Saved by Love (Willow Valley Book 3)(23)

Abby laughed. "That's exactly what I can't decide."

Denise leaned forward and squeezed her hand again. "I think the fact we're having this conversation at all means you want to take the chance. You just need the extra push. Abby, my life is full of regrets and things I wish I could have done over. Mostly things that I didn't do that I wish I had. Don't wait until the end of your life and regret all the things you should have done. Think about that."

Denise patted her hand as she stood up from the table and walked back to the stove, where she resumed cooking. Abby sat for a moment, thinking over what they had discussed, before she went back to her work chopping vegetables.

Was Ethan worth the risk? That's what it came back to. And if Denise was right, she already knew what she wanted deep down. And she certainly didn't want to look back and have regrets. She already had so many.

They cooked together over the next half hour, discussing how things were going at the supply store, how Abby liked her new place, and how neither of them could wait for Jesse and Lissa’s babies to arrive. It was a cozy scene, something that felt familiar and comfortable, and Abby realized how much she already felt like part of the Kincade family, part of something larger than herself, and she liked it a lot.

Growing up in her own home, just her mother and herself, they’d had similar afternoons in the kitchen. Abby marveled that even though she had lost so much, she had gained a lot as well. She had an awesome big brother and a surrogate mother that was there when she needed her. Her relationship with her father was still pretty rocky, but she held out hope that things would work out in time.

Could she have that same hope with her love life? Maybe she was getting a do-over in more than one area of her life. Watching Ethan rush off to fight a fire had struck terror in her the other night and made her question everything, but after talking with Denise she was starting to think that she might be able to put herself out there and take a risk.

Now she had to figure out if Ethan felt the same.

***

Ethan lowered himself into his leather recliner and kicked back, propping his hands behind his head and turning the television on, more for background noise than because he had any interest in watching anything. He had already taken care of most of the weekend chores that needed attention. He wasn't due back in the firehouse until Monday night, but he was still exhausted from the surprise call on Friday and planned on taking it easy all afternoon. It had been well into the daylight hours on Saturday before they’d managed to get the fire under control.

After, he went back to the firehouse and completed the necessary paperwork before coming home and just managing to send off a quick text to Abby before dropping exhausted into bed. He'd only woken a couple hours ago and thought he better send one of his weekly update emails to his parents, who were currently somewhere out at sea on an extended cruise, then he'd done some laundry and made some lunch. Once he completed everything, he thought about going upstairs to say hi to Abby, but when he glanced out the window he saw her headed off in her car. So, he decided to chill a little longer, figuring talking to her would have to wait until later.

His mind drifted back to Friday night when he'd had to leave her. She was completely understanding, but the worry in her eyes still hung heavy with him. That was exactly the reason that he'd sworn off commitment. There was no way he could ask someone to be a part of his life then constantly have to live in fear of what might happen to him. He also wasn't prepared to give up the lifestyle he led, which only left him with the choice of keeping people at arms’ length.

But somehow that didn't sit well with him when he thought of Abby. It was crazy. They had only known each other about a week, yet he already couldn’t wait to see her again, talk to her again, kiss her again. It was more than just physical attraction too. Maybe that was what scared him the most.

There was something about her that made him want to protect her and keep her safe. He could tell from the way she sometimes had that wariness in her eyes that she had seen heartache in her life. He didn't want to be the one to cause more of it for her. But where did that leave them?

Sighing, he pushed himself up from the recliner and grabbed a ball cap from the coat rack before walking out the front door. He needed to get out of the house and away from these kinds of thoughts. He went for a walk through the park, but that only reminded him of last week when he and Abby had shared their first kiss. He glanced up and caught sight of Cassie's bakery and made his way over. Maybe she would be there by chance? But no, she had left in her car, and Cassie's Confections was closed on Sunday anyway.

He chastised himself for being so ridiculous. But it seemed that no matter what he did he couldn't get her out of his head. He didn't know how he felt about that. Just as he was about to head back to his apartment and grab his car to take a fast drive through some country roads, hoping to clear his head, his phone buzzed in his back pocket.

It was a text from Abby. He swiped his finger across the surface of the phone to open the message.

Hope you got some rest. At dinner with my family. Maybe we can catch each other later if you aren't too tired.

He stared at the phone, a little surprised. He had been the one who started out pursuing her, yet here she was taking the initiative, just like with that kiss. A slow smile spread across his face. He knew he must look like an idiot, but the fact that she wanted to see him made him irrationally happy.