Page 29 of At Her Service (Club Velvet #2)

CHAPTER 29

“S he means nothing to me.”

The words pierced through Abby’s chest as she stood frozen in place. There Valerie was, Abby’s panties in her hand, standing close enough to her ex-wife to kiss her, denying that she ever loved Abby.

Denying that she felt anything for her.

Denying her .

Francesca said something Abby didn’t hear. Valerie turned toward the stairs. She called out Abby’s name.

But Abby couldn’t face her. She couldn’t face the humiliation.

So she turned and ran up the stairs and into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

She took a deep breath, then another, then another. She needed to get out of there. Her suitcase was still downstairs, so she grabbed her duffel bag from under the bed and went around the room, throwing everything she could get a hold of into it, her vision blurry with tears.

She means nothing to me. She means nothing to me. She means nothing to me. Those words echoed over and over in her mind, drowning out everything else. But Abby couldn’t fall apart. She needed to keep herself together until she could leave.

There was a knock on her door.

“Abby, can I come in?” Valerie asked. “I need to talk to you.”

Abby just kept stuffing things into her bag. Clothes. Shoes. Books.

“I’m coming in, all right?”

Valerie opened the door and stepped into the room. Abby didn’t look at her. She couldn’t look at her.

“Francesca is gone, okay?” Valerie said. “Now, let me explain?—”

“Explain what?” Abby snapped. “I heard what you said. You made yourself very clear.”

“No, I… This isn’t what you think. Francesca, she was saying these things, these awful things. I couldn’t let her know about us.”

Abby scoffed, her back to Valerie. “She can’t know about us. No one can know about us. That’s what you’ve been saying all along. You’ve always treated me like your dirty little secret. One that could ruin your image, your career, your entire life. You wanted me, but you never wanted to be with me, not really.”

“Abby—”

“I’m such an idiot .” She snatched a jacket off the arm of the chair and shoved it into her bag. “This whole time, I thought I meant something to you. And despite everything, I hoped that would be enough for things to finally change. For you to want something more with me.” Her voice quivered. “But that was never going to happen. Because I’m nothing to you. I never have been.”

“Just listen to me, please.”

Abby shook her head. “I’ve heard enough.”

She zipped up her duffel bag and slung it over her shoulder. And without giving Valerie another look, she marched out of the room. She left the house.

And she didn’t look back.

* * *

Abby knocked on the door to her old apartment. It was past midnight, and Erin was probably fast asleep. But she had nowhere else to go.

Abby slumped down onto the floor next to the door and leaned back against the wall. She was all alone. Just like she’d always been.

The door opened and Erin appeared, a light robe wrapped around her. It took her a moment to notice Abby sitting next to the door.

“What are you—” Erin blinked. “Abby, what’s wrong? What happened? Talk to me!”

Abby’s shoulders slumped. Did she really look so pathetic? “Can… can I stay with you?”

“Yeah, of course.” Erin lowered herself to the ground next to her. “Of course you can.”

“Thanks. I know Dan is living here now too, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go. I promise it’ll only be for a couple of days. Just until I can find something else.”

“Abby, stop.” Her friend put her hand on her shoulder. “You can stay as long as you like. We got rid of the bed when we turned your old bedroom into an office for Dan, but we still have the couch. I’ll make it up for you, okay?”

Abby nodded.

“Now, do you want to talk about what happened?”

“It’s… It’s Valerie, she?—”

She swallowed and told Erin everything. About how Valerie had never really wanted to be with her. About how the minute Francesca had shown up, Valerie had pushed Abby aside.

About how Valerie had said she meant nothing to her.

Abby shouldn’t have been surprised. It wasn’t the first time she’d been tossed aside by someone she thought cared about her. Her mom. Her stepdad.

And now, Valerie.

“I couldn’t stay there,” she said. “But I feel awful about leaving. I abandoned Hazel. I didn’t want to, not again. But I just couldn’t be there anymore.”

“I’m sure Hazel will be okay. You need to take care of you. And if you won’t, I will.” Erin squeezed Abby’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go inside. I’ll make you a drink and we can snuggle up on the couch together like we used to.”

Abby shook her head. “I don’t want to bother you. I’ll just crash on the couch. You can go back to sleep. Dan is probably waiting for you.”

“I don’t think he’s even noticed I’m gone. He could sleep through an earthquake. Besides, you need me. You’ve put up with me crying over Dan since middle school. I’m just returning the favor.”

Abby shook her head. “This isn’t anything like you and Dan. You two are in love. I’m just an idiot who thought I was.”

“Hey, stop beating yourself up. So you fell for the wrong person. It happens. But I promise it’ll get better.” Erin stood up and held out her hand. “Come on.”

Erin pulled her to her feet. Abby followed her inside. And she was back in her old apartment with her best friend, just like before.

But things would never go back to the way they were. Because Valerie had swept into her life. Abby had trusted her with her everything.

And now, there was a hole where her heart had once been.