Page 38 of Love in Pieces

Damn, I’d completely forgotten just how close to the end of the year we were getting.

“Yes, and yes. I would love to go. Just one bar? Or are we bar hopping?”

“I was thinking bar hopping. What do you think?”

“Absolutely. I’m in.” As we part ways, excitement for the future slowly slips in. Small bits and pieces, but it’s something I haven’t been familiar with in a while.

?CHAPTER 14

Dallas

In the parking lotof Abby’s old apartment, she sits restless. “Are you ready?” She nods so small I almost miss it. With a click of the lock, I move to the passenger side and offer my hand. She takes it, pulling herself from the vehicle. I expect her to let go once she gets up, but she squeezes it tighter. “I’m right here,” I reassure.

“Okay,” she breathes.

The apartment is quiet, other than a light buzz from the refrigerator. It’s set up very similarly to mine, but there’s only one bedroom at the back. I set down the empty suitcases and duffel bags on the white couch in the living room before following her past a large, mounted TV. I follow her into the bedroom straight back from the front door. She opens the closet, starts pulling clothes off the hangers, not bothering how they land on the bed, and shoves them into one of her duffel bags without folding them. The walls are empty save for a large TV opposite the queen-size bed that sits on top of the dresser. The black comforter lies scattered across the mattress, likely from when she got up in a hurry that night. A purple blanket is draped over the footboard. Aside from the unmade bed, the place is utterly spotless.

I move to what I assume is her side of the bed, looking at the items that cover her nightstand. A pair of black framed glasses sit atop a thick book, likely fantasy based on the title. A single pen sits next to it. I pick up a gold picture frame with a photo of her and Sam dressed relatively fancy, standing in front of a brick wall. They smile at whoever is on the other side of the camera. They look happy. The picture frame is quickly ripped from my hand as I watch Abby move to the other side of the room and chuck it into a waste bin.

Well, that settles that. “What can I help with?”

She points at the dresser. “The three drawers on the left. Can you empty the clothes out of them for me?”

Once the bags and suitcases are full, we heave them down the stairs and into my car. “Got everything?” I ask before we leave.

“It’s going to have to be. I’m not coming back here again.” She folds her hands in her lap, eyes glued forward.

The drive back is silent but quick. As I start unloading the bags, I’m off caught guard with an extremely heavy suitcase. “What on Earth is in this one?” I ask, slowly lowering it to the ground.

“Um ...” she starts, a smirk slowly growing on her face. “Books,” she finally says, scrunching her nose.

“Good Lord, how many books do you have?” I can’t help but laugh. “I could do squats with just this alone.”

“I wish I could say that’s all of them, but I havesomany more back home.”

“More? Sounds like you need a bookcase.”

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