Chapter Eight

Abby considered the man in front of her. He had five inches and fifty pounds on her. She wouldn’t be able to force him out of her apartment. She could threaten to call the police, but they both knew she wouldn’t. If he bothered Eva Grace, yes. But not because he was determined to have a conversation about their daughter.

A conversation that was unnecessary because nothing he said would change her mind. She hadn’t been able to count on Jonah when she’d needed him. How could she trust this man with her daughter’s heart?

“Okay. We’ll talk. But I need some air.” She reached down and grabbed her bag, knowing he’d follow her out of her apartment. “Have you seen the covered bridge up close?”

Hope flooded his blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and vivid blue as Eva Grace’s.

Abby’s heart gave a ping, but she ruthlessly tamped down the emotion. “Never Forget” had become her motto.

“Are you referring to the one linking the business district with the Victorian home district?” Jonah’s voice remained conversational as he reached over and opened the door.

“It’s called Crossover Bridge,” Abby told him, breathing a sigh of relief when he followed her outside her apartment. “The area where the homes are located is known as Victorian Village.”

Jonah’s lips quirked in that lopsided smile that had won many a girl’s heart in high school. “There’s much to learn when you move to a new town.”

Abby turned to Nev, already out of school for the afternoon, as they strolled past. “I won’t be gone long.”

Nev’s eyes sparked with interest at the sight of the man at Abby’s side. “I’ve got everything under control.”

“Thanks.” Abby offered the girl a smile before returning her attention to Jonah.

“You look nice. Vintage.” Jonah held the door open as she stepped out into the sunshine.

She’d gone with a 1940s look today, coupling the popular walking shoes of that era with a red-and-white-striped shirtwaist dress complete with shoulder pads. Because of time constraints, she’d gone simple with her hair. Instead of going crazy with victory rolls, she’d settled for a center part with the hair pinned back past the temples.

Since he appeared to expect a response, she nodded. “Thank you.”

His gaze dropped to her feet. “Will you be okay walking in those?”

Abby glanced down at her stacked-heel, lace-up oxfords. “These are the most common walking shoes of the 1940s.”

“Do you like dressing up in clothes of different eras?”

Either Jonah was simply making conversation, or he was truly interested. It didn’t matter. Each step away from the hotel was a step in the right direction. Besides, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t been asked this question numerous times before.

It was the number-one question she got from tourists, and she had her answer at the ready. “I enjoy it. While it takes a little planning to make sure you have the dress, hair, and shoes consistent, it’s like playing dress-up every day.”

“I remember you and Jackie playing dress-up.” His lips curved. “You’d put on my mom’s heels and clunk around the house.”

For a second, Abby’s mouth wanted to smile. She and his twin sister had been good buddies. But when push came to shove, his entire family had stood with Jonah.

Abby was spared the need to respond when the covered bridge came into view. “This was built in 1884. It’s needed some structural work over the years but has held up remarkably well. Though originally built as a roadway for carriages, then cars, that changed when they expanded the park in the 1940s. Now it’s open only for bike and foot traffic.”

She couldn’t do this anymore, Abby realized as she found herself falling into the rhythm of easy compatibility that had been the hallmark of her and Jonah’s friendship.

“I need to get back to the hotel.”

When she turned, he grabbed her arm but quickly released it when she shot him a warning glance.

“You said we’d talk.” He gestured to an ornate wrought-iron bench under a large oak. “Your word used to mean something.”

“Cheap shot, Rollins.” Her voice dipped into the deep freeze. “Especially coming from someone with your history.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped, but he didn’t snipe back. “Give me ten minutes.”

She sashayed over to the bench and sat, arranging her skirt. “I’ll give you five.”

“Walking away from you and my baby was the most difficult decision I ever made.” He dropped onto the bench but left a good amount of space between them. “Since time is limited, I won’t go into all my reasons for choosing to stand with my wife. I will only say that when I look back at that decision, I realize it was wrong.”

When the misery on his face began to tug at her heartstrings, Abby bore down and remembered how scared she’d been and how alone. “It was wrong.”

Jonah rubbed the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. His gaze pinned hers. “Has there ever been a time that you’ve found yourself looking back and saying, ‘I’d do anything to change what I said or how I behaved’?”

She only stared, not about to get drawn into sharing regret stories with this man.

“I hope you don’t have any, because they tear at your insides.” He expelled a ragged breath. “The only thing I can do is move forward. Apologize to those I wronged—you, my parents, my siblings . . . and my daughter—and try to make it up to all of you.”

“It’s too late.”

