“Can I ask something that might upset you?”
She hesitates, then nods.
“If your feelings for Tank weren’t in the picture… would wearing your cut still bother you?”
She thinks for a long time. Long enough that I think she’s not going to answer.
Finally, she exhales. “No. I don’t think it would.” She laughs once, but there’s no humor in it. “It’s pathetic, right? Wanting something so simple. Just… wanting him.”
“It’s not pathetic,” I say gently. “You can’t help who you love.”
“Maybe.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “But I’m tired of my heart hurting. I just want to be happy.”
“You always seem happy, Abby,” Riley says as she and Sunny wrestle a big box from the back corner.
“I know,” Abby murmurs. “I just… want tofeelhappy.”
God… do I understand that.
“Anyway,” she says, forcing brightness into her tone. “Tour. Shop. Let’s go.” She waves her hand, trying to reset the mood. “This side will be for dresses, and here’s where I’ll keep jewelry and hair accessories. All my equipment goes in the back. Lila’s going to run the front so I can focus on creating.”
“Hey, I’m heading out to get lunch,” Knuckles calls from the doorway. “Four Shadows are out here keeping an eye on things, but don’t leave ’til I get back. Pizza work for everyone?”
“Can you bring sweet tea?” Abby asks.
“Sure thing,” he nods before disappearing.
“This is really something,” I tell her honestly as I look around the shop. “When do you think you’ll open?”
“Next month,” Abby says, brushing her fingers over the counter like she’s grounding herself. “As long as everything settles down with Cortéz. It just feels like… my past and my wants keep holding me back from actually living my life.”
“Maybe it’s not just them holding you back,” I say, even though I’m not totally sure she wants to hear it. “Maybe you’re holding yourself back, too.”
Abby lets out a single, tired laugh. “Yeah. I’ve had that same thought.”
“Okay, so start from there,” Sunny says, as if she’s been waiting for that opening. “It might not fix everything, but you won’t know until you try. Just…let things go, Abby. Let the past go. And let Tank go, too. I know you love him, and you probably always will, but give yourself a chance to see if there’s someone else out there who will love you back.”
“You deserve that,” Riley adds softly.
Abby smiles, but it’s the saddest smile I’ve ever seen.
It hurts to look at.
I don’t know Tank all that well, but I don’t think I like him very much.
“Do you think… do you really think there’s someone out there who could love me?” she whispers. “I’m damaged goods, guys. I’m broken. What man wants a broken woman?”
“Hey,” I say, stepping in and pulling her into my arms before she can shove herself any further down that hole. “We’re all a little broken. Some more than others. And your broken pieces don’t make you unlovable.”
Abby leans into me, shaking just a little, and Sunny wraps her arms around both of us. Riley joins a second later, turning it into a three-woman, one-Eli sandwich.
“And anyway,” I add, rubbing Abby’s back, “if we’re using the ‘broken’ meter, I win that contest by a landslide. And guess what? Skip loves me so much it’s actually becoming a public safety concern.”
Sunny snorts. Riley snickers. Abby lets out a wet laugh against my shoulder.
“A special man would treat your broken pieces like art,” Sunny says to Abby. “You just have to let someone try.”
“And maybe Tank isn’t your someone,” Riley adds gently. “Maybe he never was.”
