NICE GIRL TO LOVE (THE COMPLETE THREE-BOOK COLLECTION)(107)

Connor closed the file and looked up at his friend. One of the few people he’d still classify as a friend after a stunt like this.

“As always, you’re an *.” Connor clenched the folder in his hands. “But thank you. I owe you one.”




Clicking off all the lights in his living room, Connor was just about to head up to bed when he saw a familiar set of uneven headlights coming up his driveway. He quickly went over to the front door to let Abby in.

She looked stricken, scattered.

“Honey, what’s the matter?”

He quickly led her into the house and sat her down. But instead of replying, she silently wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest.

“Abby, you’re scaring me here. Is everything okay?”

For another few long moments, she just held him. He felt her shoulders sag in defeat shortly before she looked up at him and said in a too-quiet voice, “I didn’t get the position at ASU.”

Sympathy hit him first and foremost. She’d worked so hard and had really been hoping to become a professor here. “How is that possible? You were perfect for the position.”

She shook her head. “It was no contest. A full professor from another school is moving here in the fall. She’s way overqualified for the position but she’s willing to take a substantial pay decrease to work here. They would’ve been crazy to pick me over her.”

“I’m so sorry, Abby. We were really rooting for you.” He stroked her hair gently. “But hey, look on the bright side. You still have those other schools to choose from.”

She pulled out three envelopes. “I heard back from the others, too. I didn’t get the east coast position but I got offers from both of the California universities almost immediately after I got home from my interviews. My department head thinks it’s because they knew the other was also considering me.”

“That’s amazing, sweetheart. Two positions to choose from. Aren’t you excited? I know it’s not your alma mater but you’ve told me yourself, these are great schools. Plus, it’s California. You love it there, and you’ll be closer to your parents—”

“And an entire state away from you and Brian.” Her hands clenched into his shirt. “And Skylar.”

The reality of it slammed into him. “I know, sweetheart. But, it won’t be so bad. We’ll all call you, I’m sure, and Skylar will probably have you permanently linked to her online chat. We can take turns visiting. It’ll be fun.”

Abby shook her head. “We both know it won’t be the same. And what if…” Her voice trailed off, pain and worry streaking across her face.

“If Skylar ends up having Juvenile Huntington’s?” asked Connor gently.

She nodded, tears running down her cheeks. “I’d never be able to live with myself if I weren’t here for her. I know I’d applied for the California positions as my Plan B but in my mind, there’d never been any other choice. How arrogant was I to believe I’d get this position my first year out of school?” Frustrated, she ground her palms into her eyes. “I’ve asked my department head if there were any instructor or other full-time positions but evidently, there aren’t any right now due to the budget cuts. And because I’m an idiot, I didn’t apply for any other type of positions at ASU.”

“Stop it, you’re not an idiot.”

“I am. I should’ve planned for other ways to stay here. I’ve checked at the community colleges as well but none of them have anything over a part-time lecturer. So I’m thinking maybe I could do that for a while and pick up a few other side jobs as well.”

He loved her so much it hurt sometimes.

“Abby, look at me.” He cupped her face in his hands. “You just finished your PhD and you have two universities who want to hire you as a professor. You can’t turn down those opportunities just so you can stay close to us.”

She looked up at him, confused. “You want me to go to California?”

No. A thousand times over, no. “It’s what’s best for your career, sweetie.”

“I don’t care. I’ve helped raise Skylar since the day she was born. I can’t abandon them. Not now. Not ever. We’ve always been a team.”

Connor held her close, smoothed his hand over her hair and let her vent, let her tears of frustration run with no end. “We’ll get through this, sweetheart. We’ll figure something out.”

Honestly though, he wasn’t sure they would.

Hours later, with a wrung-out Abby sound asleep in his arms on the couch, he was woken up by a sound in the dining room. Startled, he adjusted his eyes to the darkness.

He wasn’t prepared to see Brian standing there in his home.

...Looking as if his soul had been torn out of his body.

“Sorry to wake you,” mumbled Brian woodenly. “Mom left behind a bunch of the paperwork you’d laid out for her the other day and she needed to finish them before tomorrow. She’s been calling your phone all night.”

Damn. He’d been ignoring his phone for the past few hours while he’d been tending to Abby.

“Anyway, you know how she is driving at night so I offered to come here and pick it up for her.”

Robotically, he turned to leave.