“Abby, these waffles are incredible. Thick and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness.” Lucy Gardener shoveled an enormous forkful into her mouth, closed her eyes, and groaned with delight as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks.
“Thank you. I’m so happy you’re enjoying them.” Abby refilled Lucy’s coffee cup, trying not to gawk as the statuesque woman scarfed down a slice of bacon in two bites. She struggled to reconcile the stunning blonde’s slender, angelic figure with her hearty appetite. But then, as a petite woman who loved food, she should know better than to make assumptions.
Sadie must have noticed her staring because she smiled and said, “Don’t mind her. She’s been on a restrictive diet for over a year trying to find the cause of her migraines.”
“Turns out I’m allergic to a rare chemical used in a certain type of polyester,” Lucy added between bites. “My wardrobe will take a small hit, but I can finally enjoy food again.” With a thoughtful pause, she tapped the fork tines to her lips. “Which, now that I think about it, may not be great for fitting into my wedding dress.” She shrugged and gave a pleasant, lighthearted laugh before digging into her waffles again.
Abby smiled. Upon their arrival yesterday, she immediately liked her new guests. Sadie seemed like a down-to-earth realist compared to Lucy’s chipper optimism, but both women were sweet and warmhearted. The kind of women Abby would happily befriend. The one downside? Thanks to the constant chatter about their upcoming double wedding, Abby’s thoughts frequently wandered to Logan’s almost-proposal. That is, if he’d been about to propose. She still wasn’t sure if she’d misread the situation.
Either way, the possibility of an impending engagement made her realize how badly she wanted to marry Logan. Yes, the thought had crossed her mind many times before, but she’d always brushed it off, convinced it was far too soon to even consider. She’d dated Donnie for three years before he proposed. She and Logan had been together less than six months.
They should wait… shouldn’t they?
“How long were you each with your fiancés before you got engaged?” she asked impulsively, topping off Sadie’s strawberry-hibiscus tea.
The two best friends exchanged glances then grinned.
“Less than a year,” Sadie told her. “Lucy started dating Vick in the fall and then Landon and I got together that winter. Then we both got engaged the following spring.”
“Feels like only yesterday and a lifetime ago,” Lucy added with a dreamy glow about her. “What about you, Abby? How long have you been married?”
“Oh. I’m not—I mean, we’re not— We’re just dating,” Abby stammered, her cheeks flushed. Why did that question always catch her off guard? Possibly because she wanted it to be true.
“Sorry.” Lucy flashed a sheepish grimace. “I should have looked for a ring. You two just seem so in sync, I assumed you’ve been happily married for years.”
“It does feel that way sometimes,” Abby admitted. Whether they’d been together six months or six years, she couldn’t imagine life without Logan. Her heart had made its choice ages ago. Logan was her person. And she’d choose him a million times over. Her intuition told her that Logan felt the same way. Was he worried all the drama with Piper would mar their special moment?
As if on cue, a throat cleared. Piper lingered in the doorway of the dining room. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m heading to Verna’s to pick up Tyler, and then we’re taking off.”
Abby’s heartbeat stuttered. It’s time. “Would you ladies excuse me for a second?”
“Of course,” Sadie said while Lucy nodded, her mouth full again. “It was nice to meet you, Piper. Thank you for the delicious snickerdoodles. Lucy and I have enjoyed several already.”
Lucy swallowed, then exchanged her own goodbye with Piper before Abby stepped into the hall.
“Before you go, I have something for you.” Her pulse whirring, Abby led Piper to the sitting room. As she reached into the top drawer of the vintage campaign desk, she caught a glimpse of Logan, Max, and Tyler playing in Verna’s front yard across the street.
The boys looked so happy, so carefree. Logan was a wonderful father. A wonderful man. And they’d built a beautiful life together.
A wave of gratitude crashed into her, and she swallowed against the sudden tightness in her throat. Turning toward Piper, she handed her an envelope.
“Oh. Thank you, but Logan already paid me.” Piper tried to pass it back.
“It’s not the money you earned.”
“What is it?” Piper slid out a stack of papers, frowning at all the legal jargon.
“It’s a trust for Tyler. There’s money to go toward everyday expenses and more that he’ll receive when he’s eighteen, either for college or whatever path he chooses.”
“I—I don’t understand.” Piper scanned the document, looking dazed. When she finally met her gaze, tears shimmered in her eyes. “Why are you doing this?”
Abby drew in a slow, deliberate breath. She’d asked herself that question several times, and always came up with the same answer. “It’s what Donnie would have wanted.”
A tear tumbled down Piper’s cheek, but she didn’t wipe it away.