Abby caught the curious gazes of a group of tourists following a guide who was explaining the history behind the covered bridge. She supposed she and Jonah did make an attractive couple. Her dressed in 1940s garb and him in his navy suit with a tie the color of her dress.

Instead of adversaries, they probably looked like a couple taking a late lunch and enjoying the beautiful late-summer day.

“I don’t believe it’s too late.” Jonah’s tone turned persuasive. “Eva Grace is only five. You didn’t have a father in your life, and I remember how much you wanted one. You couldn’t do anything about that. But I’m here, and I want to be her dad. Do you really want to deny her that opportunity?”

She hated that they had such a shared history. That fact had only made his betrayal even more painful. “This is different.”

“How is it?”

She glanced at the Bulova with the thin black-corded band that graced her wrist and realized his time was up.

Instead of letting her speak, he rushed forward. “All I’m asking is you give me and Eva Grace a chance to know each other. You don’t have to tell her I’m her father. Introduce me as a friend. If you shut the door without giving this matter adequate thought, I believe this will be one of those decisions you look back on and regret.”

“I had a lot of time to consider how I’d respond if you ever showed up.” Abby stood. “I need to get back to the hotel.”

“Think about it, Abby.”

He said something else, but she’d quit listening.

Jonah had made his decision five years ago. Sometimes you just had to live with the consequences.

+

A day passed. Then a week. Leaves crunched under Abby’s feet on the sidewalk, and the weather dipped, leading her to dig out a jacket purchased for Eva Grace last year.

Jonah hadn’t contacted her, but she knew he was out there . . . waiting. When Iris mentioned something about her and the “good-looking new police chief” a few too many times, Abby snapped, then immediately apologized.

She knew she needed to give her close circle of friends the inside scoop but wasn’t ready to go down that rabbit hole. Not yet. They knew she’d been a surrogate for a couple who had changed their minds. They didn’t know that the man—Eva Grace’s father—was Jonah.

Thankfully, there was only one more committee meeting scheduled before the birthday bash. Once that was done, there would be no reason for any interaction.

If Jonah chose to stay in Hazel Green, she would do her best to ensure their paths never crossed.

Abby reached the Ingram Club, a golf and tennis facility at the edge of town, just after one on Thursday. For the past five years, the club had hosted a popular golf tournament prior to the birthday bash. The money raised each year went into a fund for a new performing arts center. This year, a women’s tennis tournament had been added.

Prior to the day of golf and tennis, there would be exhibition games of ladies’ tennis in the 1890s.

Abby’s four friends were signed up to play. She was listed as a substitute and hoped her limited skills wouldn’t be needed.

Iris, Rachel, Nell, and Liz were standing courtside. The two courts they’d reserved still held players.

“What’s the deal?” Abby gestured to the two men on one court and a foursome of women on the other. “I thought we had the courts reserved.”

“There was a problem this morning, and it affected everyone. When we got here, the director asked if it was okay if we pushed our start time back fifteen minutes.”

“Is that okay with you?” Abby’s gaze landed on Liz.

“My mom is having a good day.” The reporter’s eyes were weary. “And Sawyer promised to be good for Grandma.”

“I don’t know how you do it.” Iris shook her blonde head.

“Do what?”

The history teacher swished her racket in a backhand motion. “Work in Chicago, help out your mom, and be a single parent.”

“I tell myself things will settle down.” Liz shrugged. “One of these days, I’ll have some ‘me’ time.”

Iris’s gaze shifted to Rachel. “In the meantime, we all can live vicariously through Rachel.”

A startled look crossed Rachel’s face. “Me?”

“Last I knew, the siblings were all out of the house.” Iris cocked her head. “Unless a few of them have moved back.”

“No.” Rachel smiled, her brown eyes warming. “They’re all doing well. Although I wouldn’t mind if one of them wanted to come home.”

“This is your time.” Iris placed a hand on Rachel’s arm, her gaze firm and direct. “Just like it’s mine to explore and see what I want out of life.”

“I don’t see all that much exploring.” Nell’s tone might have been matter-of-fact, but it wasn’t unkind. “You both latched on to the first man who showed you any attention.”

“I haven’t latched on to anyone.” Iris’s eyes flashed. “Chuck and I have been friends for years.”

Rachel frowned. “I don’t appreciate the insinuation.”

“Hey, don’t go ballistic on me.” Nell pointed a well-manicured finger. “I’m just keeping it real.”

Abby took a slight step back from the fray. While she understood and—in many ways—agreed with Nell’s observation, how Iris and Rachel lived their lives was their business. Just as how she chose to deal with Jonah was hers.

“I was merely pointing out that after many years of marriage, Iris chose to reconnect with someone safe. A man she’s known since she was a child.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Iris lifted her chin.

