Warm Nights in Magnolia Bay, Babette Jongh [book club books txt] 📗

Quinn walked out, disappointment weighing his steps. He knew from Mack that the city council would be on their side. But if the mayor wasn’t on their side, too, Bayside Barn was doomed.

Chapter 25

Wolf was waiting outside the door when Abby went to feed the critters that morning. “Hello, you,” she said, reaching down to pet his head. This time, he didn’t flinch or back up; he stood still and allowed her to stroke his soft fur. “That’s a good boy.”

Georgia seemed to know that Abby and Wolf were sharing a moment, so she trotted off in the direction of the barn. The farrier had come the day before; she was probably hoping to find some leftover hoof trimmings to chew on.

“How’s Quinn doing?” Abby asked Wolf, not really expecting to receive an answer.

Sad. Lost. Missing you.

The words popped into Abby’s mind like tiny bubbles that floated up and then exploded one after the other, leaving her with the same feelings.

Sad. Lost. Missing him. All that, along with a heaping helping of guilt. She shouldn’t have shut him out without listening to him, without at least giving him a chance to explain. She shouldn’t have given him an ultimatum to fix the problem he’d caused or else. She should have understood and offered to help.

It’s not too late. Wolf leaned against her leg and looked up at her with his expressive golden-brown eyes. He seemed…approving, as if she had turned some sort of corner, and he had finally accepted her.

“Bet you won’t let me give you a bath, though.”

Georgia barked from inside the barn, breaking the spell. Wolf bolted ahead and Abby followed, her heart feeling lighter than it had since she’d cut Quinn out of her life.

Wolf and Georgia lounged in a patch of sunlight and munched on hoof trimmings while Abby did the morning feed. She finished the barn cleaning, raked out the chicken coops, and hosed down the aviary, humming to herself.

Joyful. Despite everything that was going on, today she felt joyful. Wolf was right; Abby had turned some sort of corner. After the farm chores, Abby sat by the pool to do more of the inner work Reva had asked her to do yesterday. She took out her seldom-used journal and wrote another page of what felt like random ramblings, but it really did seem to help Abby get in touch with some latent inner wisdom she didn’t often take the time to connect with.

Processing and percolating, Reva called it; writing questions to herself, then writing the answers. She turned that page and started a new one, where she took notes on a new conversation with Wolf. While he sat beside her lounge chair and stared at the horizon, she wrote a question: Have I turned a corner?

He looked back at her briefly. Ask me something you don’t know.

What advice do you have for me?

My advice for you is the same you would give to me: Let love in. Trust in love. Love will heal you. Maybe we can help each other to have that kind of courage.

A shadow fell over her notebook, and Abby shaded her eyes with her hand to look up. “Quinn.” Her heart did a quick little dance before settling down again. “Hey.”

He stood there looking uncertain. “You gonna tell me to leave?”

“No, I’m not.” She patted the empty lounge chair next to hers. “I’m gonna tell you I’m sorry. I was wrong to shut you out the way I did.”

“I don’t blame you for hating me. I was an arrogant, selfish asshole.”

“I don’t hate you, Quinn. I—” I love you. “I don’t hate you.”

He sat in the chair and stretched out his legs. Leaning back with a heavy sigh, he took off his sunglasses and closed his eyes. The hot sun picked out the highlights in his brown hair and revealed lines of stress beside his eyes and mouth that Abby hadn’t noticed before.

“You making a list?” He asked the question without opening his eyes or turning his head.

“Sort of.” She closed her notebook. The subtle sense of joy she’d been feeling all day expanded in her heart when she looked at his beloved, tired features. Wolf walked up to Quinn and brushed against his arm. He reached out in a weary motion to stroke the dog’s head. “Are you okay?” she asked. “You look worn out.”

“Haven’t been sleeping,” he murmured, sounding drowsy.

Abby set her notebook aside and stood. “Come inside. I’ll tuck you into my bed, and I promise that you’ll be able to sleep.”

He groaned. “I’m comfortable here.”

Tiny beads of sweat glistened on the hard planes of his tanned face. “Yes, but in fifteen minutes, you’ll be sweating down, and in another half hour, you’ll be working on an interesting sunburn.” She took his hand and pulled at it. “Come with me.”

He grumbled but allowed her to tug him upright. She turned toward the house, but he pulled her back and wrapped his arms around her. With his face in her hair, he inhaled deeply. “You smell”—he inhaled again—“like horses.”

She laughed and gave his hard waist a tight squeeze. “I’m sure you’re right. You could probably get a whiff of bird, too, if you tried. I promise I won’t get in bed with you smelling like this.”

He nuzzled her neck, making her shiver. “Nah, that’s okay. I like the smell of horses.”

She patted his butt. “Come on, Quinn. It’s nap time.” She led him through the house, then released him at her bedside. Tossing the throw pillows onto a chair, she turned down the covers. “You can keep your underwear. Take the rest of it off,” she commanded. While he undressed, she went to each of the windows and closed the blinds. He got into bed, his eyelids at half-mast, sleepy and sexy at the same time. She covered him with the quilt and sat on the edge of the mattress. “I’m sorry I was so hard and unforgiving. I