Karma

by Barbara Huffert

  An hour later, Jesse had much the same conversation with his friends as they helped him move into his new home. He pretended not to notice the worried glances they exchanged when he wouldn’t let them unpack anything in the kitchen. They couldn’t understand why he had to leave that room for Abby to arrange even though he wasn’t entirely positive that she would ever come back to him.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  A week later, Abby had just put the finishing touches on the last of the desserts Harry planned for that evening when Milo flounced into the kitchen.

  Grabbing both of Abby’s hands and bouncing on his toes in front of her, he exclaimed, “He’s here! He’s here! I can’t believe it, he’s here!”

  “Milo.” Abby tried to interrupt. “Milo,” she said louder. “Who, Milo? Stand still and tell me who’s here.”

  “Oh my God! I can’t believe it. And he’s asking for you!”

  “Milo! Who is?”

  “I have to call Petey. He’ll be so jealous. Do you think it would be tacky if I asked for his autograph?”

  “Milo!” Abby finally shouted.

  “Oops.” Milo fanned himself. “Just give me a minute to catch my breath. I never thought I’d actually get to meet the one and only Jordan McKade in the flesh. Shame on you, girlfriend. Sitting there while I positively swooned over his voice and you never once mentioned that he has the looks to match.” Milo finally seemed to notice how pale Abby had gotten. “What is it, sweetie?”

  “He wants to see me?”

  “Oh yes. They all do.”

  “All?”

  “Sure. His very pregnant wife Kiley and their friends, Brett and Andie.” Milo giggled. “That Brett is awfully yummy too, with that to-die-for smile he flashed me. What is it with you girls? Always snapping up the best looking men for yourselves.”

  “I can’t go out there.”

  “Why sure you can. Even if you weren’t all done in here, Harry wouldn’t mind if you say hi to your friends. He’s probably chatting with them himself until you join them. Now give me that spatula and shake those tail feathers out of this kitchen. You don’t want to keep them waiting.” Milo gave her shoulder a playful tap. “Go on.”

  Harry had seated the couples at his private table in the corner, ensuring their privacy. He had waited with them and gave her shoulder a squeeze before retreating.

  Jordan and Brett both stood when she approached the table. Their warm greetings included hugs before they let her slip into a chair.

  “I hope you don’t mind, Abby,” Kiley began. “Jesse mentioned that you asked about me and Max a few times so we decided to come show you that we’re just fine.”

  “I was worried,” Abby admitted. “Isn’t it too close to your due date to be flying?”

  “I checked with the doctor yesterday. Since Jordan was able to borrow a plane from a former client and we don’t need to rely on the commuter flight schedule, he said it would be fine. Even if I do go into labor, which frankly I hope I do, we have plenty of time to get back home. I am so ready to have this baby. You wouldn’t believe how much more active he is than when you were there.”

  The five chatted while the couples enjoyed their lunch. When they finished, Jordan said. “This is more than just a social visit, Abby.”

  “I thought so.”

  “Andie, why don’t you ask your question first?” Jordan wanted to hold off on what he intended to say until right before they were ready to leave.

  “All right,” Andie agreed. “We met you the night we got engaged. And we thought we were becoming your friends the month you stayed in the gatehouse. Abby, in spite of what’s going on between you and Jesse, Brett and I would love for you to come to our wedding. We didn’t send you an invitation because that would have been too easy for you to write off as politeness with no sincerity behind it.”

  “We thought we had a better chance of showing you how much it would mean to us if we came and invited you in person,” Brett continued. “You already know the specifics.”

  “If you’re not comfortable going home yet you’re welcome to stay with us, either in the house or the gatehouse,” Kiley added. “Alyssa and her bunch would be happy to have you too or we could reserve a room in the bed and breakfast near the college.”

  “Will you please come? We really want you there. Promise you’ll think about it,” Andie pleaded.

  Abby looked like the proverbial deer caught in headlights. “Um, well,” she sputtered.

