Choosing the Right Man - Nice Girl to Love, Vol 3 (Can't Resist #3)(15)

Brian ruffled Skylar’s hair. “What do you say about resurrecting the tradition Sky-bug? Maybe adding one new member? That is, as long as you don’t mind your old man joining the club.”

“I’m in!” Skylar hopped up, grinning at Brian. “And of course you can join, silly. It’s a family thing.” She looked over at Abby expectantly. “How about you, Abby?”

“You in?” He held her jacket out for her.

A family thing.

Yet another swing in her vote right back this way.

“Yes,” she said softly with a smile over the invite. “I’m in.”




“YOU SURE YOU’RE FEELING OKAY, honey?” Connor’s worried gaze drifted over her face. “You look beat.”

Abby’s head was spinning. How did other women do this? Dating two men at once was slowly but sure driving her batty. She pressed her fingers into her temples. “I’m sorry, Connor. I have a little headache. I think my brain is just exhausted.”

“Well then why don’t we call it a night? If we stay home, I’ll be tempted to drag you into bed with me and if we go out, the noise from all the drunken folks celebrating St. Patrick’s Day will make your headache worse.”

Her sluggish brain processed that information at a snail’s pace. It was a good two minutes later before her cheeks flushed with heat over his suggestion for their at-home activities.

“And there it is,” he teased. “Wow, you really must be under the weather. Normally, you go from zero to sexy in a few second flat.”

She grabbed a couch cushion and mashed it into his grinning face.

“Keep that up and I’m going to have to collect payment for you not wearing any green, babe,” he warned eyebrows bobbing.

She tilted her head and smiled. “Who says I’m not wearing anything green?”

He quickly scanned her from head to toe again, groaning long, low, and hot. “Below the belt, Abby.”

“Exactly,” she giggled when it became apparent that he was counting to himself silently.

She’d forgotten how much she enjoyed flirting with Connor.

“Do you know how many nights I’ve stayed awake remembering that little red crotchless number you wore in my car?” he asked roughly, sliding his hungry eyes over her.

Yowza, she couldn’t feel more stripped if he’d had x-ray vision.

“These aren’t crotchless,” she said quickly, trying to wade them back to safer waters. “These are just plain green cotton panties.”

With a deep frown, she again caught the niggling thought tapping on the inside of her brain at the repeated mention of the word green.

Connor stopped visibly undressing her with his eyes and came over, concerned. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know…” Searching her memories and her thoughts, she tried to pinpoint her feelings of unease.

Then she gasped.

“Oh crap. I can’t believe I didn’t realize today’s the 17th. I need to take a rain check for tonight.” Shooting an apologetic look at Connor, she ran over to get her bag. “Do you think you can drop me off at Brian’s? We have an annual tradition.”

Connor hopped up to his feet and grabbed his keys. “Sure thing. What tradition?”

It wasn’t her tradition to share, and she didn’t want to lie to Connor, so she just went with the next closest truth. “The 18th is Beth’s birthday.”

“Damn, that’s right.” With a sympathetic nod, he climbed into the car.

But Abby knew he didn’t get it. No one got it. Everyone only remembered the date of Beth’s birthday, if that. The date no one remembered was the day before, the one Brian tortured himself over every year.

The day he’d committed Beth into the care home.

As they drove over to Brian’s house, Abby looked over at Connor. “I know you guys have that rule about not crossing weeks and all—”

“Honey, you don’t have to explain. Brian’s your best friend. Part of the reason why I love you so much is because of how good of a person you are. You never have to feel like you can’t be there for Brian or Skylar or anyone.” He pulled her hand up to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss over her knuckles. “Now tell me, what can I do? Should I take Skylar out for the night?”

Shoot, Skylar. Normally, Abby was so much better about arranging for Skylar to be at Becky’s on St. Patrick’s Day each year, at least for dinner if it fell on a weekday.

“Actually, that would be great, Connor. Do you think you could take Skylar out to the movies? And maybe get some frozen yogurt or something afterward?”

“Sounds like fun. I’ll text her right now.” He pulled out his phone and started typing out a quick message.

Before Abby even got a chance to ring the doorbell, Skylar yanked open the door with a bright smile. “Oh hey, Abby! I thought it was just going to be Uncle Connor.”

Connor grinned. “Gee, thanks for the ‘just,’ cutie.”

Skylar giggled. “You know what I meant.” Turning back toward the living room she called out, “Hey dad, Abby’s here too. Are you sure you don’t want to come to the movies with us?”

“Actually,” Abby interrupted, “I need your dad’s help with some business writing logistics for an article I’m working on,” she fibbed.