“I’m with Claudia,” Gretchen pipes up. “You can’t give up on him. You need to do something.”
I smile. Gretchen is such a romantic. She’s the woman who spends her Saturday nights watching corny Hallmark movies. The plots are often repeated but the happy endings are always there. I don’t mind watching them once in a blue moon, but she inhales them. “So what kind of grand gesture would you suggest?” I tease.
Claudia smirks. “The trench coat with nothing but panties underneath is always a winner.”
I laugh, suddenly remembering the time I tried to seduce Gavin wearing nothing but my mom’s red jacket and tall boots, and Izzie’s slutty panties. “Uh… that could work. If only I knew where he lived.”
Gretchen’s eyes grow wide. “You don’t know where he is? You didn’t take his new address?”
“He wouldn’t give it to me.”
Mischa sits up straighter. “Ouch.”
I poke my fork in my omelette, no longer hungry. “I’ve ruined everything.”
Gretchen wraps her arm around my shoulders. “No, you didn’t. We can find him. There’s always Facebook and stuff. And we can hire a private investigator if we need to.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Claudia adds. “You can’t let this one go. We’ve all seen you two together and you two are sickening.”
“Yep,” Mischa says. “Absolutely vomit inducing.”
Gretchen laughs. “Adorable as fuck.”
Claudia’s eyes grow wide. “Well, little Gretchen, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you curse before.”
Gretchen shrugs, her sweet face apologetic. “It happens.”
We all break into laughter, and I help myself to another drink of iced tea.
What would I do without these girls?
* * *
If only I’dknown it was the last time I would ever see Gavin, the last time I would kiss him, touch him, I would have held on so tight. I would have never let him go.
I’d brought a sketch book and some sketching supplies. I’d taken an art class in my last year of school, and I was still doodling occasionally.
“I’m going to draw your picture,” I announced.
He smiled, and that playful grin of his was exactly what I wanted to capture. He also had the most beautiful, kindest eyes I’d ever seen. He obliged, and sat on the sofa for me. I told him to stay still, and he did, shooting me impish smiles here and there. My hands danced above my sketch pad as I brought him to life. I’ve never been a gifted artist, but I’d learned and practiced enough to be decent. The final result wasn’t great, but not completely horrible either. There was a touch of a resemblance, and when I finally showed him, his whole face lit up. “That’s pretty good.”
I laughed. “It’s okay, but I shouldn’t quit my day job anytime soon.”
“Well, maybe an art career is not in your future, but you know what you need to do, right?”
I cocked a brow, curious. “What’s that?”
“You’re the most caring and giving person I’ve ever met, Abigail. You have the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.”
I smiled. “And what can big hearts do?”
“They can help people.”
“How so?”
He took my hand. “Think about it, Abigail. Who was there for you when your mom died?”
“Caroline,” I said, softly. I’d talked about her quite a few times. She was the social worker involved in my mother’s case. She’d been there for me, had helped me pull through.
