Finding Abigail (4 page)

“Frank? Who the hell names a cupid Frank?” Tyler read down to the postscript and snorted. 

P.S. My parents weren’t imaginative with my name. Deal with it. At least I’m not alone. Have fun with those arrows!

Tyler glanced over his shoulder. Okay, this Frank dude was a little creepy. Or maybe Tyler’s reaction was normal when it came to the job and all it entailed.

So, his job was to prance around and hit people with arrows? Oh, God, were there tights involved? He peered into the package, but he couldn’t see anything else without unwrapping it further.

Please, no tights. Oh, and no diapers
.

Tyler took off the last of the brown paper that smelled of vanilla and choked.

Pink. Hot pink. Everywhere.

The arrows were light pink with hearts, all tucked in a hot-pink quiver. 

Oh, God. Hell no.

How the hell was he supposed to do this? He was a cupid, sure, but God… pink? Why the hell did it have to be pink?

He took a deep breath and grabbed the quiver. It crinkled under his hand, and he frowned. He took a closer look and laughed.

Plastic wrap. Pink fucking plastic wrap.

He took off a note that he hadn’t seen before and smiled.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. It’s white, though we’re thinking of making a more manly black or slate one. Check back next year.

Okay, so Frank sounded more and more like one of his brothers. Tyler could do this. There didn’t seem to be anything else other than the arrows, bow, and quiver in the box. Thank God. But, how the hell was he supposed to go around with it without people noticing?

He looked in the box again and found one last note.

Only you and your beloved can see the bow, arrow, and quiver. That means, even if you don’t already know it, the one person, besides you, who can see the evidence of your being a cupid is your one true love. The world won’t notice if you’re prancing around with it on. You’re fine. Good luck, and happy shooting!

Well then.

There would be no prancing.

Tyler took off the wrapping and hooked the strap around his chest. Then he held the bow in his hand and felt warmth spread through him. He blinked as he caught his reflection in the mirror on the wall beside him. Nothing was there. It was as if he wasn’t holding the bow and didn’t have the quiver on his back.

Dude, this is pretty cool. At least it didn’t come with tights
.

A sudden tug at his heart startled him. Oh, maybe that was what he was supposed to be feeling. Was he supposed to follow it? 

Hell, he really didn’t want to do this. Why couldn’t he just enjoy his vacation like a normal person? No, he had to be a fucking Cooper and be swallowed whole by the paranormal world.

Okay, he could do this. He
had
to do this. 

He left the house and started walking toward the tug, or whatever the hell he was going to call it. He passed by a few people and nodded. They didn’t give him any weird looks, so it seemed as though Frank had been right—they couldn’t see the bow, quiver, and arrow. That at least was a good thing. He kept walking until he made his way to his apartment building’s gym.

Tony, one of his other neighbors, was frowning at Jessica, the apartment receptionist. His heart tugged harder toward Jessica, and Tyler held back a grin.

Apparently, Jessica was the hard head in this relationship; and people thought men were the hard cases.

He looked around him, and luckily, only one other person was in the room with them so he could maybe hide and hit the two lovebirds with an arrow or whatever he was supposed to do. Unfortunately, the person who stood next to him was Clara, the very married neighbor who kept trying to grab his junk.

He hated that woman.

“Oh, Tyler,” Clara purred, “you’re here. I can help spot you if you want.”

He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and shook his head. “I saw your husband earlier looking for you,” he lied. “I’d go find him if I were you.”

She gave him a stormy look and flounced off.

Thank God he’d never slept with her—before or after her marriage. Not that he’d ever sleep with a married woman, but still. He could imagine how clingy she’d be if he had.

Jessica and Tony nodded at him, and he smiled, clearly aware he was still in jeans and looked out of place at the gym. He went to the back and hid behind a pillar. 

He rolled his eyes. Yep, this was discreet. Years of training in law enforcement were clearly paying off.

He pulled out an arrow and aimed his bow toward Jessica. Hopefully the arrow wouldn’t become visible once it was away from his body. That wouldn’t be awkward at all…

Tyler released the arrow, and it flew through the air and hit Jessica’s butt—
nice aim
. She jumped, her eyes wide, and Tyler held back a curse. Fuck, that didn’t look good.

