Abby The weight of loneliness presses down on me as the pristine table setting lies untouched. The absence of Adam’s presence burns more than any verbal rebuke ever could. Frustration bubbles within me as I glare at the untouched plates of food, each dish meticulously crafted to symbolize the dee
I’m mid-way through this cathartic—albeit wasteful—process when an idea, perhaps influenced by the wine, hits me. “Karl,” I say aloud, the name acting like a beacon in the fog of my anger. Karl had always been different—reliable, true to his word. He’s an asshole, but in those ways, he’s the c
Abby The clinking of wine glasses fills the room as I lead Karl into my living room, gesturing toward the elegantly set dining table. “See?” I say, pointing out the various dishes, which I’ve rewarmed in the oven since I called Karl. “It’s almost restaurant-worthy.” “Almost?” He whistles appre
“I knew that you wanted this, Abby,” he murmurs. “I know you’ve missed me. Adam can’t hold a candle to what you and I had.” My heart wrenches; Karl is right. The wetness between my legs only further proves that point. I want Karl, want to relive what we felt for each other before, want to make my
Karl The sting of rejection pulses through me, acute and raw, as I distance myself from Abby’s place. My footsteps echo through the quiet city streets, the usual hustle and bustle of the nightlife seemingly dimmed tonight. Each step aligns with the rapid beat of my heart. I can’t shake the
Abby Pushing the restaurant’s door open, I’m immediately enveloped by the scent of fresh bread and brewing coffee. The day beckons, promising a hustle that I’m both dreading and anticipating. Each wooden table is adorned with a fresh bunch of flowers, the gentle hum of the morning preparations
That elicits a soft chuckle from me. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” Karl hesitates for a moment, as if weighing his words. “Look, about Adam…” I raise a hand, cutting him off. “Let’s not, okay? I appreciate the concern, but I’d rather focus on today. We’ve got a brunch crowd to wow.” His
Abby Just as I’m leaning forward to make sense of the strange spark in the back of the oven, something ignites. I jump back with a yelp just as the heat nearly consumes me. My heart races as the orange flames dance menacingly from the oven, cutting off the symphony of our dinner rush with its
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha