Page 46 of The Unbound Bookshop
She shifted the matching chairs half an inch to maximize the view of the Pacific Ocean and verdant garden below. She imagined the two women savoring their morning coffee while golden streaks of sunlight glittered across the water.
There really wasn’t a more beautiful spot in all the world.
During one final inspection of the balcony, Abby swiped her finger along the glossy white railing.Huh. Not a single speck of dust. She hadn’t expected Piper to be so thorough. In fact, after a day and a half of working together, Piper had surpassed her expectations in every way. She’d not only performed each task Abby assigned with the utmost professionalism, she often went above and beyond the initial request, like watching video tutorials detailing how to fold hand towels into the shape of a rosebud.Ugh. Why couldn’t Piper skate by on the bare minimum so she’d have another reason to dislike her?
Guilt knotted in the pit of her stomach. She’d never experienced such complicated emotions toward another living being. Under other circumstances, she might even like Piper. But how could you like a woman claiming to be your husband’s one-night stand?
Anxiety rose in her chest, and Abby pressed a hand to her collarbone to suppress the nervous fluttering. Lately, she’d subsisted on stress and sips of coffee, which only added to her already soaring cortisol levels. Thankfully, the nightmarish ordeal would be over soon.
The test results would arrive any day now. She’d asked a friend at the post office to be on the lookout and special deliver them as soon as possible. But the thought of finally holding the results in her own two hands wasn’t completely devoid of trepidation. Although she knew Donnie had loved her more than anything, could a woman ever truly be certain of her husband’s fidelity?
The lingering question made her queasy, and she tried to dispel the unpleasant thought with positive affirmations.Don’t let her get to you. You trusted Donnie. He loved you. He would never hurt you.
Breathing a little easier, she performed one last sweep of the suite and headed downstairs.
The sweet, spicy scent of cinnamon and sugar wafted down the hall, and her pulse spiked. She did a quick mental tally. Logan was on an errand in town. Max and Tyler were at Verna’s. That left only one other person in the house.
A sickening dread coated the back of her throat, and she struggled to swallow.
Please, anyone but her.
With her eyes closed, Abby pushed open the kitchen door. The telltale aroma of fresh-from-the-oven snickerdoodles assaulted her senses. Her stomach turned, and she slowly opened her eyes.
Piper stood inherkitchen—her sacred space—wearingherapron and oven mitts. Warm, golden mounds of melt-in-your-mouth goodness cooled on wire racks, and baking supplies littered the countertops. Piper hummed along to some pop song playing on her phone. She was disheveled and speckled with flour, but that wasn’t what struck Abby the most.
For the first time since she arrived, Piper was smiling.
Abby stared, unable to move, as simmering resentment bubbled to the surface.
Oblivious to her audience, Piper slid another tray into the oven. Swaying her hips to the music, she plucked a piece of dough from the mixing bowl and popped it into her mouth. She looked so comfortable, so at ease. As if the space Abby had lovingly made her own over the last year and a half belonged to her.
“Wh-what are you doing?” Abby’s voice quivered.
Piper jumped, then relaxed when she spotted Abby. “Sorry, I didn’t see you come in.” She pressed Pause on her playlist. “Don’t worry. I’ll clean up the mess.”
“What do you think you’re doing?” Abby repeated, startled by the tremor of adrenaline and apprehension vibrating in her chest.
“I—” Piper hesitated when she caught Abby’s stricken expression. “I—I read about a boutique hotel that offered their guests freshly baked cookies at check-in. I can’t cook to save my life, but I can bake a killer snickerdoodle. I—I thought you might like to offer your guests one.”
“You have no right to be in here.” To Abby’s horror, hot tears pooled in her eyes, as if all the emotions she’d been fighting to control over the last few days suddenly needed somewhere to go.
“I—I’m sorry.” Piper blinked in surprise. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I didn’t think—”
“That’s the problem,” Abby interrupted, tears spilling down her cheeks, no matter how desperately she tried to stop them. “You didn’tthink. You just did what you wanted, regardless of how it affects other people.” Abby furiously scrubbed her damp face with the heel of her hand, mortified by her outburst. What was wrong with her?
Piper’s features softened as if she understood Abby’s reaction better than she did, as if she knew it had very little to do with the kitchen and everything to do with Donnie. She gingerly removed the apron and folded it on the counter. “You’re right. I should’ve asked first. I’m really sorry, Abby.”
Abby stopped short at the sincerity in Piper’s voice. Had she just apologized? Her dismay slowly subsided, making room for rational thought. “It’s okay.” She inhaled a shaky breath, suddenly overcome with emotional exhaustion and a strange, almost cathartic sense of release. “I’m the one who should apologize. I overreacted. You were just trying to be helpful.” She glanced at the bakery-worthy snickerdoodles cooling on the kitchen island—the evidence of Piper’s hard work and kind intentions. “The cookies are a good idea.”
“Thanks. They taste even better than they look.” Piper smiled as she offered her one.
Abby accepted the perfectly plump peace offering, but before she could take a bite, a throat cleared behind them. She turned, the snickerdoodle poised halfway to her mouth.
Tina, her tattooed aerobics instructor friend at the post office, hovered in the doorway, glancing warily between them.
Abby’s gaze fell to the envelope in her hand.
Her heart stopped, and she stole a glance at Piper.
