* * *
It was late afternoon after a busy day of minor emergencies, when Seth headed toward Blue Heron Cove. He’d dressed for the run he’d missed in the morning, but what he really wanted was to see Abby. He didn’t even try to pretend otherwise.
She was wading along the shoreline, wearing a long, flowing skirt that she held up in a vain attempt to keep the hem from getting soaked. Her tank top revealed skin that had already been gently bronzed by the sun. Seth jogged up beside her, drawing a startled look.
“I didn’t hear you,” she said.
“You looked as if you were lost in thought.”
“Just seeking that Zen-like serenity you talked about,” she claimed. “What happened to you after the press conference this morning? One minute you were there, the next you’d vanished.”
“You noticed, huh?” he said, oddly pleased.
“Well, sure. I thought we were in this together.”
“Duty called,” he said. “I had back-to-back squad calls.”
“Did I see Ella Mae with you?”
He smiled. “You did. After she delivered a firm lecture to chastise me for interfering in her peaceful life, she insisted on coming along to the press conference. She figured it would be a good place to start selling those fish fry tickets.”
“How’d she do?”
He shrugged. “No idea, but she was highly motivated. I think she and Jenny have some sort of competitive thing going on.”
Abby laughed. “Well, that can only work to our advantage.”
She regarded him curiously. “How did you think it went this morning?”
“I’m no judge, but it sounded as if there was a lot of enthusiasm. People seemed to be overwhelmed by your generosity.”
She frowned at the comment, apparently aware of the edge he hadn’t been able to keep from his voice.
“Well, they were,” Seth said defensively.
“But that check made you uncomfortable, didn’t it?” she prodded, surprising him with her insightfulness.
“Getting a donation from the developer of Blue Heron Cove was my idea, remember?”
“That was before you knew it was me.”
“Can’t I just say I’m grateful for the support and leave it at that?” he asked irritably. “What else is there to say?” She looked as if she wanted to argue, but to his relief she remained silent. He seized the chance to change the subject. “What about you? Were you happy with the turnout?”
She held his gaze a moment longer, then shrugged. “The turnout was incredible,” she said, injecting a note of genuine enthusiasm into her voice. “Hannah really did a pretty amazing job, especially with such short notice. She’s vowed to get more media coverage in the next week or two. She’s already talking to some reporters on the mainland. The testimonials from patients whose lives once hung in the balance because we don’t have a fully equipped rescue boat really triggered a lot of interest.”
“Seems as if you two work well together,” he said. “Any sign of friction?”
“Not on my part,” she said at once. “If Hannah has any doubts about me, she’s keeping them well hidden.” She frowned.
Seth studied her expression. “Okay, what’s wrong? Something’s on your mind.”
“She’s keeping something from me. I’d lay odds on it. I asked her about it, but she blew me off, claimed I was imagining things.”
“There’s bound to be a little lingering tension,” Seth suggested. “You were hot and heavy with her husband once upon a time.”
Abby shook her head. “It’s not that. It has nothing to do with Luke. We’ve both been pretty open about what happened in the past. I’m convinced we’ve resolved that or close to it.” She turned to him. “Do you have any idea what else it could be?”
Seth thought of the breast cancer screening Luke had mentioned. That wasn’t his news to share. He did know that it was likely that Hannah could use a friend in her corner. He just wasn’t sure if Abby was the right friend. There was a whole lot of baggage in that relationship. In the end, though, it wasn’t up to him to decide.
“Ask her,” he suggested.
“I did,” she reminded him with evident frustration.
“Ask again.”
She studied him closely. “You know something, don’t you? I just want to be a good friend to her again, Seth. How can I do that if she won’t let me in?”
“You keep trying,” he said. “It could take time, Abby. It might never happen.”
Her expression turned sad at that harsh reality. “I hope you’re wrong about that.”
He smiled and took her hand. “I hope so, too.”
Because he knew that recapturing that friendship mattered more to Abby than being accepted by the entire population of Seaview Key.
* * *
With Seth’s advice still ringing in her ears, Abby headed for Hannah’s on Tuesday morning. She could have made a million excuses for putting off the confrontation, but on her list of priorities for this new life of hers, mending fences with Hannah had moved to the top of the list.
She waited until she was sure Luke would have left for the clinic. She knew she might be interrupting Hannah’s work schedule, but she thought this was too important to be put off. And she was more likely to catch her home if she was working than she would be once she’d quit for the day.
“Hold on, hold on,” Hannah shouted as Abby knocked on the door for a fourth time.
Abby winced. Hannah’s tone didn’t bode well for a casual conversation between friends. Nor did Hannah’s aggravated expression when she finally opened the door.
“You were working,” Abby guessed. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I came by to thank you for yesterday.” She held up the hamper she’d brought. “I come bearing gifts—those cranberry-orange scones made from my grandmother’s recipe. I got up early and baked them this morning. You used to love those. And when I stocked up on my way out here, I found some Devon cream at a specialty store on the mainland.”
Hannah’s expression didn’t mellow, but she did step aside.
“I guess I