  “Abby, I’m sorry.” Jordan cut her off. “I promised Jesse we wouldn’t interfere when I told him we were coming but there’s something I have to say.” He saw the way she seemed to shrink but continued anyway. How could he not now that he’d started? “Jesse told me and Brett why you thought you had to leave him. It makes sense you want to protect him. But I’m not entirely sure you weren’t using that as an excuse. I think you panicked when Earl showed up. I think you were still panicked later, when you told Jesse you needed to go.”

  “Jordan! That’s enough,” Kiley gasped.

  “No, Kiley.” Jordan covered her hand. “Somebody has to say it. I’m not doing this to be cruel, Abby. I really don’t mean to hurt you.”

  “So just say it,” Abby whispered.

  “Brett?” Jordan waited until Brett tore the page out of his sketchbook. He had been drawing throughout the meal.

  “This is for you, Abby.” He handed it to her. “The image in the center is how you and Jesse looked the whole time you stayed in the gatehouse.” It showed how happy and together they looked. “The individual sketches are how you are now.” They both looked thoroughly miserable.

  “I hate to be so blunt but asking Brett to draw that for you was the quickest way to make my point. Brett’s not exaggerating one bit either.” He paused until Abby refocused her attention on him. “I know you’re afraid. And I think you’re letting that fear keep you from what you really want. I’m sure you truly want to protect Jesse. But by staying away from him, all you’re doing is causing a different sort of pain. One that’s a million times worse.

  “You left because of a what-if. So let me replace it with some different what-ifs. What if you were wrong? What if Earl still has a hold on your mind, even though he’s physically out of the picture now? What if he’s still controlling you just as firmly as he did when you lived with him? You’re letting him dictate how you live. You’re letting him continue to hurt you. And because of it, you’re hurting a very good friend of mine. You are the only one who can put a stop to this.

  “Jesse loves you. So much he’ll wait forever if you make him. Stop listening to what you’re hearing in your mind and pay attention to your heart before you destroy both of you. If you truly want to protect Jesse from more pain, go home. Deal with whatever comes next together. Take a chance on what you’re so afraid to hope is real. Trust Jesse. He really is what he appears to be. He really does want the two of you to share all the things you talked about.”

  By the time Jordan finished, Abby was in tears. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed before racing from the dining room.

  “Jordan McKade.” Kiley fumed next to her husband.

  “Wait, Kiley.” Brett interrupted her. “It was my idea. Last week when Mom and Rose came to do girl stuff with you and Andie and we spent the day with Jesse, I asked Jordan if there was any way to help them. When Andie said she wished Abby would come to our wedding and you told Jordan you wished Abby would worry about herself and Jesse instead of you, it seemed like the perfect excuse to get us here.”

  “So you knew Jordan was going to be this horrible to Abby?” Kiley was even more furious.

  “Yes. No. Well, kind of.” Brett struggled for the right answer.

  “It only seems like I was being horrible because of Abby’s reaction, sweet.” Jordan took over. “If you’ll think about what I said, you’ll realize nothing was that awful.”

  “But Jordan.” Kiley seemed frustrated.

  “I know. Abby is extremely upset at the moment. Would you feel
better if I say I called Harry last night and told him what I planned to say? He’s with her, Kiley. She’s not going to be alone so she can convince herself that I’m out to get her or anything. I told him how to encourage her to talk about what I said. I needed to upset her to try to break the pattern of listening to Earl’s unspoken words in her mind. Without something to shock her out of that, she really might take too long to find her way back to Jesse.”

  “Don’t be mad at Jordan, Kiley, please. I pushed him into this. I’m sorry we used both of you to get us here,” Brett added.

  “You really think this’ll help?” Kiley asked.

  “There’s no guarantee, of course, but it should at least make her reconsider her decision to run away,” Jordan said. “It’ll keep her thinking about how things could be if she goes home.”

  “Does Jesse know about this? All of it, not just that we’re here?”

