Chase the Blues Away (Summer Lake Seasons Book 4)

by SJ McCoy

  She held his gaze for a long moment. “You’re probably right.”

  Chapter Two

  Abbie straightened the magazines on the coffee table and looked around the waiting room. It was all neat and straight and sanitized. It had been a busy week, and she was glad it was over. She didn’t have to work tomorrow morning; she only did alternate Saturdays.

  “Hey, Abbie.” Michael smiled at her as he came out of his office. “Do you want to get out of here? It’s almost time and if anyone comes in now, I can handle it.”

  “That’s okay. I can wait.”

  “Nah, go on. Get off home. Do you have any plans for the weekend?”

  She shrugged. “I want to get out for a run in the morning, but other than that, not much. How about you?”

  He grinned. “We’re dropping the boys off with my folks tomorrow and having a bit of a break.”

  “Aww, that’s awesome. I know your mom loves having them, and you and Megan could use some time to yourselves. Are you going anywhere?”

  “Yeah. We’re going to have dinner at Giuseppe’s tomorrow night and then go over to the Boathouse to meet up with everyone. I gave Meggie the choice of a romantic dinner by ourselves or catching up with the gang—so she chose both.”

  Abbie laughed. “Good for her! It’s not often the two of you get out so you may as well fit in as much fun as you can.”

  “Absolutely. And what about you? You can go out as much as you like, but you don’t seem to. Will you be at the Boathouse tomorrow?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. I’m not a hermit or anything. I go out for dinner with the girls on a Thursday sometimes.”

  “I know. But that’s a bit more sedate. You should be out dancing and dating and … Oops. Sorry. I don’t mean to tell you what you should be doing.”

  She smiled. “It’s okay. I know you’re not trying to tell me how to run my life.”

  “Hell, no!” He shook his head vigorously. “Wouldn’t dream of it. I just don’t like to think of you sitting home doing nothing. There’s a great bunch of people around here. You should get to know them better, make friends. I know I was a couple of years ahead of you in school, but I remember you being really outgoing. You had tons of friends. I worry about what’s going on with you that you’re not like that anymore.”

  “I’m fine. Honestly. There’s nothing wrong with me. I just prefer a quieter life these days.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry, Abbs. You do your own thing.”

  “I might go tomorrow night. Roxy asked if I wanted to.” She felt bad hearing that Michael worried about her. He and Megan had been so good to her since she’d come to work here at Michael’s practice. She smiled. “I might see you there.”

  “Now, I feel like I nagged you into it.”

  She laughed. “You did no such thing. You’re right. I deserve a night out. Mom’s fine watching her shows on TV.”

  “Well, if I talked you into that, can I talk you into going home now? There are no more appointments and I’d like to get out early myself.”

  “Oh, in that case, of course.” She went behind the reception desk and picked up her purse. “Consider me gone.”

  Michael shook his head. “You know, Abbs, you should really put as much effort into getting what you want as you do into helping other people get what they want.”

  She frowned, not understanding.

  “When you thought I might need you, you were willing to stay as long as it took. Now you know I want to go home, you’re out of here like a flash. I know it’s not my place to say, but you’re living your life around what you think your mom wants. What about you?”

  She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, making herself smile as she did. “Maybe what I want most is to see my mom happy and taken care of?”

  Michael nodded. “I get that … but you can’t tell me you don’t want anything more than that—a life of your own?”

  She laughed, hoping that it didn’t sound too humorless. “I have a life of my own and I’m doing exactly what I want to with it. I did enough selfish stuff in the years I moved away from here.”

  Michael scowled. “Living your life isn’t selfish.”

  She waved a hand at him. “You’re not going to get out of here any earlier than usual at this rate. I’m fine. I appreciate your concern. Have a great weekend, and maybe I’ll see you both tomorrow night.”

  “Okay, darl’.” He smiled through pursed lips. “I get the message. I’ll shut up and butt out.”

  Abbie felt bad as she walked back down Main Street. Michael was a good guy. He only wanted to see her happy. He just didn’t get that she couldn’t be happy if she wasn’t putting her mom first. She had too much making up to do.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Ivan!”

  He looked around at the sound of a woman’s voice calling his name and stopped when he spotted Chris standing beside her car across the street.

  “Hey, Miss Chris.” He hurried across the road, and she greeted him with a hug.

  “Hey, yourself. How are you?”

  “I’m doing great. How about you?”

  She made a face. “Don’t tell him I said this, but I’m missing Seymour.”

  Ivan laughed. “I won’t tell if you don’t; I miss him, too.”

  Chris laughed with him. “I didn’t think about that. I’ve only been with him for a while, and this is the first time he’s gone back to Montana. You’ve been with him for years, and it’s the first time he’s gone without you, isn’t it?”

  Ivan nodded. “Yeah. It’s weird. I don’t mind admitting that. I mean, it’s good. I’m loving being in the office, and I’m glad that he trusts me enough to leave me in charge of everything here, but I can’t help but worry about him driving himself around up there—especially at this time of year.”

  Chris shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about it. So, I’m not going to. Where are you off to?”

  “I just left work. I’m heading home.”

