Page 47 of Mine

This was a big night for him and the restaurant. Even if Logan didn’t own Bistro 59, he played just as big of a role in this night as Max did.

I’m sitting on the couch when Abby knocks on the door. It’s been a while since we’ve spent time together outside of our respective jobs. I hadn’t been back to her office to see how the remodel had been progressing, but she assured me that every day crews were in there, turning it into the space she had imagined. I was excited when she had told me that she finally ordered the signs with my logo design. I couldn’t wait to see it. The feeling of pride when seeing my designs being used by my clients never grew old. Abby’s was a unique circumstance considering she was my best friend.

A piece of me is relieved to know I wouldn’t be spending tonight alone. I still didn’t enjoy being in the house alone and with Logan constantly working nights, I spent most of them still worried Julian was watching me. With Abby here, I knew I would feel safe.

Standing up from the couch, I let Abby in. She immediately steps inside, wrapping her arms around me. “Hey,” she says, her chin pressing against my shoulder.

“Hey, Abby.” I return her hug.

She’s holding a bottle of wine and a bag of my favorite popcorn.

“Thanks for bringing the wine and snacks.”

“Yeah,” she groans, sliding off her jacket and handing it to me. “I’m so relieved to be away from the remodel for a little while.”

“That busy, huh?” I hang her jacket on the hook by the door.

“I didn’t realize it would be this difficult, you know?” She leaves me and heads for the kitchen.

“Do you have a corkscrew?” she yells, glancing over her shoulder. She disappears behind the wall and I return to my spot on the couch, pulling my legs under me, crossing them.

“Second drawer on the left. Next to the silverware.” I yell back. I pick up the remote, searching through Netflix for a movie. “Starting a business is no joke.”

“What?” I can hear her opening cabinets followed by her opening the bottle of wine, the cork making a loud pop.

“You were talking about how you didn’t realize how much work it was going to be starting your business.” I say, continuing our conversation. “Mine was hard and I didn’t even open my own office space. You’ll get there and it’ll all be worth it in the end.”

“I sure hope so.” Abby emerges from the kitchen, two full glasses in her hands. She hands me one then sits down beside me on the couch, a cushion between us.

I smile, bringing the thin glass to my lips and taking a sip. The red liquid pours down my throat, leaving a warm path down to my stomach.

“How are things with Logan?” She sets her wine glass down on the coffee table. She sits back on the couch, making herself comfortable.

“Honestly,” I start, remembering this afternoon. “We’ve never been better. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like we’re in the best place we’ve ever been.”

A slow smile spreads across Abby’s mouth. “That’s great.” She leans forward again, picking up her glass. She tilts it back, swallowing nearly half the glass in one gulp.

“Between my new job in Tacoma and this fundraiser tonight, it feels as if everything is falling into place for us.”

Abby’s violet eyes gaze into mine for a few moments. It’s hard to tell what she’s thinking. The silence swells inside the four walls surrounding us, the moonlight peeking through the living room curtains.

She unravels her legs, sitting on the edge of the couch. The sudden and abrupt change in mood is palpable. I can taste her bitterness on my tongue. It fills the air, the energy quickly dwindling.

“What’s wrong?” I lean forward, placing my hand on her back.

She faces me, her full purple painted lips forming a smile. “Nothing,” she sighs, pulling herself to a stand. She walks over to the French doors leading to the back yard. She turns around, still grinning. “It’s such a beautiful night. We should sit around the fire like we did the first night I came over here.”

I wince. “It’s kind of chilly tonight, isn’t it?”

She rolls her eyes. She crosses the room, grabbing my hand, pulling me up. “That’s what the fire is for, Lena.”

She laughs, releasing my hand.

“I guess we could. Let me go grab a sweater.” I point to the upstairs as Abby heads back to grab her jacket. She slides it on quickly, heading toward the back door.

“Okay. I’ll meet you outside.” She opens the door, disappearing into the moonlight.

I head upstairs to my closet, grabbing the first sweater I can find. I still wasn’t able to find the maroon sweater Abby had given me. Guilt seeps into my chest, hoping Abby didn’t remember I had it, asking for it back.

---