“I find you sitting out here hugging yourself.”
“I was cold,” Abby lied.
“Cold? It’s almost eighty degrees.”
“I had a chill.” Abby expanded on her lie. One threesome and she’d lost her moral compass.
“Nope, I’m not buying it.” Madeline’s eyes continued to bore into Abby. “Did you and Blythe get into a fight? Is that why you were inside so early?”
“No, Blythe and I didn’t have a fight.” Could she say the same about herself and Ricki? There wasn’t a fight, just the cold shoulder this morning.
“She hated it in Harveston, didn’t she?”
Good.Madeline was going down the wrong path, and Abby wouldn’t dissuade her. Like she’d guess at what really happened. Still, Abby didn’t want to throw Blythe under the bus. It wasn’t fair to her since she’d done nothing wrong.
Abby needed to walk a fine line. “She didn’t hate it, but you know she’s more of a city girl.”
“Does that mean they won’t be coming back here?” Madeline said, her voice full of disappointment.
“We didn’t make any plans.” Finally, Abby was telling the truth.
“Ya know, I might have been teasing, but I wasn’t joking,” Madeline said.
Abby knew exactly what she meant, but she said, “Joking about what?”
“Ricki. She’s adorable.”
An image of last night with Ricki flashed in Abby’s mind. She hoped it didn’t show on her face, but by the heat radiating up her neck, she’d been unsuccessful.
“Does that bother you?” Madeline asked.
Abby had been asking herself why Madeline’s flirtation with Ricki had upset her. Wasn’t it part of the catalyst for what happened last night? When Blythe had mentioned setting Ricki up with Madeline, it had struck a nerve. But why?
“Oh, my god.” Madeline jumped to her feet and stood in front of Abby, blocking her view of the yard. “You have a thing for Ricki.”
“Where did you get that idea?” Abby scowled at Madeline.
“You didn’t deny it.”
Damn it.Why was Madeline so astute? Abby wouldn’t call it a thing, but what was it? She’d been on the verge of tears since Ricki left, and her tears threatened again. The thought of Ricki being distant caused her chest to ache.
Madeline kneeled in front of Abby’s chair. “You’re going to cry.”
“No, I’m not.” Abby was back to lying again.
“Come on. It’s me you’re talking to.” Madeline reached out and put her hand on Abby’s leg.
Madeline’s touch opened the floodgates, and tears trickled down Abby’s cheeks.
“Holy shit, girl.” Madeline stood and wrapped her arms around Abby. “What’s wrong?”
Abby’s breath caught in her throat, and her chest threatened to explode. Something was wrong, and she knew it. There was plenty wrong, starting with Ricki’s reaction this morning, or maybe it ended with that.
Abby squirmed out of Madeline’s hug and stood. “I need coffee. Do you want some?”
“If you plan on telling me what’s going on over a cuppa.”
Abby smiled, knowing Madeline had pulled out one of her favorite British sayings to lighten Abby’s mood. “Stay here. I’ll be back with your cuppa in two shakes of a lamb’s tail,” Abby said, pulling out her own cliché to put Madeline’s mind at ease.
