Page 65 of Stay for Me

Itiltedmyheadback, shielding my eyes from the afternoon sun so I could look at Valerie’s storefront. A sense of pride hit me then, knowing her mother, Nancy, would’ve loved it. The flower shop would be a beautiful addiction to our town—one that would last generations. My eyes scanned over the antique detailing etched into the wood as I hummed my appreciation.

It looked amazing.

The sign was being delivered later this month, but that hadn’t stopped my friend from painting the front of the old brick building lilac with green trim. It stood out, adding a pop of color to the street. Suddenly, I wanted to call Thomas to see if we could schedule a little spruce up of my building.

I’d just gotten back into town from meeting with a client and wanted to stop by to see how things were going—and to apologize to Valerie for avoiding her. I’d been a crappy friend for declining her invitations out to the ranch and even to lunch on Monday in town. I couldn’t see her, because despite how much I treasured her, she was connected to Hallow Ranch. Right now, I needed to do everything in my power to not think about that place or the cowboy who worked it.

After the eye-opening conversation with Chase, I made the ultimate decision to try and distance myself from anything and everything Mags.

The jingle of a bell snapped me out of my thoughts, and I lowered my gaze, finding a tall brunette stepping out of Val’s shop dressed in paint-stained overalls, her wavy hair piled into a bun on the top of her head. Her brown eyes met mine, and she froze, sucking in a breath.

Abbie.

I smiled, not able to stop it. “Abbie,” I greeted warmly, dropping my hand from my forehead.

She blinked, and the splatter of paint on her cheek shifted when she returned my smile, the shock of seeing me fading away. “Hello, Diana,” she said softly, taking me in.

“I was beginning to wonder when I’d see you in town again,” I teased, stepping up to her, my heels clicking against the pavement. “I figured Beau would keep you hidden for a few more weeks, at least.”

From what I’d gathered, Abbie was moving back, leaving her life in Denver.

Abbie rolled her eyes, shaking her head and scoffing. “Don’t get me wrong, he tried, but I needed to come up for air eventually. He can’t keep me at Hallow Ranch forever.”

I ignored the pit of jealously growing in my gut. Even Abbie and Beau, after all the pain and heartache, managed to find their way back each other. Valerie and Denver, despite hating each other at first, found love, and it was a beautiful twist of fate that brought Harmony and Mason together.

Then, there was me.

“I know my opinion might not mean much to you, Abbie, but I’m really happy you and Beau found your way back,” I told her, meaning it. “I never gave up hope.”

Emotion flashed in her eyes, and she cleared her throat. “Thank you, Diana.”

An awkward silence fell between us, the history that tethered Abbie and me together coming to the forefront of my mind.

Six years ago, after she rejected Beau’s proposal, I ran into her at a coffeehouse in Denver. We said nothing to each other, only staring, tables, and strangers between us. Eventually, she returned to her work, and I finished up mine. An hour or so later, I took the chance, packed up my stuff, and walked directly to her table. I’d never forget the way she tensed, expecting harshness from me, judgment.

But I didn’t give her either.

I simply wished her well and extended a hand of friendship.

She never took it.

I couldn’t blame her, as I was tied to Hallow Ranch and this town. I would’ve been a reminder of everything she had to move on from. Guilt tugged at me once more, reminding me of how I’d been treating Valerie for that last couple of weeks.

Clearly, the same memory was on Abbie’s mind, as she cleared her throat and looked down to her paint splattered shoes. “Diana, about the coffeehouse…I’m sorry.”

My brows snapped together, and I shook my head. “Don’t you dare apologize to me for doing what you thought you needed to do in order to protect your peace,” I said firmly, needing her to understand that how she acted was completely reasonable.

Guilt was now swimming in her brown eyes as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I was a bitch.”

A laugh bubbled up my throat then, the first time I’d laughed in weeks. “Abbie, you are the furthest thing from a bitch, I assure you.”

“Still, I wouldn’t have felt right until I apologized,” she countered softly. “I just….”

“You were protecting Beau, thus protecting Hallow Ranch,” I reminded her, giving her a small smile. “Trust me, you had every right to act the way you did.”

Her eyes widened, and she took a step forward. “You know?” she breathed, bringing a hand to her chest.

I nodded. “Denver told me everything.”

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