  Chris grinned. “What’s for dinner?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know yet.”

  She slipped her arm through his. “I don’t either. So, rather than you going home and trying to figure something out, and me doing the same, do you want to have dinner with me?”

  He grinned. “I’d love to.”

  When they got to the Boathouse, he held the door open for her, and they made their way to the bar.

  Kenzie, the bartender, greeted them with a puzzled smile. “It’s nice to see you both. Where’s Seymour?”

  “Montana,” said Chris with a grin.

  Kenzie laughed. “So, you two are keeping each other company in his absence?” She looked at Ivan. “You’ll have to watch her, you know.”

  Ivan smiled. “I think I’m safe. Chris’s only interest in me is that I’m someone she can talk to about Mr. D while he’s not here.”

  Chris nodded happily. “It’s true.”

  “Well, what can I get you?”

  “Can we take a booth?” asked Chris. “We’re here for dinner.”

  “Sure thing. Seat yourselves, and I’ll bring your drinks and menus over.”

  Chris grinned at Ivan once they were seated. “I know why I’d be eating alone if it weren’t for you. But what’s your excuse? You’ve been here a couple of months by now. Why don’t you have a hot date, or a pretty young thing waiting at home?”

  Ivan made a face. “I do have a hot date.”

  Chris laughed. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere with me. Come on. I’m serious. I thought you’d catch the Summer Lake bug when you moved here and find yourself a nice girl like everyone seems to.”

  He shrugged.

  Chris narrowed her eyes at him. “What?” Her expression sobered. “I’m sorry. Am I being an idiot? I never thought. Would you be better off with a nice guy?”

  Ivan chuckled.

  Chris looked mortified. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think.”

  “It’s okay. I’m into girls, not guys. I’m ju
st not looking for anyone right now.”

  Chris held his gaze for a moment. “Why not?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m fine by myself. I’m getting to know this place. Learning my new job. There’s been a lot of changes for me lately.”

  “So why not change it up even more and get yourself a nice girlfriend?”

  He made a face. “I haven’t met anyone I like that way.”

  “You haven’t?”

  He shook his head slowly. It wasn’t exactly a lie. He’d met Abbie. He liked her. But he didn’t like her that way, because there was no point. She wasn’t interested in him. At least, not enough to do anything about it.

  Chris gave him a sly smile. “The look on your face says you have, but you don’t want to tell me about it.”

  “Nope. Only that there’s nothing to tell.”

  “Okay.” He was glad she let it go. He didn’t mind her being nosey. That was just who Chris was, and he knew her intentions were good. He was glad she let it go because he didn’t want to think about it too much. If he was honest—and he could do that with himself, if not with Chris—he wouldn’t mind catching the Summer Lake bug, as she called it. Most of the guys he’d gotten to know here were coupled up, and he wouldn’t mind his life going in that direction. Moving here was like starting a new chapter. He loved the way his new job was working out, loved that he wasn’t always on the go like he’d been before. His days as Seymour’s chauffeur had seen him splitting his time between Malibu, Montana, and the Caymans. It sounded cool—and it kind of was—but he was enjoying settling into small-town life.

  Kenzie set their drinks down and handed Ivan a menu. “I know madam here is coming out with Clay and Marianne tomorrow night. Are you coming?”

  Ivan met her gaze. He liked Kenzie. She struck him as someone who’d seen the darker side of life and lived to tell the tale, much like himself and, even though he wasn’t supposed to be thinking about her, like Abbie. “Probably,” he said, knowing that answer was less likely to get him into another conversation about how he should get a life.

  “Good.” Kenzie nodded. “Do you know what you want?”

  He gave her a puzzled look. Was she reading his mind about Abbie?

  “To eat,” she added.

  Once she’d gone, Chris smiled at him. “You might think you’re safe now that I’m not going to bug you about finding a girlfriend, but I think Kenzie just adopted you.”

  He laughed. “Adopted me? She only asked if I’m coming out tomorrow night.”

  “You don’t know Kenzie very well. You might as well accept your fate.”

  Ivan shook his head. “If she wants to play matchmaker, she can try.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Chris raised her glass to him. “She might just set you up with someone who’s perfect for you.”

  Ivan lifted his glass with a smile. “She might.” He doubted it, but all this talk about finding someone didn't sound so bad. After his drink with Abbie the other night, he had to admit that he did have some interest in dating. She might not be interested in him, but she had reminded him that he enjoyed going out with a woman. Maybe it was time he started.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Good morning.”

  “Morning, Renée.” Abbie tried to sound as bright and cheerful as she could. She’d come to the bakery to pick up her mom’s favorite donuts, but she would have gone to the grocery store instead if she’d known that Renée was working this morning.

  “How are things?”

  She nodded. “Great, thanks. How about you?”

  Renée ran the women’s center. It was a great place, they offered all kinds of counseling—emotional as well as legal and financial. Abbie was grateful for all the help they’d given her since she came back to the lake. She’d had to deal with a lot—legally and financially to help her mom out. Her parents had never had much, but it turned out they did have quite a bit of debt. Renée had helped her take care of setting up payment plans and getting her mom’s widow’s pension. Abbie was grateful to her for all of it. It was hard to look her in the eye now, though. Renée seemed to know it, too.

