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“Maybe if you hung around longer”

“He’s still in love with Erin” Abby kept her voice low; after all, she’d learned quite quickly that there were big ears everywhere in a place this size “You must know that I couldn’t compete with her even if I wanted to”

Jess sighed “I wish they would both move on Neither one of them is happy”

She didn’t need to say the name for Abby to know sheshe’d been wondering for a long time now “What was it about her, Jess? For Tom and Josh to fall so hard, to ruin their friendship? I don’t get it”

Jess fiddled with the tab of her tea bag “I don’t really know She was beautiful, and physically strong, but there was a vulnerability about her, too A ‘little girl lost’ vibe I think they both responded to that I think she was the sort of woman that makes a man want to take care of her, you know?”

Abby did know “I hope I’m not that way,” she mused “I can take care of myself”

Jess smiled “Yes, you can I think we all realized that the h your veranda and you called Bryce But you miss the point Just because a woman is self-sufficient doesn’t mean she won’t make a man want to take care of her Two very different points of view”

“You think Tom wants to take care of me?”

Jess sent her a knowing look “I think Tom wants to take care of everyone And I think the fact that you don’t necessarily let hiood for him I wish you’d reconsider Even if you sell the house, I wish you’d stay You belong here”

Abby sed thickly “I can’t” The truth was, she didn’t kno to really belong anywhere She’d learned at a very young age to rely on herself and no one else At least that way she wouldn’t put her hopes—her faith—in any one person and they couldn’t let her down

She blinked as that si she never had to get too close to anyone, never have a home to call her own Neither would anyone have the power to disappoint her To leave What would happen if she put down roots here? If she let her heart get involved? Tom would have the power to break it, wouldn’t he? And he probably would She’d be a fool to let that happen

“Are you okay?” Jess’s voice broke through her thoughts

“Yeah, fine, just thought of so I need to do, that’s all” She forced a set to the shop”

“Tom cares for you, Abby I can see it all over his face when he looks at you Maybe he doesn’t realize how ive him a chance”

Her words stung just a little bit “I have my own reasons, too, Jess I’m sorry”