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I analyze Tish’s smile and try to determine if she’s being sincere. I’m sure she tells every couple the same thing when they come in and choose their flavors for their special day. Is Tish really happy for the bride and groom? Does she really think the raspberry lemon chiffon cake is a fantastic choice? As I take another mouthful, I decide she’s being honest about the choice. It is so damn good.
“The tasting is over,” Abbey chides as she signs some paperwork Tish puts in front of her. I look her dead in the eye and fork the remaining cake into my mouth as I grin from ear to ear. I hear a giggle slip past Tish’s lips. Abbey suddenly bursts out laughing. This time I’m the one who is surprised by her reaction. In all the times I’ve been around her, I’ve never seen her laugh like this or act so carefree. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard her laugh at all. But I know instantly as the tinkling sound echoes around me, I could listen to that all day. “You’re impossible, you know that, right?” she tells me in between laughs.
“I may have heard that a time or two,” I reply without apology.
We both shake Tish’s hand goodbye when she comes back with Drew and Rosie’s copy of the contract. As we leave the shop, I decide I’m not ready to part ways with Abbey just yet. “Wanna grab a slice from Pizza My Heart,” I ask her in a way that hides the fact that I really want her to say yes.
“Sure, I’m starving, but I can’t even imagine how you could want anything else to eat,” she teases. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little taken back by her response. I don’t point it out, though. No need to put a negative spin on the good moment we’re having, so I do my best to act perfectly natural.
Shrugging, I say, “I always need savory after I eat something sweet and vice versa.” I can feel her watching me, so I smile as we walk down the avenue to the local pizza joint.
“Makes sense, I guess. What’s your favorite topping?” Abbey asks casually as she turns her attention back to the sidewalk in front of us.
“Personally, I’m a pizza minimalist. The least number of toppings, the better. Usually, I order the pesto pizza from here,” I disclose when we reach the entrance to the pizza joint. “What about you?”
Pulling the door open, I hold it to allow Abbey to enter first.
Smiling at me, she says, “Thank you. I’m also a pizza minimalist, as you call it, and I only order the pesto here, too.” One thing I know for sure, I like her smile. Things feel as if they are shifting between us. It’s obvious we are both letting our guard down a bit. Abbey seems more relaxed with me. The easy conversation is nice and gives me the opportunity to relax a bit.
“How about I order, and you find us a seat,” I suggest as we walk up to the counter. The display case offers a variety of large pizzas, and the smell of mozzarella and marinara sauce permeates around us. Since we both know what we want, I signal the kid behind the counter to let him know we’re ready to order.
“Parker, I should pay for my own,” Abbey says.
“Nope, it’s fine. You can buy next time.” I look down to see her shifting her feet and tugging on her lower lip. “I promise, this is just a friendly post-cake-tasting snack. We’re just sharing a pizza.”
Rolling her eyes, Abbey shrugs her shoulders, “Fine.” I grin, and she rolls her eyes again and finds us a table.
After I order, I turn and spot Abbey sitting in a corner booth next to a window. Walking over to her, I smile when she looks up from her phone, making eye contact with me. Once I reach her, I slide her slice in front of her then set her water bottle down. “Thanks,” she says. After putting my slice and water down, I drop myself into the seat across from her. “You’re welcome.”
I watch her take a bite, cheese stringing from the slice. She pulls at it with her fingers to avoid a mess. For some reason, this makes me smile. I take a big bite before she notices I’m watching her.
Breaking the silence, I say, “I think we made excellent cake choices. What do you think?” I take another big bite of pizza. I catch her mid-drink, but she is nodding her head. Once she swallows, she answers, “Yep, I think Rosie will be just as happy as if she had chosen them herself. As easygoing as she is, she is pretty particular about her desserts.” Abbey grins, and I can see her sisterly affection for Rosie.
“Is Drew nervous about the big day?” she makes small talk.
“Nah, that’s the great thing about Drew. When he makes a decision, or better yet, when his heart makes a decision, he doesn’t question it. It’s final. Growing up, Drew always believed in love and commitment. After his girlfriend Lauren broke his heart, he may have forgotten, but I think almost losing Rosie reminded him. He wouldn’t ever mess that up again,” I tell her. Abbey seems to let those words sink in as she continues to eat her pizza, so I do the same. “Good,” she states simply after a minute passes.
“Tell me, do you have any brothers or sisters?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Nope, I’m an only child,” she says simply. “What is it like being the oldest of five?”
Shrugging, I lean back in the booth. “Some days it’s amazing and other days, not so much. Either way, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” I pause, contemplating all my years of being an older sibling, “Maybe it isn’t this way for everyone, but I love all of them. We’re close, and it’s nice to have someone there if you need them. To have a person in your life who always has your back, no matter what.”
“You make it sound pretty fantastic. I don’t know what it’s like exactly, but I do have Rosie. She is as close to a sister as I’ll ever have in my life, and I’m thankful for that, no doubt.” The usual hesitation is missing from her voice, and it’s not reflected in Abbey’s eyes as she talks either. I realize she’s fully let her guard down. I like this calm. This honesty. I’m almost afraid to say anything more in case she closes back up. So, I just keep my response brief, “Yeah, I get it.”
I decide to keep the family topic going. “My parents have a lot to do with our closeness as a family. They’ve always made it a priority to have a one day a week where we focus on one another, even if it is only for a few hours. We’ve had family time on Sundays for as long as I can remember, and it’s always focused on dinner and conversation. We still do it even though we’ve all moved out and have our own lives.”
“Rosie has talked about the Nallen family dinners. She loves them.” There is a soft smile on Abbey’s face. “You guys have a special thing that not everyone has. You know that, right?” She asks, looking over at me. When our gazes connect, I see more of that vulnerability Abbey rarely shows. It makes me want to push further and get her to reveal more about herself. Another part of me wants to take her in my arms and protect her. Instead, I just look directly into her eyes and answer, “We know. That’s also something our parents made a point of teaching us—gratefulness.” Her eyes penetrate mine until she breaks the connection by quickly turning her attention to the passersby on the avenue outside the window.
“I have my mom,” she tells me, her head still turned to what is happening outside. “She did her best to make sure I knew she loved me.” I wait to see if she will say more, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t mention her dad. I assume he isn’t in the picture by the way she said,“I have my mom,”so I don’t ask any questions. “Well, that is the most important thing a parent can do for their kid, isn’t it? Make sure they know they are loved every single day.”
Abbey just nods, and after another moment passes, she looks back at me. When our eyes meet, I can see her wall is back up. I look down at my watch, “Can you believe it? We’ve been here for more than an hour.”
“Whoa, yeah…I should get home,” she says.
“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” I agree.
We both slide out of the booth and make our way to the doors. When we walk outside, we’re met with the cool sea air that’s typical of a Santa Cruz evening once the sun goes down. The avenue is lit up with storefront signs and string lights hanging from the trees along the sidewalk. We walk in silence for a while, side by side. Without telling her, I decide to walk her down the avenue to her apartment.
