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There was one last note in the library, a folded paper on the sewing table she’d liked so much that very first day

This room isn’t finished I have a surprise for you

A surprise? She spun in a circle, taking in the glea floor and polished furniture It really needed a proper sofa, so that fit the décor but was functional, too But what kind of surprise could heelse

Well, it wasn’t for her to figure out tonight Right now she just wanted to crawl into a pair of sleep pants and a T-shirt and scrounge for so to eat

She’d changed and shoved her hair into aher in the silence When she answered it, Jess was on the line

“You’re home,” she said “Tom said you were due back today”

“I just got back a half hour ago” Abby knew her voice held a touch of reserve The last she’d spoken to Jess was the night of the party They hadn’t left things on nice terms

“Have you eaten?”

It was nearly eight o’clock at night and she could hear her sto “Not yet,” she admitted

“Great How about pizza?” Jess see aard had happened at all

“Jessica, I—”

“If you’re calling me Jessica, you’re still mad” In contrast to Tom’s inability to speak plainly, Jess was incredibly blunt She was also perfectly sincere “Honestly, Abby, I’m really sorry We knew

Josh was having a hard tiry He and Toht it would help mend fences Promise”

“You still should have told me I was so blindsided”

“I know You’re right We were absolutely wrong to keep you in the dark”