Nell shrugged. “Nothing is wrong if you really like him—”

“We’re friends.” Iris put exaggerated emphasis on the word. “How many times do I have to—”

“Hey, hey, hey.” If Abby had had a referee’s whistle on her, she’d have blown it. “We’re all friends here.”

Abby wondered what her friends would think of her old friend Jonah waltzing back into her life. Pulling her thoughts back to the present, Abby found Nell’s sharp-eyed gaze fixed on her.

“What are you thinking?” Nell asked.

“I agree with Iris,” Abby told her. “We need to have each other’s backs, no matter what.”

Some unreadable emotion flickered in Nell’s eyes.

“Friends support each other.” Iris slanted a pointed glance at Nell. “Even if we don’t always agree.”

“All yours.” An athletic gray-haired man gestured to the court as he and his opponent headed to the locker rooms.

On an adjacent court, the women picked up their gear and strolled off.

Rachel raised a brow. “How do you want to divide up?”

It didn’t surprise Abby that Rachel left the decision up to the others. Though she’d done an admirable job of raising her siblings, since the youngest left the house, she’d floundered.

“You decide, Rach.” Nell took the words right out of Abby’s mouth.

“Whatever you guys prefer is fine with me,” Rachel protested.

Abby wondered why Rachel couldn’t see that deferring to everyone else’s wishes wasn’t going to fly with Nell.

“Ticktock.” Nell pointed to the large clock on the wall. “We’re wasting valuable court time.”

Rachel gave an exasperated huff and pointed to Nell. “Okay. You and me, far court.”

“You’re going to slam the ball in my face, aren’t you?” Nell offered a cheeky grin.

“The thought does have appeal.” Rachel turned to Iris. “You’ll play against Abby and Liz. Because there are two of them, they’ll play the ball into the singles court, but you can play the ball into the doubles alley.”

Rachel shifted her focus to Abby and Liz. “As the side with two players, you’ll do the serving. You’ll rotate after every game.”

Abby resisted the urge to glance at Nell and give her the thumbs-up. Nell might come across sometimes as cool and uncaring, but she genuinely wanted the best for her friends.

Rachel had spent so many years catering to her siblings’ needs that it was difficult for her to take the lead and express her preferences.

When Rachel had first started dating Marc, Abby had been pleased when she’d seen him asking Rachel for input on what they should do on their dates. But lately, everything seemed to revolve around what he wanted.

Abby stepped onto the court in her short white skirt and top. She was a passable tennis player at best. She could only imagine how she’d play in a long white skirt and blouse.

She hoped she wouldn’t have to fill in, but if she did, she would do so cheerfully, showing Eva Grace that you didn’t have to be the best to have fun.

There was so much she hadn’t considered when Jonah had ignored the court summons and she’d been awarded joint custody. But that day she’d made a promise to herself and to Eva Grace. She would do everything in her power to keep her daughter safe and happy.

So far, she’d kept that promise.

+

The state highway north of Hazel Green that led to the Ingram Club was referred to by locals as High Road. Abby wasn’t sure whether the moniker came from the fact that the two-lane highway was north of the town, making it “higher,” or whether “High” was simply short for “highway.”

Regardless, she wasn’t a fan of the roadway known for its hills. From what she’d observed, those traveling it tended to drive too fast and pass too frequently, ignoring the solid yellow line.

But it was the quickest way to Eva Grace’s school, and the tennis court snafu had absorbed the wiggle room she’d built into the schedule.

Traffic was surprisingly heavy for a Wednesday afternoon but moving, as expected, at a brisk pace. Though she heard her phone buzz, she kept her eyes on the roadway. The way she looked at it, there was nothing so important that it couldn’t wait until she stopped.

When Abby saw the truck, it took a second for her to realize the pickup was headed directly for her. Panicked, she laid on the horn. It kept coming. A stand of trees on her right precluded going off the road. She glanced left. The traffic going in the opposite direction was too heavy to allow her to cut over, even for an instant. Which meant there was no room for the driver of the truck to get back in his own lane.

Like a bad game of chicken, the truck kept coming.

With fear clawing her throat, Abby searched frantically for a way out. Looking to her right again, she saw that trees had given way to cornfields.

The truck was close now, so close she saw it contained a single occupant. A man who made no move to leave the roadway.

With a collision imminent, Abby jerked the wheel to the right and sent her SUV airborne. Her heart pounded, and her breath came in short puffs. In the frenzied seconds that followed, Abby thought of Eva Grace.

Please don’t let me die was her last thought before the vehicle crashed to earth and everything went black.