise bow tied to the basket’s wicker handle, avoiding Nadia’s gaze.
“I’m sure you’re right. But all the same, when was the last time you went over your finances?”
“I just purchased a new accounting program.” It was her second big investment after online reservation software. But from the frown on Nadia’s face, it wasn’t the answer she wanted.
A cold shiver swept through her. Please, don’t bring up Donnie’s money , she silently pleaded. Not again .
She knew her friend meant well. After Donnie’s accident, Nadia had encouraged her to get a handle on his finances, life insurance, and military benefits. It made perfect sense. It was the mature, responsible thing to do. But Abby couldn’t bring herself to touch Donnie’s money. Or his secret beach house in Blessings Bay—the house that had become her home—until she’d been desperate for a secluded escape last Christmas.
She’d tried to rationalize her reticence, to explain why she’d left every dime sitting in his separate bank account. But denial that deep didn’t make sense until you lost someone so important—so closely entwined with your own heart and soul—that merely acknowledging their absence stole your breath away.
Until Nadia felt a similar loss—heaven forbid—she’d never understand.
“You know what I meant,” Nadia pressed, her direct tone tempered with kindness. “And from your avoidance, I assume you’re still letting Donnie’s lawyer handle everything?”
Abby fussed with the bow. Why couldn’t she get the loops even? Ugh . She yanked the ribbon, undoing the bow altogether.
“Abs.” Nadia’s voice crept across the table. “It’s been over a year since Donnie died. Don’t you think it’s time to do something with all that money? To finally put it to good use?”
Abby crumpled the ribbon into a ball, crinkling the smooth satin. Talking about Donnie’s money left a hollow void in her stomach. She’d thought about emptying his accounts before. She could invest the money in her business. Or donate it all to a worthy cause. But for some reason, she couldn’t make a decision. It felt too… final .
“Maybe.” She shrugged. “But I don’t need it. I have savings. And the inn is doing well.” For the first time in her life, she felt proud of her own accomplishment. She wasn’t merely supporting someone else’s passion. She had her own goals and dreams.
“The inn is amazing,” Nadia agreed. “But…” She trailed off, as if searching for the right word.
Abby’s muscles tensed. For the second time in one conversation, her typically candid friend seemed hesitant.
Nadia cast a furtive glance at Piper, who’d moved into the foyer to dust the vintage hall stand. Turning back to Abby, she said, “I think it would be wise to call Donnie’s lawyer. Have him send you all the financials. I can go over them with you, if that helps. But you should at least be informed. Then, once you know all the numbers, you can decide what to do with it all. Okay?”
Abby nodded slowly, staring at the limp, wrinkled ribbon in her hand as an icy dread clamped around her heart.
An ominous, unspoken implication hid behind Nadia’s simple request.
If the paternity results came back positive, Piper and her son would be entitled to a portion of everything she owned.
And it would behoove her to know exactly how much she had at stake.
As if losing her faith in Donnie—in their marriage—wasn’t bad enough.