I passed her and headed to the front door, trying like hell to ignore the scent of roses and vanilla coming from her. Opening the door, I said, “I’ve been busy. Opening day isn’t that far off.”
When she didn’t say anything, I looked back at her.
She was looking out over the hills and quickly wiped away a tear. I felt like an asshole, but at the same time, I was so fucking pissed off. Why, of all times, did she have to show up now? When I was finally fucking ready to move on?
Or was I?
“It’s cold, and you don’t even have a coat on. Come inside,” I said, letting the screen door slam behind me.
It took a few moments before I heard the squeak of the door and then a soft click.
I took off my coat and tossed it onto a chair as I made my way through the house and into the kitchen. The sound of Abby’s boots on the wood floors told me she was walking slowly behind me.
Without thinking, I glanced back. She was looking around, her mouth pressed into a tight line with her hand over her stomach. For a moment, I felt a rush of sickness as I thought about what Ken had said. How his sister would hold her stomach.
Turning my head around, I tried not to let my breathing pick up. What if Abby was here to tell me she was with someone? That she was pregnant again?
Fresh anger filled my veins, and I nearly jerked the door off the refrigerator. I grabbed a beer, shut the door, and popped the lid with the bottle opener that was on the side of the island. I didn’t even care that it was only nine in the goddamn morning.
“Whatever you’re here to tell me, just do it and get it over with,” I said.
Hurt and something like regret washed over her face. “I’m, um…not here to tell you anything. Well, I mean, I am. I…I…did want to talk you.” A nervous laugh slipped out from those soft pink lips of hers, and I let my gaze drop to her mouth. I quickly looked back up into her hazel eyes. That was another fucking mistake. They looked red, as if she’d been crying more than just the few tears I’d already noticed.
“Do you want a beer?” I asked.
Her brows lifted some and she glanced at the clock on the wall. Turning back to me, she nodded. “Yeah. A beer would be great.”
When I turned away from her, I closed my eyes and let out a relieved breath. If she was pregnant, she wouldn’t be drinking beer.
Once I’d opened it for her, I handed it over and motioned for her to sit on one of the kitchen island chairs.
She stared at the beer, then glanced around the kitchen. She took a long pull from the bottle before her gaze met mine.
On a frustrated exhale, I said, “I’m kind of busy, Abby. I have a lot of work to do, and I’ve got plans later.”
She swallowed hard, and I noticed her hand shook when she lifted her beer again and took a smaller drink. She set it down, then cleared her throat. “I went over this in my mind for so long, and now I don’t really know where to start.”
“How about you tell me why now? Why the fuck now have you come back when I’ve finally moved on?”
Her eyes went wide as saucers. “M-moved on?”
I let out a laugh that sounded evil. “Don’t play fucking games. You never were good at it. Who told you? Crystal? Pete? Arabella or Greer?”
“Told me what, Bishop?”
I slammed the beer bottle onto the counter so hard, I was honestly surprised it didn’t break. “Don’t act stupid!”
She jumped, then swiftly stood. “What do you want me to say?” Her voice cracked as she fought to hold back more tears.
I frowned. “You don’t know about Jax?”
The way her head jerked back, you’d have thought I slapped her. “Not until yesterday, when I saw Greer and Arabella and told them I came back to tell you…” Her voice trailed off.
“What was so important you had to come back to Boggy Creek to tell me? Did you meet someone, Abby? Are you engaged?” I felt the anger building more and more, and with it, my voice grew louder. “Or, I don’t know, maybe you’re fucking someone and felt guilty because you didn’t give two shits about your husband when you ran away like a goddamn coward? Is that what you came back to tell me?”
She wiped at her tears. “Stop it, Bishop. I know you’re angry with me, and you have every right to be, but please don’t be cruel.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “Cruel? Do you want to know what’s cruel, Abby? Your wife lying to you. Telling you she loves you and will never leave. Withdrawing from you when all you wanted to do was protect her, love her. Take care of her.”