neighbor or just my mother paying us an unannounced visit. I never in a million years expected to see the face that was staring back at me as I opened the door. I can only imagine what my face must have looked like to her as I struggled to even say hello. Finally, she broke the awkward silence.
“Hi Larkin,” she paused, probably expecting me to say something back, but, again, I couldn’t find the words to replace my shock at seeing her. She smiled, looking more beautiful than I remembered. “You look really good, Larkin. How are you?”
“Good,” I paused. “I’m good. Thanks. You look good, too, as always.”
She leaned forward, and we embraced in a very awkward hug. My heart was inevitably sinking as I finally found the courage to invite her in.
“Come in, Abigail. I’ll let Ryan know you’re here.”
I truly believe that timing really is everything. I would be lying to you, Ryan, if I told you that I wasn’t worried about Abigail being here. Why is she here? Is it really just an innocent visit like you tried to reassure me before you two went out to go talk over lunch? Or is it more? Maybe not for you, but for her. Maybe she wants you back. Why wouldn’t you want to go back if she did? I could never give you what she can. She’s beautiful, healthy, and successful. She’s everything you deserve, and I know how much you loved her when you were with her. I know how heartbroken you were when it ended. I know that as I watch you sleep next to me as I write this. Tonight was the first night you didn’t hold me as I fell asleep. You just kissed my nose, wished me sweet dreams, and rolled over. You have been different since you returned from your visit with her. I am sure you are just as surprised as I am that she came. Maybe you’re just coping with the shock, too. Maybe, just maybe, it really was innocent and everything is going to be okay. Or maybe you don’t know how to hurt me. It’s not in your nature to hurt me. I know that I love you more than anything and no matter what happens I always will.
CHAPTER 8
Ryan didn’t try to, but he had shut Larkin out when Abigail came back into his life. He had tried to fight the urge to allow Abigail back into his life, but he had always had a soft spot for her. Seeing her had brought him back to the life he had left; a life that he loved living. He knew he eventually would have gotten back to that life, but seeing Abigail that day had tempted him to go back to it sooner rather than later.
He remembers seeing Abigail sitting on the couch as he made his way down the stairs. He wasn’t expecting to see her. Larkin had only come up to tell him someone was there to see him, but she didn’t say who.
“Abby?” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Ryan.” She smiled as she stood up to greet him. Her smile had always made him melt. “I was in New York for an event, so I thought I would come down to see you. I stopped by your mother’s house, but she told me you lived here now. I hope it’s okay I am here.”
“It’s okay.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was still so beautiful. “You look great, Abby.”
“I was wondering if we could talk. Do you have time? I was thinking maybe we could grab some lunch.”
He glanced over to Larkin. “Well, Larkin and I were getting ready to go out for lunch.”
“It’s okay, Ryan. You two go and catch up. I’ll be okay. There’s plenty to eat here,” Larkin said.
He approached her and grabbed her shoulders. “Are you sure?”
Larkin nodded with an uneasy smile. He could see she was doing her best to not let him see the apprehension in her eyes.
“Larkin, I don’t have to go.”
“No, no, I want you to. It will be good for you to see an old friend.”
He studied her face for a moment before deciding that he would go. “Okay. I won’t be long.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I promise.”
Ryan drove Abigail a couple of blocks away to a local diner, and they sat in the far
“Hi Larkin,” she paused, probably expecting me to say something back, but, again, I couldn’t find the words to replace my shock at seeing her. She smiled, looking more beautiful than I remembered. “You look really good, Larkin. How are you?”
“Good,” I paused. “I’m good. Thanks. You look good, too, as always.”
She leaned forward, and we embraced in a very awkward hug. My heart was inevitably sinking as I finally found the courage to invite her in.
“Come in, Abigail. I’ll let Ryan know you’re here.”
I truly believe that timing really is everything. I would be lying to you, Ryan, if I told you that I wasn’t worried about Abigail being here. Why is she here? Is it really just an innocent visit like you tried to reassure me before you two went out to go talk over lunch? Or is it more? Maybe not for you, but for her. Maybe she wants you back. Why wouldn’t you want to go back if she did? I could never give you what she can. She’s beautiful, healthy, and successful. She’s everything you deserve, and I know how much you loved her when you were with her. I know how heartbroken you were when it ended. I know that as I watch you sleep next to me as I write this. Tonight was the first night you didn’t hold me as I fell asleep. You just kissed my nose, wished me sweet dreams, and rolled over. You have been different since you returned from your visit with her. I am sure you are just as surprised as I am that she came. Maybe you’re just coping with the shock, too. Maybe, just maybe, it really was innocent and everything is going to be okay. Or maybe you don’t know how to hurt me. It’s not in your nature to hurt me. I know that I love you more than anything and no matter what happens I always will.
CHAPTER 8
Ryan didn’t try to, but he had shut Larkin out when Abigail came back into his life. He had tried to fight the urge to allow Abigail back into his life, but he had always had a soft spot for her. Seeing her had brought him back to the life he had left; a life that he loved living. He knew he eventually would have gotten back to that life, but seeing Abigail that day had tempted him to go back to it sooner rather than later.
He remembers seeing Abigail sitting on the couch as he made his way down the stairs. He wasn’t expecting to see her. Larkin had only come up to tell him someone was there to see him, but she didn’t say who.
“Abby?” he said. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Ryan.” She smiled as she stood up to greet him. Her smile had always made him melt. “I was in New York for an event, so I thought I would come down to see you. I stopped by your mother’s house, but she told me you lived here now. I hope it’s okay I am here.”
“It’s okay.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was still so beautiful. “You look great, Abby.”
“I was wondering if we could talk. Do you have time? I was thinking maybe we could grab some lunch.”
He glanced over to Larkin. “Well, Larkin and I were getting ready to go out for lunch.”
“It’s okay, Ryan. You two go and catch up. I’ll be okay. There’s plenty to eat here,” Larkin said.
He approached her and grabbed her shoulders. “Are you sure?”
Larkin nodded with an uneasy smile. He could see she was doing her best to not let him see the apprehension in her eyes.
“Larkin, I don’t have to go.”
“No, no, I want you to. It will be good for you to see an old friend.”
He studied her face for a moment before deciding that he would go. “Okay. I won’t be long.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I promise.”
Ryan drove Abigail a couple of blocks away to a local diner, and they sat in the far
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