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“I don’t want.” Nicola continued to eye her. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” And Abagail meant that. “About our arrangement…”

“It’s ended.” Nicola said that so matter-of-factly that it hurt Abagail to hear. Had she been anticipating that this was where it was headed and that was why she was avoiding the conversation? “I don’t expect you to pay me for the rest of my life, Abs.”

No, Abagail had never thought about that. But Alanna would have medical bills for the rest of her life, and that would be something that Nicola was going to have to deal with so long as she was alive, and hopefully she’d plan for when she wasn’t. But if she died now, Abagail had no doubt that Alanna would be in quite the bind. No one had taught them to plan for the future, not that they even had a chance to think about anything other than tomorrow.

“You don’t have to leave, not right away, you know,” Abagail said, her tone softening. “I’d hate for you to think I’m kicking you out.”

“I never thought I’d be staying here permanently. This was a placeholder.” Nicola tossed her phone to the side of the mattress and focused her baby blue eyes intently on Abagail. “You never implied it would be anything else.”

“You’re right about that.” Abagail was always careful in what she said and what she didn’t say. Which was why her confession of actually caring somewhat for Nicola was hard. Because there was something else there. Elia wasn’t wrong about that. But she couldn’t ever be what Nicola wanted or needed, and of all things, Nicola deserved love. “I want so much for you.”

“You barely know me,” Nicola answered. She leaned forward and took Abagail’s hand in her own. “Why would you want anything for me?”

“Perhaps it’s because I see a bit of myself in you at times.”

“And at other times?”

“Not a chance.” Abagail laughed, her eyes squinting and her lips turning upward.

This gentle teasing was something that Abagail could handle, something that she wanted actually. Nicola was resilient to her core, and Abagail admired that. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if she were in Nicola’s situation. Or how she would have handled everything that had been thrown at Nicola.

“You deserve someone better than Warren,” Abagail said, finally.

“What about someone better than you?” Nicola asked, sneakily looking at Abagail.

That was exactly what Abagail had been afraid of this entire time. She hummed and closed her eyes, nodding. “Yes, even someone better than me.”

“I’m not sure there’s anyone better than you. You don’t actually ask that much of a person.”

“I ask a whole lot of people.” Abagail was offended by that. She had high standards for those she kept in her presence, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “You just meet those standards easily.”

“So why are you kicking me out then?”

“I’m not kicking you out.” Abagail ran her fingers against the back of her head in a nervous motion. She was right back to where she’d been before—hating this conversation. “I’m sending you on your way, to bigger and better things.”

“Right.” Nicola nodded, but her voice dropped, and she didn’t exactly sound very happy about it. Not that Abagail expected her to be. This would be quite an adjustment for both of them to make.

“You’ll still have the job at the bar to tide you over.”

“I will.” Nicola squared her shoulders. “In fact, my shift starts in an hour. I should probably get ready for it.”

“All right.” Abagail hadn’t quite expected this to end in quite this manner, but it was better than any other. No screaming, no crying, just two mature adults talking about the end of whateverthey’d had between them—which wasn’t much. She wasn’t ready to leave the room yet.

She still wanted to stay in Nicola’s presence, talk to her more, have that light flirting that they seemed to enjoy so much. Nicola enjoyed that, right?

Fuck, why was she questioning everything these last few days? Abagail stood up and smoothed her clothes down her sides as she looked Nicola over.

“I’ll see you later then.” Her shoulders hurt from how tense they were.

“Yeah, see you.” Nicola winked at her. “And thanks, Abs, for everything you’ve done.”

“Sure.” Abagail swallowed the lump in her throat and left Nicola’s room.

What had that been about? Her stomach swirled with nerves. She walked back to her bedroom and shut the door behind her, hiding in it. She never did that, but she had done it several times since they’d returned from the Cape. What had changed there? Surely it wasn’t just Warren who managed to break the spell they’d woven together.

She hated that he’d have that power.