“Oh, I know. I can’t believe I once thought I could be in love with her.”

“I like your mother. She’s pretty. You look just like her. But your father and Aaron didn’t talk much. I didn’t get a good feel for either of them.”

“No. My father is always preoccupied with something. Idle chitchat bores him. Always has. And Aaron? He seemed a little flustered, almost. I’m not sure why. Holly was being Holly, but I think I saw him cringe a few times.”

“She certainly wasn’t shy about acknowledging that you two used to date. That had to be uncomfortable for Aaron. But then Holly was being a bitch,” she said bluntly, causing Abby to laugh.

“Yeah, she was. Nothing surprising there.” Abby walked closer to her. “She was so condescending. Why did you let it go on?”

“What should I have done? Should I have told her that Eric grills a mean filet mignon once a month for me? Or that the neighborhood barbeque joint is so popular they run out of food each day and you’re one of the lucky ones if you get inside?” She pulled the sweater over her head. “Their ribs are fantastic, by the way.”

“So you’re one of the lucky ones?”

She smiled at that. “I know the owner. Scooter. He lets me in the back door.”

“Well, I think Holly was making everyone uncomfortable. Do we really care how many clients she has or how big her raise was? Do we care that they plan to have Jacuzzi tubs in all five of their bathrooms? Do we care how obscenely big their new house is going to be?”

“You know why she was doing that, right?”

Abby frowned. “Other than showing off?”

“She was separating herself from me. I’m like the hired help and she’s queen of the castle. Everything she said was to highlight the differences between us. I think she wants to make sure you know how far down you’ve sunk with me.”

“Oh, Nic, she’s—” But Abby paused. “You’re right. She was.”

“And you were right. If I wasn’t here, she would be trying to get into your bed. By the sound of it, she may even try it with me here. Because she’s not happy in her life. She and Aaron together are not happy.”

“I have to agree. I didn’t see it last year, but yeah, they don’t really seem to be in love, do they?”

“No.” She shrugged. “But what do I know about it? Maybe they have a different definition. They have lots of money—Holly mentioned that several times—and they’re building an elaborate new house. Maybe those are the things that make them happy.” She went to her bag and rummaged inside for one of the oversized shirts she’d packed. “Are you shy?”

“Huh?”