But, as soon as he was about to turn tail and run, Jessica smiled, and Tony and Tyler froze. He could have sworn he saw a pink ribbon flair from Jessica to Tony’s heart. She leaned into Tony, and he traced a finger down her jaw. Tyler couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he felt as though he was intruding.

As quietly as he could, he left the building, just as Tony leaned down for a kiss.

The tug on Tyler’s heart lessened, and he smiled. Mission accomplished.

He’d just gotten back into his apartment and taken off his quiver when someone knocked on the door. 

Who the hell could that be? Hopefully, it wasn’t Clara. He shuddered.
Please, don’t let it be Clara
. 

He opened the door and froze.

Abigail.

“What are you doing here?” he grunted.

“Hello to you too,” she said as she made her way into his house without an invitation.

He closed the door and scratched his head. This didn’t sound like her at all. In fact, Abigail was usually very timid around him. Not that he really noticed her beyond that.

“What’s going on, Abigail?”

“Why do you call me that? Everyone else calls me, Abby.” She bit her lip, and his eyes focused on them for a second.

They looked sexy…

He blinked, a gray haze coming over his mind.

Wait. What had he been thinking about?

“Ty? Why do you call be Abigail?”

“It’s your name, isn’t it?” And he liked the sound of it on his tongue. That gray haze came back, and he rubbed his temples. What the hell?

She shook her head. “Whatever. I’m here to say goodbye actually.”

“Goodbye?”

“I’m moving, and I thought I’d say goodbye to all the Coopers.” She blinked and looked around as though trying to come up with what to say.

“Moving? Why would you do that?”

“There’s nothing for me here.”

But, what about…

He closed his eyes as a headache slammed into him. 

“What’s wrong, Ty?” Abigail walked toward him, and he took a step back. Hurt crossed her face for a moment, her eyes widening as she bit her lip, but then she managed to mask it.

“I’m fine. Just a headache. Uh, I’m sorry to see you go.”

Hurt flashed again, and this time, it looked even more painful. Her eyes took on a glassy glaze, almost as if she was about to cry, but she held it back.

“I see.” She looked away from his face, and he frowned.

Why was she acting like this?

“What are these?” Abigail asked as she touched his arrows.

Holy shit. How could she see those? Only other cupids and his true love could see them. But, she wasn’t his true love; he didn’t feel it, even though he felt a little off around her. Was she another cupid?

“What do you see, Abigail?” he asked carefully.

Her brows rose, and she gave him a “really?” look. “Arrows. That’s why I asked you what they were since I didn’t think you were a marksman with anything other than the gun that’s usually at your hip.”

“Here, give me that,” he said as he took the quiver full of arrows from her. He reached too fast and swore as one of the arrow tips cut into his hand.

 He sucked on his finger, and Tyler almost fell to his knees.

Abigail.

His heart constricted as he saw Abigail for what seemed like the first time.

Luscious curves that were made for his hands called to him. Her breasts were heavy, more than enough for a large handful. Her hips flared out, and he could see himself thrusting in and out of her as he tugged on her hair, keeping her in place. 

Long eyelashes framed hazel eyes that looked as if they could see into the very depths of his soul. Shoulder-length brown hair with blunt bangs made her face look innocent, pure.

His
.

What the fuck?

How had he not seen her before?

The arrow.

Shit. Abigail was his?

How could he not have known? Something else was at play here, and he didn’t know what it was. What he did know was that he suddenly wanted Abigail.

Naked. 

Now.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” She tried to walk around him, but he grabbed her arm, blocking her.

“No, don’t go.”

“Why? You never wanted me to stay before.”

He traced her jaw, and he smiled because her soft, soft skin felt smooth under his finger. “Abigail.”

“What’s going on? Why are you acting like this?”

“Go out to dinner with me.”
Then stay forever
.

Whoa. Holy shit. Maybe not forever. He didn’t do that. He gulped. Did he?
First make her stay for dinner then we can talk about the future
.

What the hell was on that arrow? Some kind of commitment poison?

