Falling for the Good Guy (Can't Resist #2)(3)

And she had cried buying every single one.

But she never did show Beth any of those tears. In each of their weekly gift brainstorming sessions, Abby made sure to keep the biggest, most upbeat smile on her face. And as soon as she’d find a gift that fit the ideas they’d discussed, she made sure to show it to Beth with the same dry-eyed positivity.

Between the two of them, they managed to successfully avoid mentioning what each gift represented entirely, altogether ignoring the tragic reality of how much of Skylar’s life Beth would miss out on.

“I just wish I could’ve gotten more of the gifts to her…before,” she whispered.

Before Beth’s dementia had set in fully

Before Abby became just another familiar stranger to her.

Before the gifts became just something nice for someone else’s child.

She looked away. Seriously, the hardest favor she’d ever been asked to do.

Brian sighed and pulled her into his arms. “Why didn’t you two tell me about all this back then? You didn’t have to go through it alone. I could’ve helped.”

“That’s exactly why she didn’t want me to tell you,” explained Abby gently. “Beth knew she was soon going to be leaving you with the impossible task of being both mother and father to Skylar. And so in this one small thing, she wanted to have her side covered…so you could be just the dad. For all the birthdays and the Christmases, and Skylar’s wedding day, Beth wanted you to be able to be just Skylar’s dad.” Unshed tears for her gone-too-soon friend washed over Abby’s eyes. “She was an amazing woman, that wife of yours.”

“That she was.”

A heavy silence fell between them.

“Abby—”

“Brian—”

Abby nodded. “You first.”

He gave her a long look. “I just want you know, I think Skylar’s lucky to have grown up with two amazing women to look up to in her life.”

Darn it, there were those tears again.

“You’ve been a second mom to Skylar from the day she was born; at times the only one she had, even before Beth became bedridden.” He raised a hand to stop her before she could contend otherwise. “Beth and I talked about it all the time; she thanked the universe for you every day, Abby. Just like I did.”

He wiped the single wayward tear that had found its way down her cheek. “And that’s precisely why I was glad you changed your mind about going back to California for Christmas this year. Skylar would’ve missed you.” His voice went down a quiet notch. “Almost as much as I would have.”

Abby silently processed the compliment, wondering why she was feeling so emotional about it, and at the same time, attempting to stop thinking about the reason why she’d almost skipped town for Christmas to begin with.

Connor.

“You know you can still keep waiting on him, right?” Brian gazed into her eyes softly. “No one would fault you for it if you did. What you and my brother had was pretty intense.”

That was an understatement.

Still, she didn’t even hesitate. “No. No more waiting. It’s time.”

“Yeah?”

She gave him the most determined look she could scrounge up. “Yep.”

He studied her for a beat and then leaned in closer. Until she could see every fleck of green in his teal blue eyes. “Your turn.”

Confused, she drew back to a more thinking-friendly distance. “What?”

“Your turn to talk. You were going to say something earlier.”

“Oh, right.” She shook her head to clear it. Geez, maybe she was drunk. “I was just going to say something similar, actually. That no one would fault you for missing your wife during the holidays. You don’t always have to be so strong. Not around me, at least.”

“And now it’s my turn to reply in a similar fashion. It’s time.”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Are you serious about wanting to get over Connor?”

Was it that hard to believe? “I’ve told you, a deadline is a deadline.”

“So this is now officially one of your wishes that you want to make into your reality?”

Heartbreakingly, it was. “Yes.”

“Then let me help.”

The corner of her mouth lifted up. The man was forever trying to right the world for everyone he cared about. “And you’re going to help how exactly?”

“By any means necessary.” He stole back the precious brain-clearing space she’d gained. “Are you going to make my task easy and let me kiss you at midnight, Abby-Bee?”

Abby-Bee. He hadn’t called her that since undergrad. She smiled wistfully at the memories the nickname brought back…for about a second before the rest of what he’d just said registered.

She almost spewed out a mouthful of beer in his face.

After two quick blinks, she swore she could hardly recognize the man sitting beside her. Where was her warm, cuddly bear of a best friend? How did this hunk of a man with the scalding hot gaze get in her house?

And what on earth was she going to do with him?

“Brian—”

“Before you try to laugh this off and convince yourself I’m kidding, let me be clear.” He slid his hands through her hair and gently tipped her face up to his. “I want to kiss you at midnight, Abby.” He touched his forehead to hers. “All you have to do is let me.”