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ere until the work is done and I can sell it”

“You’ve decided for sure?” Jess sounded disappointed

Whether or not she was having any moments of indecision was none of Jess’s business; besides, she wasn’t certain that Jess wouldn’t go and tell everything to her cousin anyway Perhaps with the best intentions, but Abby wasn’t about to say anything that ’s written in stone,” she replied “But yeah … selling it seems to make the most sense”

After a fewat Josh and anotherwith him “What’s the matter?” Abby asked

“Nothing Iout with Rick Sullivan is the best plan Sarah was out of her mind to invite him”

Abby supposed she should be relieved that Jess meddled everywhere and not just in her and Tom’s business “Why?”

The wrinkle between Jess’s eyebrows grew deeper “Rick lost his hand overseas He’s dealt with it by drinking A lot I’d rather that not happen to Josh”

Abby looked closer Now that she thought about it, she reht she’d been in town He’d given the bartender a hard tiotten him to leave

“Maybe she thought Rick would understand Or that Josh needed a friend”

Jess’s dark eyes orried as they met Abby’s “I’m not convinced that’s the sort of friend he needs Rick’s changed a lot, and not for the better”

There wasn’t much she could say to that, so she asked the question that had been burning on her“Jess, why hasn’t Tom spoken to Josh?”

Jess’s face turned deceptively innocent “What?”

Before Abby could repeat her question, they were joined by Tom’s ue, harder to hold in the longer the evening went on and still Toe each other Tom even reached down once and took her hand in his, and for a second a delicious thrill slid up her arm at the contact But she soon realized there was a tension in his fingers that had nothing to do with holding her hand Instead of ither feel closer to him, she felt even more isolated

Twilight was beginning to settle in and the patio lanterns were casting the first bit of warlohen Tom leaned over and said in her ear, “Coive you some ideas for the one at the house”

He led her across the lawn, but it just so happened that their route intersected with Josh as he went to put his empty beer can in a recycle bin