“Yeah,” Leah adds. “Abby, the wedding is only a couple of months away, and you’ll be having the baby just a few months after that, too. You really need to make a decision before it’s too late.” I feel myself blanch under their stern gazes. “It’s never too late,” I say with a nervous chuckle. “I me
Abby Karl walks briskly up to me and grabs me by my shoulders, his eyes searching my face. “What happened?” he asks as he eyes me nervously. “Are you okay?” “I just, uh… I almost passed out,” I admit. “I guess I turned around too fast and got pretty lightheaded.” Karl looks at me for a few l
Abby As soon as Karl and I step into the quaint lobby of the little roadside motel, we’re greeted by a wave of nostalgia. The vanilla-scented candles, the soft amber lighting, the Persian rugs on the hardwood floors. It’s like stepping back in time. “Hello,” an old woman wearing a pair of wire
“Well, as long as you like it, then I like it,” he said. He looked around then and his gaze landed on the ornate wooden headboard. “I’m not sure about the furniture, though. It’s a bit much for my tastes.” I smirked and tangled my fingers in his hair. “You’ll change your mind once we break the bed
Abby The sound of music fills the space as I carefully fold my clothes and place them neatly in a large suitcase. “You’re sure you don’t want this?” Chloe asks, turning away from the mirror. She’s wearing one of my heavier winter jackets, a vintage wool piece that suits her really well. “Yeah,
Vanessa grins. “I’d love to.” … A few minutes later, we’re all sitting around the kitchen island with wine glasses in hand. I can’t drink for obvious reasons, so I’m sipping on a cup of tea. Vanessa has removed her trench coat to reveal one of her usual fabulous outfits; she’s like a work of a
Karl “What should I do with this, Sir?” I look up to see one of the servants standing over me, holding a box of books. Upon looking through the books, I can see that they’re titles I’ll never read again, so I shrug and wave my hand. “You can add it to the donation pile,” I say, indicating a pi
“Brother,” Ethan says, walking into the room. “I’m glad to have caught you before you left.” I nod my head and clasp forearms with my brother. “Ethan,” I say, then nod politely, albeit stiffly, at Gianna. “Gianna.” Much to my surprise, Gianna politely dips her head. She’s clasping her arms acros
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