Page 42 of Sweet Talking Man


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Shelby chuckled. "You sound like you work for the tourism department. This family is so funny that way."

"Well, it's our town, you know. Magnolia Bend is important to us from the rusted old jungle gym at Meyer Park to the almost dried-up Hunter Mill Pond. This art festival will bring in tourists and help local businesses. So I'm all over helping the town and myself."

"I wasn't being critical, just teasing. John gave me the old soft-shoe sell on staying here every time I spun around. I actually like how much this family loves their community."

Abigail sighed and shut off the hot water, handing over the last serving bowl. Outside she could see her brothers helping their father move a huge barbecue he was planning to clean up and use to smoke chickens during the festival in order to raise money for the church's youth program. "I'm sorry. Just prickly today.”

"Because of Cal? Or Leif?"

"What?"

Shelby started putting away dishes. "Well, Jake told John that your ex-husband's been going around acting like you never got divorced."

Abigail frowned. "I can see you're going to fit right in with this family."

“What does that mean?”

“That you’re nosy."

Shelby immediately looked contrite. "I'm sorry. I wasn't gossiping. You're almost my sister-in-law and I care about you."

Now Abigail felt like crap. That's how Shelby made people feel- as if they should apologize. She was too damn nice. "It's okay. I guess I never stopped being prickly about Cal."

"His leaving was hard." It was a statement, not a question.

Every time Abigail thought about the day Cal left, her stomach cramped. She knew- hell, everyone knew- that the reason she was so careful with herself was because she'd essentially made a complete and utter fool of herself that night.

People didn't forget a woman begging a man to stay... and then passing out in the driveway.

Five years ago Cal had chosen the annual Fourth of July family-and-friends picnic for his big getaway. Abigail had pleaded to host the festivity at Laurel Woods instead of having it at her parents' house. She and Cal had worked so hard getting the grand old house ready to open as a bed-and-breakfast. Fresh paint, new doors and windows, and all the trim complete on the new house had Abigail itching to show the place off several months before they were to open for guests. The day had been perfect with low humidity, plenty of good Louisiana food, and old-fashioned games on the lawn, and outside of Speedy Wilson losing his best hound dog somewhere in the fields, incident free.

Until Morgan arrived.

Cal had been going to Houma to play some sets at a local club. Abigail had chalked it up to something he needed to do to blow off steam and make the extra money they needed for the new cabinet hardware. So she hadn't said boo about his disappearing a few times a week to do something he loved. But as soon as Morgan arrived, walking down the long driveway carrying a suitcase with her guitar slung over her back, Abigail had gotten a weird feeling. She'd rushed out to greet the singer even though she'd met her only twice. Cal had introduced her to all their friends, telling them they'd been playing together for the past two months. Abigail had had no clue Morgan had been playing gigs with Cal.

Just before dark, Abigail headed to the detached garage to grab some bricks to anchor the cylinders Jake had brought for launching the fireworks being set up in the field. And that's when she'd seen Morgan loading her suitcase into Cal's convertible, a vehicle she fondly called Midlife Crisis. He'd come around the corner carrying the red Samsonite luggage-the same set they'd taken on their cruise a few years ago-walking quickly, smiling at Morgan.

When Cal spied Abigail, he froze, his smile turning into an expression of panic. ''Abi."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Cal looked at Morgan, who dropped her gaze and studied the cute sandals Abigail had complimented her on earlier.

"Well, I left a note, but you might as well know," Cal said, walking to the car and placing his suitcase next to Morgan's.

"Know what?"

"I'm leaving."

Her brain couldn't seem to process. "Leaving? To go where? Everyone's waiting on the fireworks to start."

"No, I'm leaving for good."

Abigail struggled to make sense of the words coming out of her husband's mouth.

"Morgan's coming with me. We're going to California. There's a guy out there who thinks he can get us on a label. Until then we're going to play some shows and get some exposure."

"Wait, what?"

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