Page 29 of Ashes to Ink

“So, he made you happy, but did he make you happy?”Adrienne emphasized the last word, and everyone giggled.

“Yes. Multiple times. If you must know, he’s very good atwhat he does.”

She lifted her chin, trying to look haughty. The rest ofthem just laughed.

“And on that note, I have to get back to my store, but Ilove you guys. Thank you for letting me talk to you about things that I didn’tknow I would ever be able to talk to anyone about. Thank you for just lettingme be a dork. Because I don’t know exactly how I feel, but I know that I’m okayfeeling what I feel. And that’s because of you guys, and because of Ryan. Andon that note, I’m going to head out.”

They all stood up, helping Thea clear off the table so shedidn’t have to do it on her own. Then they hugged and kissed before Roxie andKaylee left to their cars, and Adrienne walked part of the way to Abby’s store,stopping at her tattoo shop on the way so she could get back to work.

That left Abby alone at Teas’dwhen she sent Thea’s part-time help back to the bakery. She reminded herselfonce again that everything would be okay.

She was sore in all the right places, warm in others. Shedidn’t know if she would ever see Ryan again outside of work and maybe hangingout with the Montgomerys. Because although they hadtalked about it a bit, she didn’t really know for sure.

Did she want to see him again?

If she thought about it, the answer was yes.

She did. But she didn’t want to rely on that, didn’t want toput too much pressure on Ryan. She knew he had secrets, knew he had scars thathe didn’t want to talk about. But then again, she was just getting used totalking about her own.

She didn’t know if she wanted to fall in love again. She hadbeen in love, and it had hurt so bad to lose it that she was only now clawingher way out of the abyss.

And though she knew in her mind that sleeping with someoneand going on dates didn’t automatically mean you were falling in love, Abbywasn’t really good at casual dating. She hadn’t even slept with Max on theirfirst date, but she had with Ryan.

She wasn’t the same person she had been before, wasn’t eventhe same person she was two days ago at this point.

But she was trying to figure it out.

She didn’t know what would happen next, and even though thatworried her, it kind of thrilled her at the same time. She had so manyschedules and lists when it came to her life and Julia, so many things that hadto be done because she was a single mom and because she had lost Max.

But now she was trying to live in the moment, even if shewasn’t really good at it.

She was learning.

One soft memory of Ryan at a time.

A few customers came in, and she helped them with their teaand their purchases, grateful that she would probably end up in the black forthe month. She had been bringing in profits all year, and she did her best notto do a little dance in the middle of her shop and jinx it.

When the bell over the door rang again, she turned, smilingas Ryan walked in. She knew her smile was wide, and though she tried to rein itin so she didn’t look like a dork, she knew it wasn’t working.

She just looked at him and smiled even more.

There was definitely something wrong with her.

“You look nice,” Ryan said, coming over to her. He didn’tput his hands in his pockets this time, didn’t stay away as if he didn’t wantto touch her. Or like he thought he couldn’t.

Instead, he put one hand on her cheek and brushed his lipsagainst hers. She closed her eyes, trying not to moan. He was so soft, and yetso hard.

And in this moment, he was hers.

She didn’t mind that there might not be moments after this.

And if she kept telling herself, she’d be okay with it.

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said. “I say thatoften when it comes to you. I need to think of new lines.”

“I like hearing what you have to say.” He tucked her hairbehind her ear. “I’m in between clients right now, but I thought I’d stop byand say hi. I know you were over at the bakery with the girls. I hope you hadfun.” He raised his brow, and she knew that he knew exactly what she and theladies had talked about.

“I should feel embarrassed, but I have a feeling you know.”