“Donnie wasn’t perfect,” Abby told her, fighting her own welling emotions. “And I might wrestle with what he did for a long time to come. But I believe that he loved me. And I believe he would’ve loved his son more than anything.” Her heart squeezed. For what she lost. For what Tyler lost. But she also felt a strange release in finally putting Donnie’s money to use, as if this was its intended purpose all along.
To her surprise, Piper threw her arms around her, knocking the air from her lungs. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she murmured, her tears dampening Abby’s hair.
As Piper wept on her shoulder, Abby exhaled, letting her bitterness seep to the floor.
Forgiveness isn’t a weakness. It’s a sign of great strength. And it impacts the forgiver a lot more than the offender.
Verna’s words rang in her ear, clear and sweet and true.
Sniffling, Piper pulled back and wiped her eyes to study the papers again. “I—I still can’t believe it. What can I do to repay your kindness?”
“You don’t need to do anything. The money is yours, no strings attached. But—” Abby hesitated. Was she about to ask for too much? Was it a terrible idea?
“What is it?” Piper prompted.
Abby tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, wavering. Just say it. Taking another deep breath, she asked, “Would it be okay if we stayed in touch? I know Max would really like to be in Tyler’s life. And… so would I.”
Piper blinked, as if Abby’s question was the last one she’d anticipated. “I—Yes. I—I would like that, too.”
They stood in awkward silence for a moment, gazing at each other as if neither knew what to say.
Abby felt an odd urge to hug her again, but she had something else to say—something that would most likely kill the convivial mood. “There’s one more thing.” She bit her bottom lip, bracing for the bad news. “I spoke to a friend at the sheriff’s office and explained your situation with your landlord.”
Piper opened her mouth to protest, so Abby quickly added, “I didn’t give your name or any personal details. But I wanted to see what kind of charges you’d be facing if you turned yourself in.”
“And?” Piper asked warily.
“It looks like you’d get off with a warning. Especially if you agree to testify against your landlord.”
Piper didn’t respond but appeared to be mulling over her words.
For good measure, Abby added, “It’s your decision. But I think it would be the right thing to do.”
“Maybe. I’ll think about it,” Piper relented, then sighed. “Sounds like I have a lot of tough decisions to make. Like where to go next. And what to do with my life now that Tyler and I can afford a fresh start.”
“What about starting over at the beginning?”
“What do you mean?”
What did she mean? The words had escaped before she’d had a chance to think twice. But now that she had, maybe it wasn’t the worst idea. “What if you moved back to Blessings Bay?”
“Are you serious?”
“Surprisingly, yes.” Abby grinned, realizing how ridiculous her suggestion sounded. “Tyler loves it here. And I hear there are part-time jobs opening at the Sawmill and CeCe’s café. They’re entry-level positions, but they pay well and would be stepping stones.”
“I would love that. But are you sure you’d be comfortable with me living in town?”
A valid question. On some level, it would definitely be weird. But Blessings Bay had saved her life when she’d been drowning in grief. The loving, kindhearted townspeople had given her the connection and close-knit community she’d so desperately needed. They’d become her family. Something Piper and Tyler clearly lacked. “I’m sure,” she said and actually meant it.
Although, Logan might take some convincing. She smiled at the thought of her sweet, slightly overprotective boyfriend. Maybe soon-to-be something more?
Piper enveloped her in another hug. “I can’t thank you enough, Abby. Tyler is going to be thrilled!” She beamed, and the genuine, unguarded smile transformed her entire appearance, creating a stark contrast from the first moment they’d met.
Piper’s dull, tired eyes with dark circles draped underneath now looked vibrant and sparkling. Her aura of sadness and desperation gave way to unbridled joy and hope for the future. She practically skipped toward the door, then paused.
As she turned to face her, Piper’s countenance softened, becoming almost somber. “The morning Donnie left, he mumbled something under his breath. It sounded like some sort of self-chastisement. He said, ‘You don’t throw dirt on a diamond.’”
Abby frowned. What did that mean?
“I didn’t understand what he meant until I met you,” Piper admitted. “You’re the diamond, Abby. Bright, beautiful, and unbelievably strong. And your strength stems from your kindness.” Piper flashed a I-can’t-believe-I’m-saying-this smile as she confessed, “I admire you, Abby Preston. More than I’ve ever admired anyone before. And I hope, one day, I can be more like you.”
With those words, Piper slipped out the front door, leaving Abby in stunned silence.
She’d just been given the most profound compliment by the last person she’d ever expected.
And at that moment, she felt her heart take another step toward healing.
Another step toward her own new beginning.