Abby opened her eyes. She was sad the moment was ending, but she knew it must. “Yeah. I will see you around, won’t I?”
Ricki looked into her eyes. “Yes. But I’ll be in and out.”
“I know.” Abby let out a long breath. “Can I ask for one more thing?”
Ricki nodded.
“Can I have one last hug before I go?”
The tears that had been welling in Ricki’s eyes escaped down her cheeks. She didn’t say anything but opened her arms and pulled Abby in for a hug.
Abby was numb when she left Ricki and Blythe’s house. Blythe had walked her to her car, but she didn’t even remember saying goodbye. All she could think about was Ricki’s arms wrapped around her. Somehow, she’d kept her tears at bay, but now that she was on the road toward home, the floodgates opened.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. The only solace she had was that even though it appeared their indiscretion had caused this problem, it wasn’t true. They were heading for this end since the very beginning. Since the moment she sat in Ricki’s room looking through her book collection.
At the thought, Abby’s tears turned to sobs.
CHAPTER 39
Ricki had been quietafter Abby left, so Blythe had given her space. Digging at the wound was senseless. She’d seen the pain on Ricki and Abby’s faces. Though she worried about Abby driving home in the state she was in, Blythe understood, that for her own sake, Abby needed to go.
Ricki had taken her shower and then gone up to her room, so Blythe was alone. She should record the videos she’d written scripts for this weekend, but she couldn’t muster the positive energy she knew it required. Followers sensed when a creator phoned it in, and she wouldn’t be one of those.
She wandered into the kitchen for a snack, and her eyes landed on the laptop that Abby had been using earlier. She’d been unsuccessfully trying to edit a video of the rooms of her house.
Blythe’s mood perked up. At least she could help Abby and do something productive. She snatched a bag of chips from the cupboard and plopped in front of the computer.
When she looked at the file, she groaned. Abby had done a hatchet job on the video.Shit.It was easier to start over than try to resurrect the mess Abby had made. Blythe searched for the original files, but she couldn’t find them.
Abby had been distracted. She’d forgotten to make a copy and chopped up the original or at least the file she’d downloaded to the computer. Well, there went that idea.
Blythe needed a beer. When she walked to the refrigerator, she noticed Ricki’s phone sitting on the counter next to the portable charger.
Duh.Ricki had shot the video, so Blythe could send it to herself. Problem solved. She popped open her beer before grabbing Ricki’s phone. Blythe’s eyes narrowed at the notification that flashed at the top of Ricki’s screen.
Oh, hell, no.Without a thought to Ricki’s privacy, Blythe opened her message folder.Fucking Missywas at the top of the list.
One unread message. Blythe’s eyes flicked to the ceiling where Ricki was in her bedroom. Should she take the phone to Ricki or just read the message herself?
Blythe stood from her chair, nearly knocking it over. She stomped up the stairs and found Ricki lying on her bed reading a book.
Before Ricki could speak, Blythe tossed the phone onto the bed. It bounced off the mattress and landed on Ricki’s chest.
“Can I help you?” Ricki asked.
“I thought you might want to read your new message.” Blythe pointed at the phone.
“Oh.” Ricki picked it up from her chest. “Did you read it?”
“Should I?”
“I suppose it depends on what it says.” Ricki tried for nonchalant, but Blythe could feel the tension lying under the surface.
Blythe just stared.
Ricki opened her phone and read the message. She tossed the phone to the end of the bed where Blythe stood. “There you go.”
Ricki set her book down and rolled out of bed. Did she want to be standing in case Blythe lost her shit?
