Page 72 of Long Hard Fall

Cash waited for the instant horror at the idea of confronting Daniels’s parents with his failure. That emotion had faded also. Three years had passed and Cash had matured. Yeah, he could do that. “There’s still my reputation.” He shrugged helplessly. “I can’t take it back.”

He didn’t even want to. He was who he was. If he were honest, he’d rather have a million one-night stands and a clean slate with respect to relationships than the baggage of several failed relationships that might hinder his openness with Abbi.

Mom spoke. “I’m proud to call you my son, and if they can’t accept you, then they can suck it.” Heads whipped toward her. “Well, after you discuss their son with them. Otherwise, that part of your life is your own. How you treat their daughter is between you and Abbi, but they’ll still be concerned about it. All they want to know is that you’ll do right by her.”

“I can’t imagine a family not being as proud of you as we are,” Dad said.

Cash looked around at everyone. Mom was right. “The least I can do is talk with Mr. and Mrs. Daniels.”

“I’ll go with you for that,” Dillon said. “I should’ve contacted them somehow, but I didn’t even send a damn card.”

“I don’t know what to do about Abbi. I’m sure I can get her to talk to me, but I don’t know if I can convince her to give me another chance.”

Aaron grinned. “Well then…I think you just need to make a big enough show of your intentions to win her back.”

Travis nodded and spoke in his clinical, academic tone. “You said she was trying hard to be a responsible adult, so you’ll need to appeal to her wild side, prove that’s the part of her you accept. Make a big show, but not just any actions will do. You need to find a way to make it about you and her, but not a stupid or empty gesture.”

Cash studied the smartest man he knew. Travis had listened to him moaning over his beer about how he’d fucked it up with Abbi. Cash didn’t have a wingman, he had a wingteam, and he’d be foolish not to let them do their thing.

Chapter 20

Well, she’d made it through another week of work—almost.

Abbi leaned into the speaker. “I’ve included an invite card with your deposit slip. Feel free to share with family and friends.” Her smile must be as empty as she felt. The customer drove away and she allowed her pleasantness to fade. New year, new attitude…that idea had lasted until 12:10 a.m. on New Year’s Day. It was still the first week of January, with a long year ahead.

With a sigh, she turned to her coworker. The rest of the bank was quiet, the drive-up staying open an hour after the rest of the bank had closed.

“Fifteen minutes left,” Jessica announced.

Abbi flashed another false smile. Yay.

“You’re coming out with us tonight, right?” Jessica clapped her hands together, excited about their plans.

Abbi was less than thrilled. She had committed to a girls’ night, but her heart wasn’t in it—and she hadn’t said when she’d go. Her coworkers had been trying to get her out after they’d found out she was single again.

I know the place you can find a nice guy, or a not so nice guy.

It’s ladies’ night at the Well.

How about…

Abbi wanted to scream like a banshee at them. She’d made the mistake of going out once. She’d snuck out early, feigning a headache when it had really been a heartache. How long could she sit here and wonder if Cash was doing the same thing? Had he sauntered into Barley ‘n’ Hops, like the ovary magnet he was, picked up a random for the night, and gone to back to her place?

Abbi couldn’t fault him. The guy had opened himself up and trusted her to be his first relationship, and while he’d messed up, she’d tossed it all back into his face and walked.

The familiar icy sickness washed through her veins when she thought of him taking another chance on another woman and starting something serious. It’d been almost two and a half months. Hell, he could be engaged by now.

She massaged her temples. Why was that so much worse than one-nighter Cash?

Jessica gasped. “Oh. My. God. There’s a horse in the drive-up! Oh my god, he’s hot.”

The horse was hot? Abbi spun around and her mouth dropped open. Jessica wasn’t exaggerating. There was a horse in the drive-up. Patsy Cline? She sucked in a breath, echoing Jessica. Her gaze drifted to the man astride the horse. One hand held the reins, the other was propped on a leg, and his serious expression was focused on her.

“Cash?” she spoke and realized she hadn’t used the speaker. She depressed the button. “Cash.”

Patsy Cline jerked her head up and Cash murmured soothing words to her. Abbi wanted to be the one on the receiving end of his sweet whispers.

“Abbi…” He licked his lips like he was nervous—because he had a horse, at a bank, in the middle of winter. “Abbi,” he started again, “dammit, I’ve been miserable. Tell me you’ve been just as miserable, too.”

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