  “All’s well here, thanks. What can I get you?”

  Abbie forced a smile. It wasn’t fair of her to be anything but sweetness and light with the woman who’d helped her save her parents’ home. “Do you have any of the cinnamon donuts? Mom loves them.”

  “We do—or we will do in about eight minutes. There’s a batch almost ready to come out of the oven. Do you want to have a coffee with me while we wait?”

  Abbie was tempted to say no. To ask for something else and leave, but her mom did love those donuts.

  “Sure. That’d be nice.”

  Renée poured them each a coffee and came around the counter. “Shall we sit?”

  “Okay.”

  When they were seated, Renée blew out a sigh. “Mind if I ask you something?”

  “Fire away.” Abbie braced herself. She didn’t know what was coming, but she doubted that she’d like it.

  “Did I do something to piss you off?”

  Crap! She’d thought she hid it so well. “No! Not at all. You’ve been so good to me. What makes you think that?”

  Renée held her gaze for a long moment. “You avoid me as much as you can, and when you can’t, you give me this fake nicey-nicey act. I don’t get it. It’s not you.”

  Abbie pursed her lips. “It’s the new me. It’s not fake. This is who I’m trying to be these days.”

  “Why?”

  Abbie sighed. “Because I screwed up. I want to be better than I was.”

  “You already are. And it’s not like you did anything horrible before anyway. I remember you in school. You were a few years behind me, but you were fun and outgoing and the life of the party. Now you’re … different. You’re nice to everyone, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t feel real.”

  Abbie shrugged. “Look what happened while I was off partying and having fun. I should have been here, and I wasn’t. Fun doesn’t count for much in the grand scheme of things. I’m sorry. I guess I am edgy with you because you know just how bad things got for my folks while I was off having fun. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but honestly, I hate that you know the worst of it.” There, she’d admitted it.

  Renée gave her a sad smile. “You didn’t cause any of it. It’s just the way things worked out. Your folks were going through a tough time financially. Most people do at some point. It was just unfortunate that your dad passed before they could get through it. I was glad to be able to help you sort things out for your mom.”

  Abbie frowned. “They never should have been in such a mess. They wouldn’t have been if I’d stayed here and done what I’m doing now. If I’d taken a job in town and lived at home, I could have contributed, and things would have been different.”

  “You can’t blame yourself.”

  Abbie let out a short, bitter laugh. “I can, and I do.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen, and I’m sure they wouldn’t have wanted you to give up your own life.”

  “It is what it is. I can’t change what happened, but I can try to make up for it now—to my mom, at least. I’m glad we’ve talked. I’ll be honest, I avoid you as much as I can because I know what you must think of me.”

  “No!” Renée shook her head. “I get that you have to work through this in your time and in your own way, but I’m not going to let you set me up as the bad guy—for your sake, not mine. You can’t keep telling yourself that Renée blames you or thinks you’re a bad person. I’m not judging you. You’re the one who’s doing that. And you shouldn’t. Avoid me if that makes life easier for you, but you won’t get anywhere until you face up to the fact that you’re the only one who thinks badly of you.”

  Abbie pressed her lips together. She wanted to argue. Wanted to tell Renée that she didn’t need to take it easy on her. She was to blame, and she knew it.

  But Renée was glaring at
her. “You need to get your head straight, Abbie. Sometimes, life just sucks. Bad things happen. People die. And it’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just the way life goes. There’s no one to blame. Nothing that can be done to make amends. To use your own favorite phrase, it is what it is. And the sooner you understand that, the sooner you’ll be able to start living again. It’s hard, it’s sad. Believe me, I know, I understand. But you can’t change the past, and you can’t compensate for it. All you can do is live your best now and try to make a great future for yourself.”

  Abbie swiped angrily at the tears that pricked behind her eyes. “That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to be a better person.”

  Renée reached across the table and squeezed her arm. “You’re trying to be a different person. You think that if you’d been someone else, your dad might not have died, and your mom wouldn’t have been left in such a mess. But that’s just not true. Just be yourself, Abbie. You’ll never be happy otherwise. And no matter who you try to be, you can’t change the past.”

  Abbie stared at her for a long moment. Part of her knew that Renée was right, but if she accepted that, she didn’t know what she’d do with herself.

  Renée checked her watch. “I’d better get those donuts out.”

  Abbie watched her get up and walk away. She turned before she disappeared in the back. “You came back to help your mom. What your mom needs more than anything is you—Abbie—the real one. Not some made-up character who you think she might like better than you.”

  Abbie had to swallow hard at that.

  When Renée came back out, she set a bag of donuts down. “These are on me. I hope she enjoys them.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll say one more thing, then I’ll butt out. If I can tell that you’re putting on an act—and it hurts me because I thought we were closer than that—how do you think your mom feels?”

  Abbie tried to blink away the tears. She couldn’t speak, she just nodded, and picked up the donuts and left.

  Chapter Three

  Ivan stepped out of the shower and toweled himself off. It was too early to get ready, but he had nothing else to do. He might as well make his way over to the Boathouse. He could hang out at the bar until people started to show up.