  “No. And I don’t want either of you to tell him. If you do, he’ll apologize for not preventing our visit and that would give Abby the excuse she’s looking for to push us out of her mind. She needs the confusion right now so she stops hearing Earl. Hopefully, it’ll last long enough for her own thoughts to take over.”

  Milo appeared at their table. “Well I hope you’re all happy. To think I was so thrilled when you walked in. You are such a bully, Jordan McKade. You and Brett Hudson both. You made my girl cry! See if I ever listen to your show again.”

  Jordan stunned him by standing and giving Milo a hug. “I know. I’m sorry but if you’ll talk to Harry later, he’ll explain why I had to do it. I hope you can forgive me once you understand. Ready to go, Kiley?”

  Kiley followed his example. “I was furious too, Milo, but now I agree. Thanks for watching out for Abby. Please don’t misunderstand when I say I hope she comes home soon. Maybe you could come visit once she does?”

  Brett went one step further and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good friend, Milo. I’m glad we got to meet you. I hope to see you again so you can discover we’re not the bullies you think we are.”

  Andie was last to leave the table. “Maybe you and Harry and your friend Petey could come to our wedding? Brett and I would be honored to have you celebrate with us. Abby can give you all the details. She should be home long before then so maybe you could spend a few days letting Jesse thank you for taking care of her for him.”

  Milo was speechless. They were gone before he could think of any response other than the simple okay he muttered as they walked away. Too bad Harry left with Abby. Milo had promised he would stay at the restaurant until it closed that night. Now all he wanted to do was race home and find out what Jordan was talking about. He hoped the reason was a good one.

  After a little more consideration, Milo decided it would have to be. Harry had been entirely too calm when Abby burst into the kitchen in tears. Thank goodness. Now he could call Petey back and tell him Jordan McKade had actually hugged him. And his charming friend had given him that little peck. Even better news was that he would get to introduce Petey because he had already decided that nothing would keep him from going to the wedding he had just been invited to. And Petey loved weddings even more than Milo did. The only thing that would make the day better would be if Abby was smiling when he got home. Smiling and packing to go back to that sexy husband of hers. Now that would make the day just perfect.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Abby drove to the restaurant in a daze. It had been nearly a week since Jesse’s friends had visited and she still felt as low as she had that day. Harry was so kind to her. He spent that awful afternoon with her. She had wanted to curl up and die but somehow ended up telling Harry everything they had said to her. He sat and discussed it with her until he made her understand Jordan and Brett really hadn’t been trying to hurt her. She was calm by the time Jesse called for their nightly chat.

  It was so hard to hear Jesse’s voice every day. Almost as hard as it would be not to hear it. What was she going to do? Jordan had been right about everything but how could Jesse ever forgive her for leaving him? Sure, he kept calling and they had some great conversations. Sure, he had sent her a key to the house the day he made settlement. Sure, he talked about the future as if he believed she really would be a part of it. And he did it in a way that didn’t pressure her at all. How could such a genuinely good man honestly want someone like her to share his life?

  Abby pulled into the parking lot and saw a strange car next to Harry’s. Maybe it was left over from the night before. Or maybe it had something to do with why Harry had come in much earlier than usual. It was weird the way he had said she should drive in later in Milo’s car since Harry had to be in early and Milo would be delayed at home. It was so strange to be alone the way she was at the moment. Ever since she had stepped off the plane, someone had always been within shouting distance. Abby listened to the silence in the car before she opened the door. She knew she couldn’t live with Harry and Milo forever. How was she going to stand it when they admitted they were tired of her and she had to face this silence every day?

  Abby was surprised when Harry wasn’t in the kitchen as he was every other morning. He wasn’t in his office either. That meant he must be in the dining room. He was never in the dining room first thing. Even though Milo was going to be late, there would still be plenty of time for him to get everything set up before they opened.

  Fearing something was wrong, she pushed open the door to check on Harry. She was instantly afraid she had intruded on something personal when she spied him at a table with a man. The stranger had his back to the door. Abby tried to retreat but Harry had already noticed her.

