R Is for Rebel by Megan Mulry Page B

what he did. He started shipping for all of the department stores in the Midwest, and that’s when we met Sarah’s parents. And they were so sweet. Sarah’s mother especially. You know how some people are just good? I remember Elizabeth James like that. I only met her a couple of times when we went to Chicago for a treat, but she was a doll. Just like Sarah. So sunny.”
    Abby had a slight twinge of something resembling jealousy, that Sarah had made such a good impression on Eliot’s mother. Not that anything had ever developed between Eliot and Sarah other than a professional friendship, but Abby still felt like she was a bit un-sunny by comparison.
    â€œOh. That’s awkward, I’m sorry—” Penny blurted.
    â€œNo,” Abby interrupted, embarrassed that her twinge of something-or-other must have shown on her face. “No—”
    â€œSilly me. I just meant that you’re lucky to have Sarah as a sister now. And her mother was just all sweet and smiling, like Sarah was when I met her last year. But,” Penny inhaled, then continued in a lower voice, “I never thought she was the right type of woman for Eliot.”
    Abigail blushed, silently damning her fair complexion for giving her up.
    â€œOh silly me. I’d better stop talking before I say anything else ridiculous.” Penny took a sip of her coffee and tried to stay quiet. But it just wasn’t her way. “ You are the right type of woman for Eliot,” she whispered, just as the back door flew open and drew their attention toward the kitchen. Penny winked at Abby as the two Cranbrook men strode into the sunroom.
    Eliot’s father walked straight to his wife and kissed her hello, right on the lips. She reached up one hand and placed it on his cheek as he pulled away.
    â€œHow are you this morning?” he asked, as if he really wanted to know.
    Again, Abby felt like she was being exposed to something too personal, that she wasn’t meant to see. She looked away, to give them privacy or something, and turned toward Eliot by accident. He was watching her watch his parents and he gave her a small sad smile, as if to say, Now do you see why I think people are meant to be loving and kind to one another?
    â€œHow are you this morning, Abigail?” he asked, echoing his father’s kindness to his mother.
    Abby lifted her mug. “Excellent. And you?”
    â€œGreat! Perfect day to walk the ditch. No trumpets or fancy horses and hounds here, but we still manage to bag a few birds. You up for it?”
    â€œYou know I am!” She stood up and felt all hot and bothered as Eliot watched her head toward the kitchen in the frumpy robe. “I’ll just have a quick shower and we can head out.”
    â€œOkay. See you in a few.” His eyes narrowed and he watched her even more closely.
    â€œOkay.” She bounded off, suddenly thrilled at the prospect of shooting a rifle at some small innocent creatures in order to blow off a little pent-up sexual frustration.
    ***
    Later that night, the January wind whipped in behind them as Eliot opened the door to the saloon and gave Abby a little shove to hurry her along. She laughed as he pushed her into the crowded space and steered her toward the back of the bar near the pool table.
    One of the guys playing pool raised his cue and called out, “Hey! Eliot! Over here.”
    Abby loved seeing Eliot in this world, surrounded by childhood friends who knew him as the nerdy straight-A student and track star. Of course, they knew he had gone on to make piles of money and was a successful international businessman, but he was the same person he’d always been when he was back in town. He was the same to everyone—whether he was chatting with one of his private jet pilots or the checkout girl at the Kum-and-Go.
    She smiled at the memory of the Kum-and-Go. When they’d pulled into the convenience store to get gas that afternoon, Abby