“Hey, where are you going? I thought we were going to talk about that whole baby-making thing?”
Hudson lifted his hand and started out the door. “Sorry, sweetheart. I have a book to read.”
I stared in disbelief as he walked out of my room. I was positive I was pouting as I folded my arms over my chest and sat there.
A few seconds later, he walked back into the room. He set the manuscript down on the dresser and then dove onto the bed and pushed me down, crawling over me.
He softly brushed his mouth over mine in a gentle kiss and then drew back. Our eyes met.
“First, I think I should make love to you. Then, read.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I like the sound of that plan.”
The buzzer went off and Candace looked over at me. “Is that the movers already?”
I glanced at the time. “It couldn’t be. Hudson said they would be here at one, it’s only nine.”
Candace shrugged as she continued boxing up more clothes.
Pressing the call button, I said, “Hello?”
“Hey, It’s Arabella, I’m here.”
Smiling, I hit the button to unlock the door downstairs. “Come on up.”
I walked toward the front door and called over my shoulder to Candace. “Looks like we have more help!”
“Good, we have a lot to do before the movers get here!”
A few seconds later, Arabella knocked on my front door.
“If you’ve come to help, girl, run while you can,” Candace said as she wiped her brow and acted as if she was about to die.
Pointing to her, I replied, “Hey, you were the one who insisted on helping me pack.”
“Your clothes. I offered to pack up your clothing. They need to be tended to with hands that appreciate them. If it wasn’t for me, you’d throw them in a large garbage bag.”
I tried to hide my smile and failed because she was absolutely right. They would have all been tossed in large black bags to deal with later.
“Wait, I’m confused. Did you ask me to come over to help you…pack?” Arabella asked.
Turning back to her, I frowned. “What do you mean? I didn’t ask you to come over.”
She pulled out a note and handed it to me. “If you didn’t, who did?”
I opened the note and read it.
Bella,
Can you be at Turning Pages tomorrow at 9am. It’s important.
Greer
Confusion swept through me and I looked back at Arabella. “I didn’t write this, Arabella.”
We both turned to look at Candace, who was about to take a drink. Her Diet Pepsi paused at her mouth before she drew her head back. “I didn’t write it! I mean, I admit, I regretted the moment I offered to help, but I didn’t send that to Arabella.”
A knock sounded at my door and the three of us slowly turned to look at it.
“Who could that be? The person who wrote the note? Who would want you both here at the same time? Oh God, somehow I got roped into this mess!” Candace whisper-shouted.
Arabella spun back to look at me. “I thought your door auto locked, Greer. How did they get up?”
I swallowed hard. “I…I don’t know. And Jesus tap dancing Christ, Candace, stop reading suspense novels, will you?”
“Greer? Bella?”
The female voice on the other side of the door caused my heart to drop.
“Oh my God,” Arabella whispered as we both looked at one another.
“Abby,” we both said in unison.
“What’s going on, you guys?” Candace asked as I rushed to the door and threw it open to see one of my oldest friends, whom I hadn’t seen in two years, standing on the other side. She was smiling, but the look of uncertainty on her face broke my heart. Her brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and her hazel eyes looked as lost as ever.
I grabbed her and pulled her into my arms and hugged her as tightly as I could.
“Abby!” Arabella nearly shouted as she rushed over and wrapped her arms around both of us.
“Oh my God, you’re here!” I said after we both released her. “Wait, when did you get into town?”
Arabella grabbed Abby’s hand and pulled her into the room as I shut the door.
Abby let out a laugh that seemed forced. “I got in yesterday. I was the one who sent you the note, Bella. Sorry, I didn’t really want anyone to know I was back in town, not yet.”
Her voice trailed off for a moment before she looked at me.
“I’m sorry, I thought you’d be down in the bookstore, but I saw Arabella coming up through the private entrance, so I just followed her up. I still have a key, so I let myself in.”
Abby glanced past me and Arabella and froze. “Oh, I didn’t know you had company.”
I quickly reached for Candace’s hand. She walked forward and gave Abby that warm smile of hers.