“What?” she asked, her eyes wide, disbelieving.

“I want you, Abigail.”

She pulled back, and confusion and anger warred on her face. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Now? I’m leaving, Tyler. You’ve never wanted me before. I’m not a pity date. Fuck you, Tyler Cooper. Just because you didn’t want me when I was available doesn’t mean others don't either. Don't play games with me.” 

With one last look, she stormed off and slammed the door behind her.

Holy hell.

Abigail Clarke was the one for him. Why hadn’t he known it before? Something was wrong. Something had held him back. But what? And how the hell was he going to make Abigail stay for him?

He’d just found her, even though she’d been here all this time. He couldn’t lose her now, not his Abigail.

Chapter 4

Even after twenty-four hours, Abby was still mad as hell, as well as confused. Also needy and slightly optimistic—which made her even angrier. This couldn’t be happening. Tyler Cooper couldn’t want her right when she was moving. What kind of cruel joke was he playing?

Her heart ached at the thought.

Why couldn’t he have just let her go? He’d already broken her by dismissing her for years, so why add to the misery? She’d gone over there on a whim—a careless one at that. Abby hadn’t meant to even go there. She’d just found her car parked in his parking lot as if her body had subconsciously done it. 

She’d just wanted to say goodbye. Okay, fine, if she were honest with herself, she’d really wanted him to tell her not to go and say he’d always loved her, but he hadn’t—not at first.

Then all of a sudden he’d seemed to want her?

What the hell was that about? It made no sense. She was just Abby. No, not just Abby. She was
Abigail
to him. Still, no matter what he’d said now, she’d always been nothing to him.

Abigail. She liked how it sounded when it rolled off his tongue. Sweet, yet sort of sinful in all the best ways. 

She mentally slapped herself. Geez, he didn’t really want her. He just wanted to make sure he boinked the only girl in town he hadn’t had before she left. Well, that was slightly exaggerating his prowess, but whatever.

Someone slammed a car door, and she blinked. Damn, now she was acting like a freak sitting out in her car talking with herself. Abby got out of the car and made her way into the diner.

She’d promised Allison she’d come in and eat lunch with her and the kids before she left. It had been an entire day since Tyler had made his proclamations—however truthful they were—and he still hadn’t contacted her. That just confirmed her fears; he didn’t want her.

Whatever. That wasn’t new. It was just life.

“Abby! You’re here!” Lacy, Allison’s youngest, yelled as she ran over to her. 

Abby held out her arms and pulled the little girl in tightly. God, she was going to miss this family. She ran hands over six-year-old Lacy’s adorable little pigtails and smiled. 

“It’s good to see you too, pumpkin.”

“You’re going to eat with us, right? Brayden is already here, so you can eat with all of us.” Lacy pulled Abby to where Tyler’s brother, Brayden, sat.

Brayden looked like the grungier—in the nicest of ways—version of the Cooper brothers. He was the town mechanic and hopelessly in love with Allison, a widow and mother of three kids, though no one actually thought Brayden knew he was in love. At some point, he’d have to figure it out. Right?

Apparently, the Coopers were a little crazy when it came to feelings and women.

Brayden sat in the booth across from Allison’s other two kids, eight-year-old Cameron and twelve year-old Aiden. Both boys looked like their late father, something that haunted Allison, though Abby didn’t know why. It was her friend’s secret though, and Abby didn’t want to pry into it unless invited.

“I see Lacy found you,” Allison said with a smile as she carried a tray of waters to another table in the diner. Allison was the head waitress and very good at her job, though the town knew she hated it. But, she’d given up college and any dreams she may have had when she’d married Greg and had Aiden at eighteen.

“Yep, she’s determined,” Abby said. 

Abby laughed and sat down next to the boys so Lacy could sit next to Brayden. Brayden gave Abby a nod and wrapped his arm around Lacy. Lacy squealed and sank into Brayden’s hold. That annoying little maternal clock chimed within Abby, and she held back a sigh. She might have only been in her early twenties, but she was ready for a family. She wasn’t like the normal twenty-somethings who wanted to party or find themselves.