Hannah merely lifted a brow.
“Well, that’s how I’m going to think of it,” Abby said. She hesitated, then asked, “Do you think I’m nuts?”
Hannah smiled. “For what? Wanting to marry Seth? Absolutely not. For wanting a baby? Of course not. But I’m not the one whose feelings count.”
“I will talk to Seth,” Abby promised. “But only after I hear from the doctor. There’s no point in getting his hopes up or fighting about this, if there’s no chance I’ll get pregnant.” She regarded Hannah hopefully. “Right?”
“I suppose so, though I’ve learned the hard way that being open and honest always pays off in marriage. Secrets, even innocent ones, tend to get all twisted around and out of proportion.”
Abby sighed. “You’re probably right. If the opportunity presents itself before I hear from the doctor, I’ll fill Seth in. Now I think I’ll go home and fix something amazing for dinner.”
“You do that and it sounds to me as if opportunity will be knocking,” Hannah suggested.
“I’m not sure I hear it,” Abby told her.
“Well, listen more closely,” Hannah advised.
Abby hugged her hard. “Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime,” Hannah said. “And I’ll add this secret to that data bank in my head.”
As Abby drove home, she realized that for the very first time, she truly felt as if she and Hannah had recaptured the friendship she’d been so afraid might be lost forever. Everything had felt totally right about sharing this secret with a woman she’d known almost her entire life.
* * *
There was something on Abby’s mind, but for the life of him, Seth couldn’t figure out what it was. She wasn’t talking. He assumed it had something to do with the vote on Blue Heron Cove that was coming up tonight. With its potential to impact Abby’s future, that would make anyone tense.
“Are you nervous about the vote?” Seth asked her over breakfast.
“A little,” she admitted.
“Any idea about how Sandra will vote?”
“She’s called a couple of times to ask questions,” Abby said. “I couldn’t tell which way she was leaning, though. Jenny’s tried to pry it out of her, but Sandra’s been tight-lipped. Jack says her cohorts haven’t said a word when they’ve been by The Fish Tale for beers. He guesses Sandra hasn’t told them how to vote yet.”
“You do know that no matter how this vote goes, we’re going to be just fine,” he said.
She smiled at that. “Of course we are. Totally separate issue.”
“And after the vote, we’re announcing our engagement,” he continued. “This secrecy thing is for the birds. I’ve almost blurted it out to Luke half a dozen times. Even Ella Mae knows something’s up. She’s called me over there twice in the past week without even bothering to pretend she doesn’t feel well. She just asks a bunch of prying questions, then kicks me out when she doesn’t like my evasive answers.”
Abby chuckled. “You really like her, don’t you?”
“Sure. I told you before she reminds me of my grandmother.”
“Speaking of your family,” she began pointedly, “what have you heard from Meredith or Laura?”
Seth stiffened. “Nothing, which should be a relief, but it isn’t. It scares me to death.”
“Are you thinking they’ve had it out and put each other in the hospital?”
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility,” he admitted. “I should call and see what’s going on.”
“What about Laura’s lawyer? Any word from him?”
“No. I think my deposition discouraged him.”
“Well, I hope that situation gets resolved. I want them here for our wedding.”
Seth stared at her incredulously. “You want my sisters in the same room for our wedding?”
“I insist on it,” she said.
“Boy, you really must love me even more than I imagined to be willing to take that risk.”
Abby laughed. “I love you plenty. Now, you’d better get out of here and work your shift. I may need your shoulder to cry on at that council meeting tonight.”
“I’ll be there,” he promised.
Though he still wasn’t satisfied that he knew what was really on Abby’s mind, he could tell he wasn’t likely to get any straight answers until she was ready to reveal them.
On his way to work, he called Meredith, hoping to put his mind at ease on that front, anyway.
“Hey, Seth,” she said wearily. “I’ve been meaning to call you.”
“And yet you haven’t,” he said. “How are things between you and Laura?”
“Surprisingly calm,” she admitted. “No threatening calls in days now. No pleading. I’m a little worried she’s dreaming up some new sneak attack. Have you spoken to her?”
“Nope. I didn’t even hear from her over the holidays. She’s my next call.”
“Well, let me know if you find out anything.”
“Will do. Everything else okay?”
“If I could get this particular albatross off my back, my life would be great,” she said.
“One way or another, it will be over soon,” he assured her. “If Laura’s attorney has his way, he’ll have a court date this month.”
“So I hear,” she said. “Love you.”
“You, too,” he told her. He disconnected, then called Laura. To his astonishment, it was Jason who picked up.
“Hi, Seth,” his ex-brother-in-law said.
“Hey, pal. What are you doing answering Laura’s phone or do I even want to know?”
“We’ve kind of made peace,” Jason admitted.
“You’re kidding me!”
“It’s true.”
“When did this happen?”
“Christmas day,” Jason told him. “She showed up at my place with a handful of credit card statements. Every one of them had zero balances. She said that was my gift.”
“Where’d she get the money to pay them off?” Seth asked suspiciously.
“That was my first question,” Jason admitted. “She sold her car.”
Seth didn’t even try to hide his astonishment. “But she loved that Jaguar.”
“I know,” Jason said. “She said she loved me more.”
“So, what’s she driving?”
“A used VW,” Jason said. “She says it’s cute and that it gets good gas mileage.”
“She actually knows what kind of mileage it gets?” Seth asked incredulously.
“I know. It blew my mind, too. You probably think I’m nuts to give her another chance, but she’s really trying.”
“No,” Seth told him. “I’m actually
