Page 52

“Not what I meant,” she added. “But do you need this instead?”

“No, you’re worse off than me. And I’m going home after this. You have to work.”

Quinn nodded and lifted her wet shirt up and off her body, looking down at her sports bra and finding that it was wet, too, but not soaked through, so it would be salvageable until she could take it off later.

“Uh… Quinn?”

“Yeah?” She slipped on the dry shirt and looked over at Abby, who seemed perplexed.

“You just took your shirt off in front of me.”

“Sorry, are you an apple pie snobanda prude? It’s a shirt, and I had a bra on.”

“No, but there’s a bathroom right there.” Abby pointed. “Why did you do it out here? Change, I mean.”

“I don’t know, Abby. I’m a little freaked out because I wasn’t expecting you to rush in here. I also stubbed my damn toe for at least the third time this week, so there’s that. It might even be bleeding this time. I get iced tea spilled on me, and then, I’m questioned about why I like the pie I like as if I’d committed some sort of pie crime, which I didn’t realize was a thing. So, I took off my shirt and put on a new one in front of you without thinking. Sue me.”

“You’re missing my point.”

“You have a point? I was convinced you were just trying to kill me with iced tea.”

“Why do you always smell like honeysuckle to me?”

“What?” Quinn asked, slowing down a little at that while she hung her old shirt over the side of a chair to dry.

“You always smell like honeysuckle.”

“I have no idea.”

“You smell it, too,” Abby stated.

“Yes, I do,” she replied honestly, wondering where Abby was going with this.

“And only when I’m here?”

“Yes.”

“Come outside with me.”

“What?”

Abby dropped the bag of food that Quinn hadn’t even noticed she was holding onto the packing counter and said, “Just… an experiment, okay? I’m freaking out, too. Big time. I need to see about something.”

“An experiment? Abby, what the hell is going on?”

“Please,” she begged.

“Okay. Okay. I have iced tea on my pants, and I think in my socks and shoes, but sure, let’s walk outside for some weird experiment.” Quinn motioned for Abby to go first.

“Thank you,” Abby replied on a sigh and walked toward the front.

“What the hell is going on?” Quinn whispered.

Ever since this woman stopped by for lunch and saw the second photo, Quinn had been confused, overwhelmed, and trying to get Abby to stop her relentless quest to locate some realtor who had dropped off some pictures. There were just too many coincidences where Abby was concerned, and while Quinn was normally someone who ran on vibes, she wasn’t sure if these were the right kind. Everything in her was screaming to follow Abby Brennon anywhere, but the visions, images, and coincidences around her were just too much for Quinn to handle. When her mother called to ask about Abby, Quinn had managed to put her off, telling her that Abby had gone out of town for work but that they were messaging and that she liked her. Most of that was true, at least, but she’d never felt this kind of connection to another person before, so while that was exciting, it was also a little scary.

“Okay. Here.”

Quinn turned and saw that Abby was standing in front of the shop next to her own and pointing to the sidewalk.