NICE GIRL TO LOVE (THE COMPLETE THREE-BOOK COLLECTION)(108)

“Brian, it’s not what it looks like. I know it’s not my week anymore but she came over because she had a rough night.”

“I’m glad she had you to turn to,” Brian replied, a resigned hurt throbbing in his voice. “Sorry for barging in on you two.”

“Brian, stop. She just needed someone to talk to. She didn’t get the position at ASU and she really needed a shoulder to cry on. That’s it. It’s not like she’s made her decision or anything yet.”

Eyes gazing lovingly at Abby, Brian whispered brokenly, “Yes, she has. She just won’t admit it to herself yet.”

With that, he left the house without another word.





CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT


THIS WAS KILLING HIM.

Brian sat and listened to the poor kid playing the tuba next to Skylar attempt to find his place in the big concert finale number after missing what sounded like a few full beats in the song, much to the wincing sympathy of all his band mates. And the audience.

Okay, so two things were killing him.

What should have been a pleasant, albeit slightly off-tune evening enjoying Skylar’s first middle school band concert had turned into two torturous hours seeing—and doing his damndest to ignore—the obvious chemistry between Abby and Connor.

Abby had done the diplomatic thing and went to sit with a few of the English Department teachers she worked with, leaving him and Connor to sit together two rows behind her.

And somehow, Brian still felt like the third wheel.

“Hey man, you okay?” Connor nudged him in the shoulder, studying his face in concern.

Brian forced a half smile. “I just feel bad for that poor guy.” He nodded over at the dejected-looking tuba player who was packing up his instrument now. All his friends were patting him on the back and trying to make him feel better but it didn’t look like it was helping much.

He knew exactly how the kid felt. “It’s like he blinked and lost his place for a split second and couldn’t ever get back. After a while, he never even had a chance, really.”

Connor’s frown deepened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then stopped.

Brian added quietly, “It wasn’t anyone’s fault. These things just happen. Still. It sucks for him, is all.”

They both knew he wasn’t talking about the tuba player at all.

“Brian—”

“Dad! Dad!”

He instantly pinned a smile on his face and swiveled around, dropping everything so he could catch his daughter in the flying hug she hurtled at him. “Hey, sweetie, you were amazing up there.” He gave her a genuine grin then when she beamed at him. “I can’t believe that clarinet is the same one that sounded like a dying animal just a few months ago.”

“I know, right?” She giggled and threw her arms around Connor as well. “Thanks for coming, Uncle Connor!” Turning around, she scanned the crowd. “Hey, where’s Abby?”

“Right here, kiddo.” Abby came up behind them and Skylar lit up, flinging the biggest hug of all over at Abby. “Did you hear? I didn’t make a single mistake! Thank you so much for practicing with me all month.” She blew out an adrenaline-rich breath. “I totally thought I was going to screw up.”

“I didn’t. I knew you were going to rock it.” Abby hooked her arm through Skylar’s and they gabbed in parallel speeds as they walked to the parking lot, both of them all but forgetting he and Connor were even trailing behind them. “Did you know you were grinning like a hyena at the end of the first song? You totally nailed that one really difficult part. It was perfect.”

Skylar hopped up and down, clapping excitedly.

“And I saw you give your tuba friend a hug at the end. That was really nice of you,” added Abby in that motherly voice of hers that always sounded like second nature.

Brian looked over and saw Connor staring after the pair as well.

Connor shook his head in amazement. “Has she always been like this with Skylar?”

Brian nodded. “Every day of Skylar’s life. From day one, Abby was a natural born mother.”

A dark, troubled cloud settled over Connor’s expression and this time, it was Brian’s turn to be worried. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.”

That was a lie. Brian’s bullshit radar was pinging like crazy but before he could press further, he saw that he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed something was wrong. Abby glanced back and snagged Connor’s gaze. “Are you okay?” she mouthed silently over to him, her concern for him radiating in waves.

Brian could barely breathe for the pain stabbing him in the heart.

He was losing her.

Where once, Brian had thought that Abby was the other half of his soul, when he saw her with Connor, all he saw were two souls that clearly belonged together, complemented each other.

It was nothing overt. Connor and Abby seemed to be doing everything in their power not to be within ten feet of each other. But even a blind man could see the almost tangible connection between them. It occurred to Brian that he’d never actually seen the two together after they’d had their month fling. If he had, there was a good chance he wouldn’t have pursued Abby at all.

Because not only was it obvious that Connor was in love with Abby, but Abby was in love with Connor too.