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“Apparently I’m not good enough for a hello.”
I sighed, hanging my head. “Sorry. It’s… it’s weird, being back here. Seeing…” I shook it off. “Long time no see, Annabel. Hope you’re, uh… hope you’re doing well.”
Annabel sighed. The heavy weight over everything, it felt like it dulled everything to a sad gray, where… well, not Kay, though. I didn’t think anything dulled her.
“Things are good,” she said, finally. “Priscilla’s really stepped up in her final year of university. Looking like she’s going to be traveling a while with her new sports club, so I’m going to miss her like hell, but I made her promise to come back all the time. And I believe she’ll actually keep that promise, unlike some people.”
“Ah.” So she had decided what she was doing after graduation. Gone ahead and figured things out without me, just like I’d hoped—that people could be okay without me. Why did I not feel relieved?
Kay nudged Annabel. “C’mon, don’t take cheap shots. She’s here right now.”
Annabel looked down with a grunt of frustration. “Sorry, Harps. I, uh… I’m happy to see you again. How long are you here?”
“Until Paisley’s better.”
Kay hunched her shoulders. “I’m trying to get her to admit that she’s in love with Paisley to get her to stay, but she’s being difficult.”
“I’m not in love with anyone,” I said, a thick feeling in my throat. Annabel raised her eyebrows.
“Who are you kidding? Why do you think I contacted you about Paisley in the hospital?”
“I—”
“You’re here because you love her. Don’t be difficult. To think, you always called me the difficult one.” She pushed the letter in my direction again. “Now, take the letter, and give it to your wife.”
I had to… wonder what Lindsay would have done in this situation. She’d run headlong into this, admit she loved Paisley, throw away New York and stay here with the people she loved…
But I wasn’t Lindsay. I was Harper.
Still. Never thought I’d imagine Lindsay doing something like that.
I took the letter. “You could hand it to Paisley yourself,” I said. “She’s upstairs, just resting.”
Annabel put a hand up. “I don’t want to interrupt your private time.”
Why everybody was referring to it like that, as if it was this salacious thing… I pushed the thought away. “And what, you can’t text her?”
“Things always work differently when Paisley’s involved.” She relaxed, shoving her hands in her pockets and giving me a loaded smile. “You know… as much as I love her, Crystal Lights just isn’t the same with Paisley running it.”
“I wonder what you’re getting at,” I sighed. Kay elbowed me.
“She’s saying you should stay here and run the bakery instead.”
“Okay—yes, I got it.” I shook my head. “Um… thanks for dropping by, Annabel. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Quit it with that,” Annabel said, holding a hand up as she turned for the door. “Just behave yourself. Oh, and come to swim practice while you’re at it.”
“I—”
“You too, Kay. I’ll be expecting you on Friday.”
Kay saluted smartly. “I’ll be there!”
I gave Kay a look as Annabel headed out of the building. “What, finally learned to swim?”
She laughed. “A little. Got out of the kiddie pool, at least. So… what are you doing with your day now? Spending it snuggled up with your girlfriend nursing her back to health?”
I looked away. If she knew we were going out for dinner… “I’ll be checking in on my job. Remotely. From upstairs, where Paisley can call if she needs help and I can make sure she’s not dying. That’s all.”
