Chapter 42

After delicately explaining the situation to Kirsten, Rick went in search of Abigail. When he walked into the kitchen and spotted the door ajar, he looked out and saw her sitting on the sand, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Oh man, he thought as he pushed the door and walked out to meet her. He sat down on the sand next to her as they both looked out at the ocean. He noted the change in her expression, which was now quite serene.

“You’re upset.” It was more a statement than a question.

Abigail gaped at him. Was he for real?

“Of course I’m upset!” she stated harshly.

He looked at her then.

“Why?”

She made a move to get up, which he halted by putting a hand on her arm.

“I think it’s fairly obvious.”

“I already told you about girls like Kirsten.” He said looking at her expression.

“Oh you mean those girls that occasionally share your bed while you’re home.” She replied sarcastically.

“Abby-“

“It’s okay. I get it.” She interrupted him.

“I don’t think you do.” He countered, “Will you look at me?”

When she complied, he took her chin.

“You’re not like any of those girls.” He told her, “You’re different.”

Abigail pushed his hand away and stared back out at the ocean.

“How can you say that to me when I know the longest relationship you’ve ever had was what? Two, three months?”

“A year.” He told her.

“What?” she stared at him.

“I was on tour a lot and she couldn’t handle that, so we broke up. That was more than four years ago.”

“Is that why you don’t want to have a steady relationship?” she asked him.

“Excuse me?” he raised eyebrows at her, “If you’ll remember, I was the one trying to get YOU into a relationship with me and it was YOU that refused.”

Abigail shook her head.

“Just answer me one thing.” When he looked at her expectantly she continued, “How could you have been with so many girls and not feel anything?”

“Like what?”

“Guilt!”

“Okay Abby, first of all, I think I need to make things a little clearer,” Rick faced her squarely, “When I said that there was always someone with me, doesn’t mean that I was sleeping with them.”

“Doesn’t it?”

Rick looked appalled.

“Hey, I’ve got self-control and despite what you may think, I do have a conscious. Besides, do you think that any of those girls have any real feelings for me? They use me just as much as I use them.”

Abigail shook her head.

“Rick, I’ve gotten to know you pretty well these past couple of weeks and you don’t seem like the kind of guy that wants to be in a serious relationship.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” He protested, “None of those girls wanted to be in a serious relationship and that was fine, because until now I didn’t either. But you changed that for me. I want one with you. But you’re afraid to get involved with me. I just want to know why.”

Abigail took a deep breath and thought about how she was going to proceed.

“You want the truth?” she said. When he focused his complete attention on her, she swallowed hard, “Because I’m afraid you’ll get tired of me.”

Rick’s jaw dropped slightly and he looked at her as though he didn’t believe her.

“What? You’re not serious.”

“I’m not laughing Rick.”

He saw her serious expression and got angry.

“How could you even think something like that?”

“It’s just like Sara said, you’re never with the same girl for more than a month. We just happened to be thrown together because of this case. After this is over, what then?” Abigail asked a little afraid of the darkness in his expression.

“I still want you with me!” he said, “I’ve already told you that. Damnit Abby! What I did in the past is just that, the past! I’ve changed!”

“I know. Sara told me that too.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, she said that you’ve changed and that things were probably going to be different with us.” Abigail explained.

“She was right.”

“But then I saw you with that girl at the hotel.” Her expression turned a bit angry, “And I thought that maybe you hadn’t changed at all.”

“What girl? I was never—“ he paused as it dawned on him, “OhmyGod Abby, I’m so sorry I forgot to tell you. That girl—“

“Debbie.” Abigail supplied.

“Debbie. DJ. That’s—she’s my sister.”

“What?”

“I met her in the hotel earlier and I asked her to pretend that we were involved to get back at you, to make you jealous and it worked.” Rick explained.

It was Abigail’s turn to look dumbfounded.

“You lied to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Abigail stood up then and Rick did the same and they faced each other.

“So let me get this straight,” she began, a hand on her hip, “You were never with anyone else since we were together?”

“Abby, since you came into my life, I haven’t even looked at another girl.” He said honestly.

She saw the sincerity in his eyes and decided to believe him.

“And it better stay that way.” She told him poking him in the chest.

“So does that mean you’re willing to give this relationship thing with me a shot?” Rick asked, taking her arms and pulling her in a little closer.

“Well since you’re not seeing anybody and I’m not seeing anybody, I guess so.” She told him.

“Speaking of which,” Rick began, “Why did you lie to me about Jason?”

“I wanted to keep you away from me,” Abigail bowed her head, “And it did, for a while.”

“It’s going to take something a lot bigger than that to keep me away from you babe.” He picked her up then and she screamed as he ran towards the ocean.