  “Here she is now,” Harry announced. “Abby, please join us.”

  Abby stepped to the table and looked at the unknown man. She gasped when she recognized Wyatt.

  Wyatt studied her before he spoke. “Look as bad as Jordan said.”

  “Wyatt? What are you doing here? Is Jesse okay?” she asked, thinking the worst.

  “Course not but you already know that.”

  “What’s wrong?” She knew he would never just happen to stop by.

  Wyatt stood and frowned at her. “Already know that too.”

  “But why are you here?”

  “Came to take you home. Promised Gwen I’d help take care of you. Can’t do that when you’re not around.”

  “But…”

  “It’s time, Abby.” Harry squeezed her hand. “I know I invited you to stay indefinitely and I love working with you but this isn’t where you belong. We had hoped you would go home after Jordan’s visit. When you didn’t, we decided to go one step further.”

  “You knew about Jordan?”

  “Yes. Please don’t think I was going behind your back. We’re all just so worried.”

  “I called Harry too,” Wyatt admitted. “Obvious you don’t know how to come back so I’m here to make it easy for you.”

  “Milo and Petey should be in shortly with your things,” Harry informed her. “They were to pack for you as soon as you left.”

  “But.” Abby was overwhelmed.

  “Nope. Done deal.” Wyatt stopped her protest.

  Her turmoil must have been obvious. Harry spoke softly, “If you can look me in the eye and tell me you honestly feel nothing for your husband and you are able to find happiness without him, I will have Wyatt leave without you.” When she continued to stare at her feet, he continued. “That’s what we thought. Therefore, it’s time for you to stop hiding and go home so you can work it out. In the three weeks you’ve been here, I’ve learned a lot about Jesse and his family and friends. They’re a fine bunch of people, Abby. Jesse loves you. The others care deeply about you. You need to let them show you. I’m sure it’s very scary but I have no doubts they only want the best for you. They’ll be with you every step of the way. All of them, not just your husband. If you give them the tiniest chance, they’ll prove it over and over again until you accept it without question.”

  “But you’ve been
so nice to me.”

  “We adore you. We’re going to miss you. But you’re not happy with us. We’d rather send you home than keep you with us and miserable. You know this isn’t goodbye. You heard Milo and Petey going on about that wedding. There’s no way I can turn them loose on that unsuspecting town so I’m coming too. I always close for a few days around a holiday anyway. This year it will be over Memorial Day.”

  Milo and Petey pranced into the room, carrying Abby’s belongings. “All settled?” Milo asked.

  “Yep,” Wyatt answered, openly watching the pair he must have heard about. “Good to meet all of you but we should go.”

  “Wyatt.” Abby was still stunned. “You were so sure I’d go that you didn’t leave extra time to convince me?”

  “No need. Look at yourself. You need Jesse as much as he needs you. Can’t let my friend or my cousin continue to suffer. Not when it’s easy to fix. Ready?”

  “I can’t…”

  “Yes you can, girlfriend.” Milo hugged her. “Go home. Tell the hunk you love him and you made a mistake.”

  “Ask him to let you make it up to him,” Petey urged as he took a turn at hugging her. “Give him one of those smiles like you did at dinner the night you got married. He’ll forgive you.”

  “He will, Abby. Remember what Jordan told you about listening to your heart? Forget about the rest and admit how much you love the man.” Harry hugged her tightly too. “Now say how much you’re looking forward to showing us your new home when we visit and get out of here before these two embarrass Wyatt by forgetting that this isn’t the time to drool over him.”

  “Spoilsport.” Milo pouted.

  “Humph,” Petey seconded.

  Abby smiled through her daze. “Okay then, I guess we’ll be going.”

  “Promise to call and tell us all about your reunion.” Milo grinned.

  “Milo.” Harry sighed. “What he meant to say was call and let us know you arrived safely.”