Page 18 of Unexpected Gifts

“Which is why you didn’t hesitate to drop everything?” Nolan asked.

“That’s right,” Abby said.

How was she ever going to get Ramona’s kids through this without some kind of long-lasting repercussions?

As if he’d read her mind, Luke said, “There’s a really good child therapist in town. I could get her number for you.”

Abby nodded, sending him a grateful smile. “That’s a really good idea. I just need to figure out how to pay for it.”

“It’s a shame she doesn’t take adults,” Max said, teasing in his voice. “Ms. Cassandra Locke is one fine-looking woman.”

“She wouldn’t date a patient, dummy,” Logan said. “Anyway, like you’d have a chance with a woman like that.”

“I might. You don’t know.” Max tossed a beer cap across the fire, landing on Logan’s chest. “I’m extremely charming.”

“She went to Harvard or something,” Luke said. “Way out of your league.” He gestured toward Nolan. “Professor Hayes here—he might be more her style.”

“Oppositescanattract,” Max said, laughing. “You know, the class clown.” He tapped his chest. “And the smart girl in the front row—maybe they hit it off and surprise everyone.”

“Why don’t you ask her out?” Nolan asked, sounding earnest.

Max threw up his hands. “I’m all talk, that’s why. Luke’s right, she’s way out of my league. You should see the kinds of cheeses she buys.”

“What’s that have to do with anything?” Abby asked, amused by the conversation.

“The types of cheese people buy tells you a lot about them,” Max said. “My store has the finest in Vermont. I’ll bring you some samples next week.”

“What kinds of cheeses does she buy?” Abby asked.

“The most expensive. Like wicked expensive,” Max said. “And she buys big old chunks, which tells me she probably has a boyfriend. Either that or she hosts a lot of parties. None of which any of us are invited to. What does that tell you?”

“That she’s silly not to invite the handsome Hayes brothers to her parties,” Abby said. “Ramona and I would have killed to have any one of you at any kind of party we ever had. Not that we had parties, but you get my point.”

“I might have been invited to one or two.” Nolan pressed the middle of his glasses, pushing them higher on his nose.

“No way. How come you didn’t tell me?” Max asked.

“I didn’t go.” Nolan fiddled with the label on his beer bottle. “I’m not really into big parties.” He said this to Abby. Presumably, his brothers already knew this about him.

“I understand,” Abby said. “Too many people, and I freeze. Can’t think of a thing to say. Whereas in a small group, I’m fine.”

“Why is that, do you think?” Logan asked in a lawyerly tone.

Abby blinked a few times. Should she answer honestly? Why not. She had nothing to lose. The men around the fire were caring and compassionate, that much was obvious. “I was the kid no one wanted to sit by at lunch.”

“No way,” Luke said, stretching out his legs. “Everyone would want to sit with someone like you.

“It’s true.” Abby wasn’t sure what he meant by “someone like you”, but from his tone, she took it as a compliment. “I guess you could say I was a little weird. Back then. Not now.” She smiled before taking a sip of wine.

“How so?” Logan asked genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Abby twisted her mouth to one side, trying to think how to say it best. “I was really, really into school, like the biggest nerd that ever lived. Everyone made fun of me for it. Not that I cared. I mean, not really. I wanted so badly to make something of myself. Not be stuck in poverty like my mother. I knew the way out was to get good grades and get into a good college. So that’s what I did.” The back of her throat ached, remembering how inadequate the health care had been for her mother. If they’d had money and lived in a different zip code, she might have gotten diagnosed earlier and have survived. But her ovarian cancer had been misdiagnosed, and it was too late by the time the doctor figured out what was really going on. Even thinking about it now, Abby seethed with anger. If only. If only.

“Your nerdiness paid off, obviously,” Max said. “Look at you now.”

“All the best girls are the nerdy ones,” Nolan said. “Give me a girl who likes books over a cheerleader any day.”

“What are your plans for work?” Max asked. “You thinking of opening your own practice?”

---