With hot chocolate in one hand, she gave Sadie a one-armed hug.When Abby pulled back, she smiled.“I’m so happy for you and Reed.You two are going to be so happy together.Let me see the ring.”
With a radiant smile, Sadie held up her left hand.Reed definitely hadn’t been chintzy.Light from the overhead lamp caught the diamond solitaire and made it sparkle.
“Enough about me,” Sadie said.“I saw you talking to that guy.”
“What guy?”Abby honestly didn’t know who she was talking about because she’d spoken to a lot of people while she’d been waiting for her cocoa.
“The guy I saw you talking to right after Reed asked me to marry him.”Sadie’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
Abby knew in that moment who she meant.“He was nobody.”
Sadie arched a brow.“Really?Because the way you were so animated when you were talking to him, he certainly was somebody to you.”
Abby sighed.“Don’t even get me started on Mr.Grumpy Pants.”
“What?”Sadie barely got the word out between laughter.“Mr.what?”
“Grumpy Pants.”She shook her head.“I don’t know what his problem is, but he needs an attitude adjustment.”
Sadie was still grinning when she asked, “How exactly do you know him?”
“I don’t.And I don’t want to know him.”
Sadie’s smile disappeared.“He can’t be that bad.”
“No.He’s worse.”
“Where did you meet him?”
She wished Sadie wasn’t so interested in her experience with Mr.Grumpy Pants.She knew if she didn’t tell her, Sadie would keep bugging her.Maybe once she told her about their run-in, Sadie would drop the subject.Could she be that lucky?
Abby drew in a deep breath and let it out.“We met at the coffeeshop.I was just about to close, when he walked in.Everyone had already left for the tree lighting.All I had to do was lock up, and in he strolled.I should have just told him that we were closed, but I thought I’d be nice.After all, it’s really cold this evening.Anyway, big mistake.”
Disbelief shone in Sadie’s eyes.“It couldn’t be that bad.”
“Oh, really?Let me tell you…” Abby recounted her first encounter with the spilled coffee.
“I see.”When Sadie looked at her, she wasn’t smiling, but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
“What do you find so funny?”
“It’s just that I’ve never seen you worked up over a customer before.”
Abby sighed.Her friend was right.Normally she didn’t let people get to her.There was just something about him that got under her skin.Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to deal with him again.
She shrugged.“He just rubbed me the wrong way.And I was late for the tree lighting.”
“Or maybe you found the guy really hot.”
This time it was Abby who laughed.“Not even his blue eyes could make up for his lack of a friendly personality.Hopefully, he’s just passing through town.”
“Wait.Back up.You know what color eyes he has?”Sadie arched a brow.
Abby couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud.She inwardly groaned.“Fine.He’s good-looking, but he’s not the least bit friendly.”
“Oh.”Sadie frowned.“That’s a shame.”
“It’s no big deal.You know that I’m not looking to date after the fiasco with Dave.”
